What's New in 2011

March 2011

Well, it is already the end of March--where has this year gone already!  It is just flying by.  We have had a very busy year so far.  I had hoped for a couple of quiet months in regards to the grooming, but we have been very steady right through.  And we have had boarders quite a bit as well!   If it doesn't rain, it pours!  Oh well, lots of extra money to put towards some more renovating!  We have improved the hallway, got rid of the panelling in the family room (that was scary--what was the panelling hiding??---luckily nothing bad! ) did some more painting, and are getting ready to put some new patio doors in the kitchen and master bedroom.  Should be exciting!  And as soon as the snow leaves, we have big plans for the backyard as well--we are sodding the back half, where we have been successfully growing weeds for the past 3 summers, but this year decided to switch things up, and try growing some grass instead!  Should be exciting.  The dogs will miss part of the yard for the spring, but it will be worth it come summer!  Oh goody, more lawn to cut!

Lucinda had a nice litter on March 7--3 healthy little sable boys.  Their eyes are now open, and they are getting more mobile every day--more work for me, but we are getting to the fun stage!  The dogs are all doing well.  Linus is now officially retired, but seems to enjoy the peace!  Hope is now 12 years young, and still running around like a teenager!  They have been having fun with the melting backyard--can't wait for that to dry up! Thank goodness for a good broom and mop!  Never a dull moment in this house!  We are also having fun with the ninja squirrels in the backyard---they have ripped apart the "squirrel proof" bird feeder, and love to entice the dogs when they are outside.  Silly squirrels!! 

June 2011

Well, it has been a very busy spring.  We have cut the grass enough already, have our garden planted, and the back of the yard is all dug up and grass seed planted-which has actually resulted in baby grass!  It looks as though we are actually going to grow grass and not weeds back there!  Lucinda's puppies are doing well in their new homes--and I have plenty of pictures to get uploaded to this website!  Some day!  Lisa Marie has been bred to a lovely tri male for her last litter--still awaiting the positive pregnancy signs.  The dogs have been very busy with all the yardwork, and we have had some renos done around the house.  It never seems to stop--does keep us out of trouble though!  Julian has another litter due in June, so he will be handing out dog cookies when we get the news.   We are hoping to hit a few shows later this summer as a chance to get away from the house and work!  Between work, the dogs and all this yardwork, there never seems to be enough hours in the day.  And the weather is so up and down--wonder what the summer holds?!

December 2011

Well, here it is, Christmas again already.  Where has the year gone? It is true that as you get older, it seems to fly by faster and faster!  The shelties and I have been extremely busy this year.  The grooming has been very steady.  We found a great new handyman who is wonderful in the gardens, and we finally have the backyard almost the way we want it! We have moved all the flower beds, planted new ones, and had new grass coming up!  Thanks to our new blue merle addition, Rosie, we also have several large holes to fill in come spring!!  Rosie joined our little home in July of this year, thanks to her breeder Donna of Rikadon Kennels.   She is a blue merle, which I have wanted since Maverick passed away, and her great grandfather won the American Shetland Sheepdog Speciality this year, over hundreds of shelties!  We went to her first show a couple of weeks ago, and she had a blast==didn't do anything, but seems to really enjoy the show ring.  We only hit a couple of shows this year, but had lots of fun while we were there.  I did put points on Lucinda's son, but not sure if we will continue his show career or not--He seems to like being a home boy with his buddy Seamus more!   Lisa Marie was not pregnant this summer, but is currently in heat, and will be bred to a lovely bi black boy over Christmas for puppies in early March.  Hopefully we get our girl and have 2 to show next year.   

We did several renovations on the house this year as well.  We have new patio doors off the kitchen and master bedroom, a new roof over the stairs to the grooming room, and are in the middle of gutting the upstairs bathroom and putting new dog friendly flooring in the bedrooms instead of carpet!!  So much nicer!  Can't wait for the soaker tub to be ready for bubbles!!   There is still wallpaper to strip, and painting to do, but most of the big things are now done.  Just dormers on the roof in the future, and we may be finished!!  It never seems to end! 

The dogs are all doing well.  Hope is now 13 years young, and still very active.  Her hearing is going, and her eyesight isn't the greatest, but she can put the younger dogs to shame when she gets rolling along!  Linus is now 11 1/2 years old, and has some arthritis that slows him down a bit, but otherwise he is great as well.  Julian sired another litter this summer, and has produced some very lovely puppies.  I am thinking he and Rosie will be a good combination in the future.  Kadie has been retired, and this will be Lisa Marie's last litter.  We are getting to be a bunch of old foogies around here!! Floyd the cat is now 15 years old, and currently snoring on the couch under a blanket, enjoying yet another nap!!  He just has a check up and is in very good health for his age!!  For a bunch of oldies, we are doing well!!  Please check out our picture with Santa on the photo gallery, as well as new pictures of Lucinda's boys.  Hoping this finds everyone happy, healthy and furry!!