Photos

R: DDare meets the ducks

L: Becky Hart and I and Boy #3 before we left AZ. His left ear came up the first morning home!

When it Rains.....

It pours.
Today I am the proverbial bug on the windshield. This post will be one of those therapeutic spews. Nothing terrible, just a general piling-on.
The Maggie update: she continues to do well, although she did suffer some side effects from last week's chemo (Vincristine). We arrived in Duluth last Friday afternoon without incident but as we were getting ready to leave the trial site to check into the motel, Maggie threw up everything she'd eaten that day. Yuck. I think it was the nastiest smell to ever afflict her crate. She was mortified, too. A call to the vet(s) yielded an encyclopedic tour of what might be, and some practical advice. We then procured Pepcid and turkey/rice baby food, administered the first, followed later by a little slurry of the second. It didn't stay down Friday night, but worked its magic by Saturday morning, and by Sunday Maggie was 100% recovered. She even ran one agility course on Sunday afternoon, and qualified. I felt as though we'd earned a championship on that run, just to see her vigor return. So now, we know that she may need pre-treatment when she gets this particular drug again. It's one of the repeaters on the protocol, so we'll stock up.
She had blood drawn yesterday in preparation for this week's treatment, and her WBC count was low--not critically, but enough to put off treatment until next week. This, too, is not unexpected. It means the chemo is working, and it kills the 'bad cells' and a few 'good cells' in the process. We'll try again next Tuesday and in the meantime root root root for the white cells!

The Winn update: we had a fabulous herding lesson with Marc Christopher on Friday before heading north. I think this man is one of the most gifted observers around, and he quickly spotted Winn's reliance on my physical cue to move off on an outrun. (hmmm, just like our start-line issues!!) Once I stopped moving, we got a much more thoughtful dog. And a nicer, square flank. Go figure. And this made my resolve at the agility trial hold up--I had to take Winn off twice, but he got the point and by Sunday afternoon was rock solid.

The Wrenshall NADAC trial can't be beat--even in the fog/mist/cool weather we always have a blast. The courses seemed especially fun; Ilze Rukis was the judge so it was having a friend in the ring, even if she was calling a fault; and two friends earned Championships on Sunday. Winn and I tried a 'bonus line' in Jumpers on Sunday too--we didn't get it, but we got a lot of it. FUN!

Puppy update: DDare has been here ten days already!! He is a great addition to the staff. Having said that, and meaning every word of it....
He's had a few pee accidents. Actually, it's me. I have forgotten just how often puppies need to pee. I have forgotten that you can't expect them to walk to the door, they must be carried out. I have forgotten that the whine is a reliable signal. And I had forgotten what an entire night's sleep was like until last night, when DDare slept 10:30-5:30. Bliss. and now.....
He has kennel cough. Although he was vaccinated last week, he woke up this morning (ah bliss.) and had the all-too-familiar "gack" in his throat. I waited until 10 am to decide it was not going away and up to the clinic we went. We're back (with pills and bills!) and he's being kept from Maggie and Winn.
The frustrating thing is that I suspect he came into contact at a puppy class. He may not have been fully protected by the vaccine yet, or the strain might be one outside the protection for that, who knows? I'll call the school and let them know, and wonder if there are sick puppies in the group tonight. I've spent the day letting everyone know who may have come in contact with him in the past week. The guilt is not insignificant, and my fear of course is for Maggie and Winn. We're keeping them at a distance, but the fact is that it may be too late. I can only watch and try not to worry. And cancel classes and lessons and take it a day at a time.

I am not a worrier by nature, I am a 'doer' so this is a lesson in patience for me, I guess.

On a much lighter note, at the trial the DDare fun was well-documented:
http://greatdanephotos.com/store/index.php?do=photocart&viewGallery=16119

The Great Dane, "Norm" belongs to the photographer, Amy Johnson. Neither of them knoew what to do with each other! And the lovely "Siren" was content to let DDare pull her around for a while. Cute couple!

By the time I post again, we should be past this. No one will be coughing, everyone will be sleeping all night, and Maggie will be back to her healing. Right??

Of course she handled it!

Maggie had her first chemo injection today. She charmed everyone she met along the way, greeting the receptionists, the techs, anyone in the waiting room--with a bark and a smile. She thinks it's pretty lousy that there are no treats in the exam room, but sighed and waited until we we were all sure she wasn't going to have any adverse reaction to the drugs.

I am full of hope. The protocol has lots of positive things going for it, statisically. And I have Maggie. She is such a spunky dog. The view from Mushtown Road today is great--sunshine!

Tomorrow is a vacation day: Winn and I will play agility, then Maggie will supervise my packing for the puppy trip. I'm excited to meet DDare and his family, and then bring him home to meet mine.

Winn had a terrific herding lesson today, too. We're headed up to try an AHBA trial on Sunday, and then we're home for a while to tackle puppy training!

I am so lucky to have a support group! Allen is the best. My friends are here when I need them, and all our critters bring joy. My work colleagues are tremendously loving and forgiving of my need to take a long lunch to get Maggie squared away, and sending all manner of healing energy. And the care and concern from all our friends across the country is felt and appreciated so much.
It's pretty amazing how connected we really are.

Perspective from the Roller Coaster

You already know that we’re getting a puppy. He’ll be here in less than a week—Cibola Double Dare Ewe , call name “DDare” and if all goes well, Maggie and Winn will welcome him home.

What I haven’t told too many people until I could do it without crying, is that Maggie is in the process of being diagnosed with lymphoma. On Tuesday her canine chiropractor noticed swollen lymph nodes. I was shocked—I have my hands on the dogs all the time, especially in high tick season, but Dr. Heather assured me they can blow up overnight. Since it was so sudden, I called her regular vet, and we got in a few hours later for a needle aspiration. While waiting for the lab results, Dr. Laurie arranged for a consult across town with an internal medicine vet. They were terrific and we had an appointment right away. Then, the cytology came back “suspicious” and so we opted to have them remove a lymph node, and now we’re again awaiting results so that we can get a diagnosis, and if necessary, start treatment right away. Maggie is asymptomatic, in fact she looks and feels great!

So on Friday, I spent the afternoon reading about training puppies, and then reading about treating cancer, until I filled my head. Quite the juxtaposition.

Maggie and I are all set to begin this new path. The good news is that this is a treatable cancer, with good odds for a lengthy remission. She’s otherwise healthy, a smaller dog, and FEMALE—all factors on her favor. And she is Maggie—this is no ordinary dog, after all! We are in it together. We’re ready to heal!

I am not fond of roller coasters, but have learned to not look anywhere but ahead when on that ride. I’m going to do my best to not look down during this one. I want all of you to help by keeping us in your thoughts, and think positive. Thanks.

Sunday night photos

Our new puppy is pictured here on the left with one of his sisters. In three weeks he'll arrive here.

Not the Puppy Channel

If you read the comments, I received one from the actual OWNER of the puppy channel. Who knew?
So Daniel, I did change the title of my WIDELY read blog--you see I have EIGHT whole followers. And by the way, I am not a literate gentleman. (that photo of me could have been a hint. Or do you all think I look like a gentleman?) And you cannot copyright a title. I assume that would pertain to a BLOG title. I could write a book and call it The Puppy Channel. Or a song. (I'll put them on my to-do list)

In any case it was not my intention to compete, directly or otherwise, with THE Puppy Channel.

Yours in cyberspace,

Chris(tine)

Puppy photos

That's what it feels like here, as we await new photos and news from Arizona, where the litter continues to thrive. It looks as though "Boy 3" will be coming to Minnesota in early June, and we're starting to take things seriously. The new crate arrived this morning. Winn looks up eagerly anytime one of us uses the "P" word, and at a recent trial, he was convinced we were there to pick up the new addition. Alas, although he made nice, the BC pups did not come home with us.

I'm reading, watching video, and trying to remember ANYTHING about 6 years ago when Winn was a puppy. Maggie is 11, I remember nothing. Repressed memories I think.Speaking of Maggie, she is being a good sport I think. It's a good thing dog can't roll their eyes, or hers would be permanently stuck.

The agility calendar is about to get even more full and we're looking forward to the outdoor season. The agility pitch here is green and lush and if it would stop raining we'd be out there! Allen has mowed and mowed between raindrops. We have materials to build more jumps, too.

I went to the second day of the AKC World Team Tryouts on Sunday. It's such an inspiring event, and I came home with some sequences to set up here. I don't have World Team aspirations but I want to be a better handler. I will be a Mushtown Road Team member! Very tough competition.

The Susan Perry seminar this week has been in aid of that, too. She is a great teacher and although I didn't "learn" anything new, I got great insights on a couple of handling challenges and took notes so I'll remember them. I think I am going to invent a wristband (like the QBs wear) and I'll have my little reminders there on the start line....want one? you know you do.

My big project at the moment is being trial chair for the 2011 CPE Nationals and I think I have the framework in place now, and a great group of people to do all the work involved. Just setting up the subcommittees took a lot of effort! We are very excited about hosting the event here though, and look forward to a truly wonderful event next June, 13 months from this weekend in fact.

So there you have it. I took a few minutes to update the blog, and post some corgi puppy photos. Back to the to-do list.

Cheers!

Puppies!

Here is the photo from Cindy as the pups assembled for a midnight supper. Reason is the name of the dam, and "Uncle" Beau (as in Winn's uncle) is the sire. Proud Momma!

Waiting for Puppy

It's nearly midnight on a Sunday night. Maggie, Winn and I ran agility this weekend, TDAA-style, and I should asleep. Maggie's gone ahead to bed, Allen's upstairs too. Winn and I are on the computer--because a litter of corgi pups is being born right now and the news is coming ever so slowly for our impatient selves.
Winn's uncle "Beau" is the sire for this litter, which is being whelped in Arizona. As of right now, 6 of the 7 puppies have been born: 4 girls, 2 boys. We're third in line for a boy and so I am staying up a bit longer, hoping for more boys parts to appear!

Winn earned his Teacup Agility Dog Championship this weekend, so now he's gotten a Ch in three of the organizations. I am so proud of this wonderful dog! Teacup is a challenge--the distance between obstacles demands collection on Winn's part and handling on mine. Our teamwork has really come together in the past six months. Last week I was working on sending him to jumps 50' away, and today he had to maneuver serpentines about 3' between jumps.

Herding is going pretty well, too. We have moved back outside and I am anxious to see if our progress this winter in the arena will hold up once we're in the larger field.

So---Maggie is clearly not as excited about the prospect for a puppy. We know that a boy would be easier to incorporate into our pack. (Winn doesn't care, he just wants someone to PLAY with) If a male puppy isn't in the cards, I'll have to decide what to do. I so want a puppy from Beau!
I realize I am rambling tonight, as my thoughts are zinging around. Winn's calmly sleeping with his nose an inch away. How can he be so relaxed??

Surely, Signs of Spring

More musings, some from the drive--again, back from LaCrosse. We love trialing there. Last weekend Maggie earned her TACh #2 in "teacup" agility--an organization geared for smaller dogs, with big dog challenges. Maggie likes the shorter yardage and smaller equipment. Winn is getting the hang of it. In fact he was brilliant at the trial. He missed only one weave pole entry (out of six) and had no off courses. He's living up to his fancy National Champion title and I am proud of our work.



I opted for the shorter (well, faster) drive home. It was nearly 40 degrees on Sunday afternoon. Along I-90, the strong sunshine has glazed the snow. There are many spots where the past few blizzards have sculpted some impressive snowbanks. Fences are still buried nearly to the tops of the posts. And it all reminded me of---meringue! It's still very white, up the hill from the road, and looks as shiny as the top of a pie.


The edges of the dirt roads aren't as pretty--I'd like to say that it looked like shaved almonds, but it's clearly dirt.





And when I got home, Allen pointed out that a "critter" was "growing" underneath the (now-empty) gas tank by the barn. Is it an ice weasel? A frozen camel? A clear panther?






Glad we have it captured here; the week continues warm, and it may crawl back from whence it came.

The commuting deer have now added more members--we counted 14, including two bucks, marching along their trail. They have made a path that we might be able to walk. The snow in the woods is still over the tops of my boots (a good 24") and thus much too deep for my short-legged companions, but we might try the deer path. It winds around the swamp to the south, up a hill into the neighbor's woods, and I think, comes out in our back horse pasture.

Chick a dee dee dee dee

I filled the bird feeder yesterday afternoon. No sooner had I replaced the lid on the feeder when at least 20 chickadees appeared all at once, flitting here and there, taking turns at the feeder and being their generally cheerful little selves. I've seen grateful birds at the feeder but never so quickly and so many.

Thoughts on Snooker

The game of Snooker in agility is challenging,and some people claim to hate it. Others, like me, love it. And having played it the past two weekends, I've been thinking about it.

Snooker is a game that brings out the worst in our handling, until we get good at it, and then it brings out the best in our handling.

A winning strategy has to include the most efficient path for your dog, and if something goes wrong, requires thinking while running. Most of us don't practice these skills and so when we get a course map, when we walk the course, sometimes it's a real challenge to find the best course for you and your dog. And there are all those handlers on course, and no one seems to be walking the obstacles in the same order! And then, if you're on the running order later in the class, you might watch others and think "Oh I wish I'd thought of that!" and try to decide whether to abandon your plan in favor of one you didn't walk. It's something that you could practice, and should, as it might come in really handy!

Snooker can reward the bold plan--trying for 4 reds, trying for all 7s. It can also reward the safe plan, lower points but getting all the way through the closing sequence. Knowing what's best for your team on the day, on that course, is the BEST plan though.

I think (and trust me, I am no Snooker expert!) that finding a Snooker course with FLOW is the real key. One thing that I have learned to do is to number my course once I settle on it. Would that look OK if some judge designed it? (of course, Snooker does not lend itself to this, but the closer you come, the happier your dog will be) I watched Toni Osonicki run a course on Sunday that made so much sense! Her dog knew exactly where the next obstacle was. It was beautiful (and yes, it made me change my plan a bit. Successfully!)

And when something goes wrong--a bar comes down or your dog chooses a different path--you have to be able to think, and move before your thought is finished! Yesterday a bar came down and I tried to decide whether to add a red and a combo. Did I have time? Somehow I decided I didn't. I won't ever know if that was the right decision, but I knew it wouldn't be the wrong decision. As it happened, a dropped bar in the closing at #7 was our downfall.

Back to my thought though, about Snooker handling. I see a lot of handlers get so flustered in this class, and they either make some herky jerky moves, or scream at the dog, or stop on course to try to find an alternative path. CPE snooker courses are a great way to get the hang of the game. You can ONLY complete 3 reds (a 4th is an emergency red) and that takes out some of the risk-taking craziness. The lower levels are easier and as you progress, they do get more and more challenging. USDAA Snooker is harder in comparison.

But there is nothing more satisfying than conquering a Snooker course by creating a fast, flowing course that allows for maximum points.

I love Snooker, and I aspire to be a great Snooker handler.

Nature Notes

I drove to LaCrosse, Wisconsin last weekend for an agility trial (more on that in a bit) and it was a great road trip. Late Friday afternoon, as I rounded a downhill curve into the river valley, the largest full moon that I have ever seen was rising. The color of the sky at that moment was sunset, pink/purple. All evening the moon was huge and bright, as was the moon-set the next morning. Later, I was told that this particular Wolf moon was actually larger (at perigee) and brighter than it would be for many many more years. How lucky am I to have seen this, and that the sky was clear for the next two nights too!
On the drive back, since it was early afternoon and the weather mild, I drove up Highway 61 along the Mississippi. I'd read that the recent bitter cold had resulted in more bald eagles gathered, earlier than the usual March numbers. And it was true. Between LaCrosse and Lake City I counted at least (I didn't stop) 48 eagles soaring in the air, parked on the ice near open water, or sitting in trees right next to the road. And as I peeked (no traffic behind me so I could slow down!) through the trees at Reed's Landing, I saw a flock of swans on the water. Wow.

Regarding the agility trial, it was a weekend to remember! Winn completed his "Triple Triple" Superior award on Saturday. This reflects the Superior award in all three classes (Regular, Jumpers and chances) in all three levels (Novice, Open and Elite) in NADAC. And then on Sunday, Maggie earned her NATCh #3 (Championship).

Back home, we are amused by the local deer. In the morning, a group marches single file along a path through our front woods, heading south, towards the swamp, along the edge, and then into the neighbor's woods. Around five p.m. we see them return, heading back north along the same path. It's as if they are commuting to and from work. It's usually two, or five, in separate groups. There's one "alpha" doe, too, who sometimes makes them stop and turn around. They are fun to watch.

For the last few mornings, there have been coyotes in the back woods. They are quite close to the house I think. They usually howl (two or three it seems) and then Stormy starts to bark outside, and the corgis woof a bit from inside. It's a beautiful sound, but I'm glad we haven't seen them during the day this year. The deep snow has to make it harder for them to find rabbits and mice.

The birds are busy at the feeders. My friend Lissie claims to have seen yellow on a goldfinch, but not here, yet. I think the winter has been hard on these guys, too, but we still have lots of activity. And I've seen lots of pheasants as I drive around.

With this much snow, I am both looking forward to and dreading spring. I am tired of the cold, but we may have an exceptionally muddy mud season this year. Time will, of course, tell, and there's not a damn thing to be done about it.

Patience, my foot

I've been plagued with one of the more common effects of aging: fallen arches and the dreaded plantar fasciitis. Heel pain is annoying at the very least and sure takes the fun out of running. Or standing. So I took most of December off from agility and herding and it really seems to have helped. I am faithfully wearing my "boot" every night, stretching my ankles and calves before running, taping my foot, icing my foot (OK, about that-- I am not so faithful) and occasionally resorting to anti-inflammatory relief.
This week I have done more, and although I can feel it tonight, I really do believe I am through the worst of this. I am so looking forward to being able to run, take walks, and be generally more active this summer!
I treated myself to fancy new shoes, too. My friends Jason and Natalie (www.bestforpetsonline.com) are now stocking Ditas! They're a really nice turf shoe, but they've always been mail-order only----until now. Of COURSE they had my size. But I love them! Virtually no break-in. Good arch support. They push you up off your heels---AND even in the dirt last weekend, which was softer than usual, they kept me upright. All to the good!

Sit. Stay. Do....Nothing.

I've been thinking about this for the past three weeks. For the second year in a row I was sick right before Christmas. This year, it was probably swine flu, which I don't recommend. 21 days later I am still coughing although I really do feel fine.

I know how this happens. I drive myself crazy with projects and sales conference in November. It doesn't feel like stress, but the minute I slow down my body takes its revenge. Instead of putting up decorations, I was shivering in bed with a fever. Instead of baking and eating sugar cookies, I was trying to stay hydrated (thank god for ginger ale!) Instead of taking the dogs for a romp in the good snow (light, fluffy) they had to keep me company as we all slept days away.

While it isn't a bad thing to catch up (on sleep, on TV, on the books I want to read) during the time off at Christmas, it is a bad thing to get sick in such a predictable way. It is a good thing to sit still, but you shouldn't have to be rendered immobile.

So: I am already planning on NOT getting sick next Christmas. I am planning to start those projects earlier in the year, to decorate the house right after sales conference, maybe even do some Christmas shopping. (now she's talking crazy)
Then, I plan to sit still. Healthy, and still. I will: sit in front of a fire, reading; address Christmas cards and feel free to write notes in them in a leisurely manner; reflect on the year and enjoy the fact that I am NOT sick.

I can hardly wait. I look forward to re-reading this post in the coming months. Happy New Year!

The Mahtzoh Toffee Recipe

This has to be the easiest, most popular stuff ever. The story is that a group of friends made plans to gather and it happened to be Passover, and our friend and hostess Barb is Jewish. We all decided to honor that by bringing Jewish dishes to the party.
The party was a huge success and we enjoyed lots of new foods, and learned some Jewish history and traditions in the process. At one point Barb asked me to carve the rotisserie chickens she'd bought. As I cut into the first one, I thought the texture odd, and the first slice revealed that this was no chicken. Apparently our friend had grabbed a chicken....and a HAM!
We tease Barb often about Passover Ham, but it's the best kind of teasing, done with love and friendship.

So the toffee---I'd decided to bring a dessert but was having a lot of trouble finding a recipe. Another friend, George--an unlikely source of recipes-- happened to be talking about having been at the gym on the treadmill, watching a morning show, and the mahtzoh toffee that they were making sounded really good. Bingo! An internet search turned up several recipes, I picked the easiest, and the rest is history.

I've made countless batches now and sent the recipe to dozens of friends. Every time I hear back from another new fan, I think of the fun party, Passover ham, and the reason we share recipes.

MAHTZOH TOFFEE
1 c. butter (unsalted)
1 c. brown suger (dark or light, I've used both)
1/2 t. vanilla
dash sea salt
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips (see note)
1/2 package HEATH toffee chips
Mahztoh crackers

Preheat oven to 350
On a cookie sheet, lined with parchament paper, lay out a single layer of mahtzoh crackers. Cover the whole surface (you'll need to break a few crackers to fit)

Melt butter, add sugar. Heat to a boil then cook 3 minutes at a boil.
Add vanilla and sea salt, swirling quickly, then pour the mixture over the crackers. Use the back of a spoon to even out the candy.
Put the sheet in the oven and set the timer for 15 minutes

Remove from oven and immediate spread chocolate chips over the pan. NOTE the better the chocolate, the better the toffee. I personally vouch for a mix of 60% cacao and semisweet chips. Chips will melt, smooth them out to cover the surface. Sprinkle the toffee chips over the chocolate. Reserve a small portion without nuts for your nut-allergic friends. Cool until chocolate is set. Break into pieces.

Store in airtight container. Toffee will last a few days. Well, it would last if it didn't disappear right away when you offer it around.

Enjoy.

Recipes

Here are the recipes I've promised to post

CHICKEN POT PIE
PIE CRUST as taught to me by Ruth Mosley, my mother-in-law
2 c. flour
1 t. salt
1/2 c. shortening
1/4 c. butter (unsalted)

5 1/2 T cold water
1/4 c. flour

Mix flour, salt in bowl. Add shortening and butter and mix with pastry cutter until dough makes pea-sized pieces.
Mix cold water and flour. Add that, slowly, to the flour mix until dough sticks together when pressed woth fork.

FILLING
Poach chicken breasts (a package of three pieces) in microwave until cooked, then shred or dice. I usually have more chicken than needed. I use the rest as dog treats, or in chili. Use your imagination here.

At the same time, melt 3 T butter in sacucepan. Add flour until the butter's all absorbed, about 1/4 c. Add 2 c. milk and cook, stirring, until it thickens.
Add what you like! carrots, celery, peas, corn (I do) potatoes (I don't) until it's all cooked.

Preheat oven to 375
Roll out pie crust. Use about 2/3 and line a souffle-type dish with that. Roll out the rest for the top. Pour in the filling and then add the top crust.
Optional--egg wash on top crust--makes it pretty and a little crustier!
Bake for 15 minutes at 375 then reduce heat to 350 and cook another 30 minutes or so.

lights

From uglychristmaslights.com:

Season's Greetings

I was in LaCrosse, Wisconsin yesterday for an agility trial, and it finished about 6 pm. I wasn't looking forward to the 2 1/2 hour drive home in the dark, but the roads had been clear on the way down Friday afternoon (after our blizzard--LaCrosse got about 18" of snow) so I loaded up and headed out.
As it turned out, things weren't nearly as dark as I thought they'd be.
The snow reflected any light--headlights, streetlights, ubiquitous transmission towers, farmstead security lights--you name it and the snow brightened it.

The sky was cloudy, so the lights from all the small towns along the way were also reflected at that level--the nearly-pink color of winter sky.

But the most entertaining lights were those adorning seemingly every house between there and here. I can remember the energy crisis of the 70s when everyone was encouraged to cease this practice. Today, "icicles" frame the rooflines. Inflated snow globes bob and weave. Electric deer guard the garden. Snowmen light the way to the front door. Stars and crosses decorate silos.

So I'm not a big fan of all this. I love a string of lights on a tree as much as the next person, and I saw hundreds of those. I suppose families gather in the yard to blow up the reindeer and toss nets of lights on the bushes, then sit in the window gazing in delight. Then it's back to their video games.

I prefer the illumination of the full moon on fresh snow, and a starry sky. There's a meteor shower this week and those lights cannot be bought. Call me old fashioned!