Pee Dog

Sitting in my office busily working, I was enjoying the warm sun shining in making the room nice and cozy.  As is the norm when I'm home, Tessa was lying by my feet.  I had moved her dog bed into the room so she could have a nap on a soft surface.  

I could hear her scratching around making her nest.  Smiling, I turned around to look at her furry cuteness.  Eyes widening I noticed a yellow liquid moving out from under her.  She was peeing on her bed!  And she didn't seem to care.  Tessa was still prepared to lie down on her bed.  As I told her to stop she moved off the bed, looking at her in puzzlement I asked her why she did it.  (Yes, I know she's a dog and not likely to answer!)  

Normally when Tessa does something naughty she gets the classic doggy guilty look.  The one where the ears kind of tilt, and the tail comes in, head gets lowered prior to her slinking off somewhere to hide.  But today she just looked at me in sleepy confusion.  She followed me as I carried her bed off to the bathroom, stripping the cover off in the tub.  She didn't seem to think she'd done anything wrong.  Even as I type this she's sleeping in the sun beam at my feet. 

This has led me to wonder, is this normal behavior?  Do dogs routinely mark and sleep in their scent?  Or is Tessa a bit "off"?  Nothing in any of the dog books I've read has talked about this particular issue.

Looks like some research is in order.

Cute as a Button

Too cute for words!  Went out to feed and this is what I found and for once I had the camera shoved into my coat pocket.

Whiskey and Moxie

Small World!

Super excited to announce that Joey has a new home!!  I had placed an ad on Kijiji not really expecting anything to come of it.  I'm picky after all.  A bit surprised at the amount of interest in him I had two people emailing.  And tonight I has another person express interest.  I emailed back their answers.  And received an immediate response.  Calling them I told him Joey's bloodline.  

He didn't even let me finish he was so excited.  He has Joey's full brother!  What are the odds?  What makes me happy about this is Joey is going to a working home to be a chore dog.  This will make Joey happy too.  He will have an owner who understands Border Collies, working dogs and the ability to teach Joey new things.  His new owner understands Joey's background and will work with him on his issues.  And Joey gets someone who will appreciate him for who he is.  What a great deal for both of them.  

I'll be sad to see him go but know what's best for me and what's best for the dog are not necessarily the same thing.   Yay to Joey!!

Just Call Me Crazy!!

Just call me crazy, because surely I must be.  Today I did the unthinkable.  The preposterous.  Today I bough a new horse.  *cough crazy cough*  No it's not your eyes - you indeed did read that correctly.  

There I was at Jason Hanson's minding my own business, watching him ride Roxy and visiting with his wife Chrissy.  When he dropped the bomb.  He mentioned he was unloading a bunch of horses he doesn't touch at an auction this coming weekend.  We had been talking about Whiskey and how my dream of breeding her was coming to a screeching halt.  And he just had to mention a brood mare.  A fairly well bred brood mare he took in on partial trade for a show horse.  

And then there I was out there looking at this mare.  And I kinda liked the look of her - a lot.  Off we went to lunch where I turned it over in my head.  Do I need another horse?  Not so much.  Can I afford to buy a horse at this point of vet bill hell?  Not really.  And then Jason pushed me over the edge.  He said I could just take her home and pay for her later.  Say what?!!  Ye gads!!  

So I am the proud new owner of a green broke brood mare by the stallion My Own League (cutting earnings here in Canada), who has some other big names on her papers including Peppy San Badger.  Jason hopped on her today.  We figured she had about 4 years off.  He had been told she had 8 months of training.  (Not true - we figure about 2 or 3.) After a minor bucking fit she settled right in.  She doesn't know much but she's willing and quiet.  Plus the baby she threw this year is fabulous - well put together and good minded.  *Her registered name is Peppys Royal Boon.*

I've left her at Jason's for him to put two weeks of miles on her and then she comes home.  I'm kind of excited.  This is going to be my horse to play with and to make my mistakes in the cutting pen on.  I know I'll end up selling at least one of the horses I have but I'll wait to make any major decision until the summer.  

One Door Opens When Another Closes

It appears a new adventure is in store for me.  One I'm not entirely sure will end up in success or of frustration induced tears.  Both of my sister-in-laws are pregnant, with one due within the week.  Once the news came out about the babies I felt deeply moved to do something special for them.  Something more than purchasing cute clothes.  Something with meaning.  

As a child my grandmother gifted us children with handmade patchwork quilts.  I wanted to do something original like that.  One of the parents at my school makes knit toques (wool hats) in cute designs like pumpkin patch or strawberry patch.  They are priced reasonably ($20) so these little hats will be one of my gifts.  I love original one of kind type things.  But I've continued to be tormented by what else I could do.  I treasure my quilt from my grandmother and I wanted something these children could have as adults and treasure.  A keepsake.

Making a phone call to some of my friends I found a lady that owns a quilting supply shop.  My friend thinks she'd be happy to make my quilts.  When I told my mom my plan her face turned into wrinkled worry.  She cautioned me to check prices first.  I assured her I would.  Then she planted the seed.  She looked at me and said with studied casualness, "You know I could teach you how to make them."  My mom in her day has been a very talented seamstress.  As a child she made many of my clothes.  My mom, however is going blind and this makes things like sewing or fine needle work a bit of a challenge these days.

With massive vet bills my finances are tighter than healthy these days.  Making my mom's suggestion very intriguing.  Is this something I could do?  My fine motor is on the questionable side courtesy the chemo side effects.  But I live in a dreary long winter region and this would make a fabulous evening project.  

I've been at a bit of a crossroads lately.  A mini midlife crisis if you will.  And doing something special, something with meaning has major appeal to me right now.  I'm a bit worried I won't have the attention span to see my project through but I'm going to try!  With the help of my mom and some quilting friends I'm stepping way, way out of my box and trying something new.  I'm going to make my little babies each a handmade quilt!  

The Bomb

Dear readers, some readers may find this post offensive, in poor taste and immature.  If this is you, please stop reading.

Growing up with three brothers has prepared me or toughened me in ways only someone with brothers can understand.  Anyone with siblings can understand the various and creative ways a brother (or I suppose sister) can come up with to torment the other people within the family.  Being the younger sister (I have two older and one younger brothers.) I was put through trial by fire.  Literally.  

Living in a testosterone flooded house often led to things that boys find hysterically funny that girls often just don't "get".  One of these things was the joy of the fart.  Why and how a noxious body smell can be hilarious I just haven't quite figured out.  I will admit to having an unnamed girlfriend who suffers from "rotten butt" and has no shame around it (bless her heart).  But for the most part, farts and girls just don't go together.  The vast majority of women I know try to keep any body sounds and smells a dirty little secret.  My brothers took great delight in doing things like pinning me to the ground and farting on me.  Torturing me with stink.  My childhood has long since passed but tonight I received a refresher.  

While outside playing with the dogs I had noticed Reba's dish had been cleaned up.  Blaming Joey, I re-fed Reba and put them up for the evening.  It was not until I was cozily ensconced on my couch that a different culprit became clear.  Or should I say smelled clear.  Tessa, who has allergies, is on a different brand of dog food than the outside dogs.  Tessa, who normally is only able to steal a bit here and there had a wicked cloud of stench following her.  

At first it was only a slight nosy twitching scent.  And then it became horrifyingly clear.  Tessa had the toots!  After a particularly virulent one I kicked her outside hoping a trip to the facilities would help clear the air.  I genuinely thought it worked as there was a blessed nostril peace of air occurring.  

Often during quiet times Tessa and I like to have a snuggle.  There she was sitting happily on my lap when the unimaginable occurred.  I felt a strange vibration on my belly.  I thought it was a little odd but didn't know what caused it until the dead rodent smell wafted upwards.  

Tessa farted on me!!

I'm still not over the trauma.  Let's just say it'll be a long time coming before I let my dog sit on my lap again.  

*shudder*

Queen of the Barnyard

Moxie is the undisputed Queen of the Barnyard.  She has taken to riding Whiskey - to the water trough, around the corral - all with a look of undisputed glee on her furry face.  You would think Whiskey would have some objections to the fur ball on her back when she is sans blanket but it doesn't seem to faze her.  

My favorite part is when the cat looks down at the dog with a clearly superior and mocking expression.  The cat seems to be saying "Don't mess with me, I've got horsepower!".  The dog meanwhile does the head tilt.  You can just see Joey wondering why the world seems so topsy turvy.  

One night I tried to pull the cat off the horse to switch blankets only to have the cat grab on.  Tonight while treating Whiskey, the cat scaled the panel beside us and leaped onto the back.  I received a classic cat dirty look when I tried to remove her.  As I rubbed the lotion into Whiskey's skin the cat sat and watched with intense tail twitching interest.  I half wondered what the horse would do if the cat pounced onto my hand.  A wreck in the making?

The cat and the horse seem to be fast friends.  The horse even watches her step when the cat is running between her legs.  Tonight trying to lead Whiskey from point A to point B was an exercise in patience as she wouldn't move until she saw the cat.  Yes, she actually moved her head, looked in the direction of the cat before taking a step.  Is the horse aware enough to "watch before she steps"?  Something to ponder on a winter's evening.