Desktop Free View Meme

I’m tagged again and of course flattered. This time by my good blog friend Renny. I have to do it my way, and this time it was about ‘My Desk Top Free View’. So here I have captured my desktop and I would say it fits the theme 🙂

desktop

This is a picture I took this summer of our lake at sunset. I have had it on the desktop since probably July. As you can see my desktop is pretty tidy. I hate clutter and I like organization. Hence the neatness.

This tag meme was started by iRonnie. You’ll find the post where he started the whole and with further instruction if you like to participate here. I’m supposed to tag some of my blog friends and here are the winners (no obligations, but fun if you’ll pass the token!): Becci, GoofyGirl, Gattina, Empty Nest, & Mar.

Home vs Away

People often do not consider how much an animal can miss them. I knew that this September would be difficult for the dogs, with our two trips occurring back to back. However the strangest thing about our absence has been which dog was affected the most.

Today as I did laundry and cleaned the house, I noticed Greta was stuck to me like glue. If I went into a room she followed me. If I sat down, she was in my lap. If I went to wash a few dishes, she was sitting on my feet. At one point I had to actually sit down with her and stroke her because she was shaking and demanding to be held.

Who would have thought that our Alpha female dog, the Queen Bee of our house, was going to be the one who missed us the most? Surely, Fritz would be the one, but no. Seems he loves our house sitter, Dori, so he was just fine.

Now we are home for 6 weeks before we leave for our trip through the Panama Canal. A long planned vacation which we both have wanted to take. The canal being one of the great achievements of the American Government back in the days when others had tried and failed.

After that, we are home for a long while. Quite happily, I might add. For as much as I enjoy traveling, my heart is always happiest when I am in my home, with Hubby and our doggies.

Being Home

Have I mentioned that it is good to be home again?

No, really. It is sooooooo good to be home! My own doggies, my own chair, my own bed and pillow and best of all, my own cooking.

Don’t get me wrong. I love going out to eat. It’s fun. But going out to eat for every meal for two weeks, well, it gets old really fast. I mean, how many burgers can you eat?

I enjoyed most of the meals. I had a few good steaks, some great salads and I even had two eggs over easy with a side of grits! Yes, grits, and I enjoyed them!

But there were way too many fast food things like sub sandwiches and chips that seemed to put my stomach in a twist. By the end of the two weeks I found myself so sick of menu food I wanted nothing more than a really hot cup of tea and some cinnamon toast.

Now I am home I am starting to settle in and my stomach is not feeling so bad. I plan to cook some good comfort food meals over the next few days and enjoy. Enjoy all that I usually take for granted.

That really nice hot home cooked meal.

Yum!

Trying To Get Into Gear

Today I had hoped to sleep in. The best I got was 6:15 before Anneliese hopped down and went to wake up Fritz. I knew then, it was a matter of time before they were all awake and wanting to go out. So, up I got and after getting my robe and slippers on, padded my way into the kitchen, turned on the coffee, and then went out to the back yard with four happy, healthy pups!

I turned on my computer and tried to read my email. Thank you to those who have written. I have been a bad blogger lately, but trust me, I do not write well when I feel exhaustion like this.

Hubby slept in. He got up about 8 and I made breakfast for him.Then we got into gear. You see today was our new patient, get to know you, physicals with our new doctor.

Some of you will recall that our doctor left his practice and went into Emergency Medicine instead. Dr. C. is our new Family Doctor. He was nice and I think we will be able to work with him, but it was hard because we both really like our old doctor, Dr. D.

We’re both pretty healthy, and all we need to do is to get our blood work done (cholesterol etc.) and then we go back in two weeks to go over it all.

The rest of the day seemed to slip by and now it’s time for pajamas and slippers again. I think another early night will help get me back to my usual self.

Until then, I’ll just keep working hard to get it in gear and get things done.

Oh, to sleep just a little late!

Early Saturday Morning

It’s 6:30 AM. We need to be at the show site by 8 o’clock. I’ve showered and we’ll go get some breakfast in a bit, but I am so nervous!!!! The boy, Arnie? He is sitting on the bed with a dingo rawhide, with not a care in the world! Ah yes, that’s my boy!!!

Pictures and results will be in late tonight. For now, please keep your fingers crossed and wish Arnie good luck!!!

Bunnies

Today were the field events before the actual Zuchtschau (conformation). I was encouraged to enter Arnie in the gun shyness part of the program so he could go on the cottontail bunny hunt later. Now before anyone goes crazy, no actual bunnies are harmed during this exercise. The dogs are given a visual and scent of the bunny, but it is in such a densely vegetated area that the dogs can’t move fast enough to get the bunny.

Anyway, the first gunshot did startle Arnie, but the second shot sent him running to the car. I was worried about my baby, but the judges told me after that he is not gun shy, because he recovered within minutes of the shots. I was given guidance on how to train Arnie so that he will not be concerned with the sound of gunfire.

Why is this important? Well, because in order for me to do trail work, or any sort of fun out door trail work in competition he needs to pass this test.

The thing is, I think he would really enjoy it. After the gun shyness test, there was the “bunny test” for the other dogs and he was so interested. Arnie is smart, has a good nose and is so fun to be with. I really think he will do well if I can just get him used to the sound of guns.

I also learned how to beat out a bunny for the dog to get the scent of and track. It was hot work, but a lot of fun!

**********

Tomorrow is the Zuchtschau, (Conformation Show). This is where the Judge will examine Arnie and tell me all that is good and all that is bad. I am very nervous. You see, I bred this little boy. I, of course, think he is perfect. So now, let’s see how he does in the real world of Rauhhaardackels (wire-haired dachshunds).

The weather is supposed to be hot and humid, and is supposed to be tomorrow. I have a nice cool outfit to wear, and I have been practicing with Arnie for the event. Now I just will keep my fingers crossed that my eyes see real beauty in his face and form.

We’re staying at a nice motel, and I have to say that I have not had a bad meal yet. The area is very rural, large farms, a lot of cows, horses, and rolling hills. Oh and Golden Rod! So, yes, I have been sneezing a lot!

Off to bed.

We’re Here

Hi Everyone. We’re here in Pennsylvania for the dog show on Saturday. It was a long ride to our first destination, (7 hours and 30 minutes) Hamburg, PA., but we got settled and Arnie is doing well. I’ve been spending time working on his coat and getting tips from other association members on how he should look.

We’re going to a store that specializes in hunting and fishing and sporting gear called Cabella’s. It is such a cool store with stuffed game as well as every sort of gear that a person could need to hunt and fish. I’ll take some pictures while we are there and try to post them tonight.

My inexpensive motel, gives free Internet, breakfast and Nationwide calling. There is much to be said for the suburbs!

Pennsylvania is lovely and we are really enjoying it, although we are missing the other pups too!!!

More later!

Safely Home

After an 11 hour drive we arrived home. We were greeted by four very happy dogs, who danced around the house and the yard!

The drive was actually quite nice and we only got caught once in traffic, just outside Philadelphia. Not an unusual event.

Once we got home I made a spaghetti dinner and Hubby and I were joined by our house sitter for the meal.

But….we are only home briefly as we are taking Arnie to the German Dog Show (Zuchtschau) in western Pennsylvania!!!

So forgive me if I am not able to write much, I will try to blog and send pictures of our boy. Anneliese is staying home with Greta and Fritz as she has gone into heat.

Usually I blog so regularly, but right now with all of the traveling, it sure has been difficult. I will be glad when this show is over and I can be home for a while.