Sunny Winter Day

The snow from the storm is very fluffy.  It's the kind of snow that you see in movies and on postcards.  

View from my back deck.

The snowblower I bought in November and only now had to use.  Unheard of up here.  Be proud, very proud.  I used wrenches and mastered it.

Diva in the fluffy snow.  Neat contrast with the black and white.

Ryder the wimpo dog.  I think his feet were cold (it wasn't too bad today) but he still wanted to play.

Searching for the ball.

In pursuit of the ball.  (Which he eventually lost in the snow.)

The watcher.

Snow!

It's been so mild for so long that I had begun to think that winter no longer resided here.  Well, for the last 48ish hours we've been under a severe storm warning.  It's been downgraded to a snowfall warning.  We're supposed to get 10-15 cm  (1 inch is about 2.5 cm.) of snow.  Right now it's been snowing steady since some point in the night.  Based on the amount of snow I removed from my driveway and decks I'd guess we've passed that mark.  At least it's light and fluffy snow...

The large dump of snow meant figuring out my snowblower.  Before, when I was on the farm I used a tractor for snow removal.  Now that I'm on an acreage I bought a snowblower.  There I was this afternoon studiously reading the operation manual.  Carefully, I pushed it out of my garage, filled it with gas, and started it up.  With caution I began working the levers occasionally ending with a face full of snow.  After I got the groove of operating it I began to have some fun.  The dogs were slightly frightened but willing to come to me for pets when called.

Putting the blower away I shoveled off my two decks.  In total it took me just under two hours to clear my driveway and decks.  It's still snowing and the snow is expected to fall until late tomorrow so I'm sure I'll have another opportunity to shovel or clear the driveway.  I must admit to having some heavy feeling arms and shoulders right now.  Even my abs are tight.  Moving snow is a righteous workout!  Pictures to come tomorrow!

On Running

Dear reader, you may or may not want to read this.  It really doesn't have much to do with animals.  It's really just my rambling about running right now.  You see, a long time ago I was a real runner.  I ran consistently a minimum of four days a week.  I ran in sleet, rain, snow, cold, and with a sinus system full of buggers.  (I did warn you about reading.  Although the sleet part may have been an exaggeration for effect...)  After a health enforced running holiday I'm back on track.  Well, kinda.  I've been a wee bit inconsistent.  A fair weather runner if you will. 

Today, after scarfing down 3 (3!!!) Red Velvet Cupcakes fresh from the oven, I waited 30 minutes and then changed to hit the treadmill.  It had snowed here over the past day or so and fighting a head cold I just wasn't up to slogging through the snow, while telling myself I was enjoying myself.  Running on the treadmill has some advantages.  One, it takes less clothes - thus saving my laundry.  Two, it's conveniently located.  This was my first time running on the treadmill in the evening.  It was a bit disconcerting running into my reflection on the window.  Now this is probably TMI (TMI= too much information) - but I'm gonna tell ya anyhow.  So when I run on my treadmill I like to wear a pair of shorts and a running bra. 

*shocked silence*

Just wait for it.

Tonight while I was running into my reflection I noticed something.  I noticed that I seem to run crooked.  So with my cupcakes sitting like lead in my gut, I persevered and kept running.  Kept working on my technique.  Even when gurking up slime in my throat (I did say I was fighting a head cold.)  I kept my eye on my reflection and made corrections to my form.  It was then that I noticed something.  Something odd.  Ready for more TMI? 

Brace yourself.

My boobs were jigging like crazy.  Now, I don't see myself as one of those, uhm, endowed people.  I could if I should choose, get away bra free.  There I was running away, watching the sway from side to side.  Jiggling like Jello.  Fascinating really when one doesn't expect to see it.  There I was wondering: have I always done this?  Or is this one of my weight gain side effects?  Either way the decision was made to purchase a new sports bra.  Just in case. 

And readers?  *crickets chirping* 

Sigh. 

Dear readers I'd like to report that I am officially over the hump.  I'm officially running 20 minutes easily and comfortably.  It seems I've got my running groove back.  Next steps will be to stretch out to 30 minutes or if I don't have time to up the intensity. 

For your viewing pleasure (or horror) here's a pic of myself taken at the Melissa's Road Race (10K) a few years ago.  



Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment.  Full effort is full victory.

Gandhi

A Critique

So as per request, I took a video of Ryder working on my Blackberry.  I'd like to ad this disclaimer - it's very, very difficult to figure out what your dog is doing while trying to keep the Blackberry on him and somewhat steady.  This video was taken a while ago, and he was fresh off a break from work.  We have definitely progressed past this point.  He's now doing nice clean little outruns.  He still doesn't have his flanks down.  He's doing fairly distant drives (albeit with little to no direction).  And I've cleaned up the lie down - which it was my fault it had gone away in the first place.

After editing this - it was five minutes of bad - here are some things that I need to work on.
1) Tone of voice - you could really tell when I was annoyed he wasn't doing his normal awesome work.  Clue - when distracted dog will play...
2) I know he cut his top (and this is now cleaned up) but to be aware of keeping him correct.
3) Don't push - his dive bombing the sheep was because I didn't support him and gave him too much freedom too quickly.  His flanks aren't concrete enough to do what I was asking.
4) Stop with "ah" or "uh uh".

But here it is..... warts and all...

Oh!  Apologies for the sniffle nose...

Anticipation

Wishful Thinking

Roomba Makes Me Happy

I have a Roomba.  For those of you poor schmucks who have not heard of a Roomba it's a robot vacuum.  Yes!  Robot!!!  Every morning when I leave for work I pick up the dog toys, click the green button and walk out the door.  When I come home it's like magic - my floor is vacuumed.  This makes me happy.  When one has dogs that shed in one's house, one needs to do an inordinate amount of cleaning which takes away from fun stuff.  Then all I need to do is to pick the hair balls out of the brush and empty the collector.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

I alternate between the kitchen area and the living room area during the day.  In the evening I move it into my bedroom and turn it loose there.  While I still need to do a proper clean it significantly cuts down on hair balls and floor dust.

FYI - Mine came from Costco and is a Pet Series Roomba.