You cannot please everyone

I know I am getting older because I am way too mellow, and it takes way too much to start a fight with me or for me to hold a grudge. The one thing I'd like to briefly grouse about here is that I don't understand this modern world where everyone has to take their private conversations, problems or WTF ever to facebook or to blog. Whatever happened to just pulling up your big girl panties and deal with it. I have to say my friend Archie is a very good influence for me as he is a big believer in "just let it go" if it isn't something that really has a long term impact on your life. What dogs we breed to what dogs probably does not, who uses our dogs probably not, who likes our philosophy on dog breeding or not , doesn't make two shakes of a lambs tail. When you are younger that may be harder to accept but seems to be easier with age. You do what you think is right because it is right, not because someone is looking or what someone thinks. You say what you mean when asked although you may lace it with kindness if the person looks as though they need it. Damn I am getting mellow.

Wow, it's been awhile

I have been scarce here lately. Here at the Borzoi Nationals in Lawrence, KS our happy dances for the week CJ (FC Avalon WNS Rising Sun SC, FCH) won the national LGRA meet , woohoo! Lots of nice ribbons and prizes for that. He was also the highest scoring Field Champion there too. CJ was also 3rd in FCH stake at the ASFA trial there too. I was kind of surprised he did not make the cut in the BBE class but I am not good at predicting dog shows. Tory ( DC Avalon Victoria Cross SC FCH) won the Veterans Stake at the BCOA ASFA trial and gave the open a run for the money in the BOB runoff, She was completely ignored in BOB but after watching that judge for three days, I knew there wouldn't be anything we entered under her that would be of even a vague interest. I will say the judge was very easy with the dogs and kind to all. RTee (Avalon Artemis FCH) who got totally screwed at the ASFA trial in prelims by the lure operator and then had a super high final score was 2nd of 4 in Novice class at the national to the bitch that was eventually RWB there so that was a nice surprise. Py (DC Avalon Victorian Pyre SC RE FCH GRC RTD2 TDI TT ) won the stud dog class at the futurity and was pretty much ignored the rest of the week. No surprises there His youngun Tanforan whose registered name I cannot get right (Oxota Avalon Tanforan at Starswift ) picked up his CGC, a 3rd in his futurity class and did make the cut in 12-18. Thank you to his owner for letting him stay for the stud dog class and letting me show him. Another youngun Myka (Avalon Oxota Ruidoso) was also third in her futurity class before getting ignored the rest of the week. Maira (CH Avalon Highland Mary GRC FCH CGC) was 4th 10 + regular veteran bitches class, woohoo and even better I got to see her mom Athena/Katya who is over 14 years old ! So put another one in the books, I'm so glad I made it and got to see my friends Josie, Debb, roomed with Leo, Doug, Suzanne, Diana E., Mary C. , Lynn Wall , Susan V, etc. So many peopl,e I don't get to see very often and they are all such grand folk. God bless everyone who helps get this together. Took 5 dogs through the eye clinic, 4 through the heart clinic, Diana bought me a beautiful bracelet with a handpainted Borzoi on it , won lots of neat things. The hot tub at the pool made it a REAL VACATION for me. It was awesome. Now back to the real world, work Monday, LONG ASS drive tomorrow too.

A day of rest?

Took yesterday off because my foot that I had hammertoe surgery on in November was really swollen on Wednesday. Talked to the doc and he said I really needed to elevate it so even though I do elevate it at work I stayed home yesterday and forced myself to stay in bed until 10:30 am with it up. It looked better than it has since the surgery after that.

Then the racing around began, I had an appointment to take Chupa and Oscar in for their rabies shots and a last combo at 11 am. So off I went then remembered after spending an hour there talking to my vets wife Linda that I also needed stamps so across town and then back home. Got home, changed vehicles loaded the other one with trash (living rural I have to take my own off), took off trash went to bank ( forgot to take check I needed to deposit on the first run to town) then stopped by coop to get 3 bales of grass hay for the sheep. Got home unloaded hay into catch pen where they eat, went in got the dewormer for pups, dewormed them then put them back out. Filled up all my self feeders, cleaned one of the dog runs that has been under snow forever it seems, repaired one side of one of my dog buildings with a hammer and nails.

Now I can come inside out of the 33 degree weather. Wash dishes, vacumn do two loads of towels in the laundry room, swab Tory with her DM kit, then fill out the information to reorder a registration application that someone with a puppy lost, send in a transfer on a bounce back dog that is coming home, fill out paperwork on 3 sheep I sold last week and prepare a puppy packet for a puppy that is leaving tomorrow. Look at options for upcoming field trials vs dog shows. Wonder which I'll pick.

Finally sleepytime

The next generation

At the BCGA ASFA trials Dec 17 and 18 I managed to practice and then certify what I hope to be part of the next generation of Avalon Borzoi (coming up on #49 January 28th so can't help but wonder how many more generations I have the stamina for). Then two weeks later I brought her back out for her first real competition, and I am pleased to report that "RTee" appears to have the same back as her father and grandfather before her, and more than a passing interest in chasing plastic. She came home with two firsts and 48 ASFA points. Now to ease her through open without her getting interfered with, always a worry when running open dogs.

Photo at the top of this entry Nov 2001 FC Silkenswift Camus Dark Realm MC, LCM2,SGRC2,V-FCH, ROMX (BIF DC Mufasa Midnite O' Silkenswift SC, LCM ORC x Silkenswift Isis O' Shadlows JC) aka "Neechee"

Middle photo by Dan Gauss January 2007 BIF FC Avalon Dark Voyager of Ryhka SC, LCM (Neechee x Deuterium's Selenium of Ryhka SC, FCH, GRC, ORC) aka "Vger"

Bottom photo by Lee Gearheart December 2009 Avalon Artemis ("Vger" x Avalon Solarra SC, JOR, FCH) .

Another little potential superstar waiting in the wings (just certified with ASFA) is Avalon Talinn (Riven x Autumn) Lee got some photos of her as test dog at these trials that look so much like her grandsire Darkling it flight it was startling.