We Blew the Power Out in the WHOLE City!

Okay, so maybe that is a teensy little bit of an exaggeration. Here's the whole story ...

This afternoon, "grandma" had a couple of hours off of work so the boys and I helped her decorate for Christmas. The tree went up and all the lights ... lots of lights ... many many pretty sparkly colored lights. The boys were great helpers, as always.

Headless Duck and Van Gogh Sheep lent a hand as well.

Gio mostly stayed out of the way.

While Romeo preferred to be right in the middle of the action.

And, of course, the obligatory "dress the dogs up in the Christmas decorations" event.
"Smile for the camera!"
"I will not."

"Come on, just a little smile?"
"You are an embarrassment to me."

"Cookie?"
"Wha?! ... DAMN! Fell for it again."

Romeo was significantly easier to decorate. Though he is more naturally ... err ... flamboyant. If this dog were a human, he would be Elton John. Think rhinestone glasses and sequined jackets ... Yeah ... That's Romeo to a T.

After much work in covering the small artificial tree with as many lights and bobbles as possible, the task was done. Lit up, the tree is gorgeous! Though I am a sucker for a bright Christmas tree, any one will do!

Later this evening were our regular flyball classes. Currently, we have one beginner class and two intermediate classes, plus regular club practice, every Saturday evening. The first intermediate class went well and it is followed by our second intermediate class. As everyone was gathering, mere moments before class began, the power went out. The training facility that we use was pitch black, even though the East wall is nearly all windows. That doesn't help much if the street lights are all out as well. Being as innovative and crafty as we are, a couple of people turned on their cell phones to use as small spots of light, and a couple of us trainers slowly maneuvered out way to the front of the building, avoiding stepping on dogs or tripping over jumps as much as possible. We arranged our cars in the front of the building and turned on the headlights so they shone through the large floor to ceiling windows. It was enough to light a good portion of the room and we were able to continue on with class as usual! Of course, the plan was altered a bit so that no one had to go running off into a dark corner, but we were able to work on some close box work. At least it wasn't a complete waste of a night. We did cancel the beginner class and the club practice, though. Didn't want to kill any car batteries or run anyone out of gas just to light the building!

From what we heard, it sounded as if the power was out for a good portion of the North end of the city. One of our club members is from Hepburn (about half hour out of the city) and she recieved a text message saying power was out there as well. We adjourned to a Tim Horton's on the other side of the city for coffee and donuts, again not a bunch of people that are willing to waste an evening! I had to head back up to the North end to get home a couple of hours later, and the power was back on.

Think it must have been all the Christmas lights on our tree ... yeah ... that must have been the problem!

And speaking of Christmas, another e-card arrived this evening! This one from LeeTal and CoCo.

thankful

I could write about the silly things that I am thankful for (yarn overs, autofocus, the smell of crayons, a house-trained dog), and I could write about the not-so-silly things I am thankful for (my home, good friends, a steady income, my wonderful family, a house-trained dog). And while I am thankful for these—and many, many other things, both tangible and not—the one thing that keeps coming back to my mind during this season of thanks has entirely to do with my wonderful husband, Eric. While I can’t say that I am thankful that he took that out-of-state job, I can say that I am thankful for our strong relationship. I am thankful that I know that I can trust him, while he’s far and away, to support me, to be faithful to me, and to call me every night to wish me sweet dreams. I am thankful for the years he and I have spent together, for the years that we will spend together, and that during this time apart, I am thankful that I am strong enough to feel secure without him. I am thankful that he has taken a job that, while away, is not dangerous. And since I don't worry about him in his new job, I am actually a little thankful that I will have a year alone, to get to know myself without him. But I'll be so much more thankful when he comes home.

(I’ll also be really thankful when the GRE is over with, around noontime, December 27th.)

Choices.

A few days ago I came across these wonderful bow hair clips (with a net) from Johnny Loves Rosie at Asos. I want one so badly, but the Asos shipping rates are outrageous, so I don't think I will. Hopefully someone will get to wear these well!



Oh, and I've been looking for a black and white stripe top for ages, and I think I've finally found two good candidates at H&M.


This one is nice as it's quite stretchy, and it has some cute buttons on one of the shoulders. However, the quality seems poorer than the other one.

I like this one since it seems like the quality is quite good, and it has buttons on the sleeves. I'm not sure how I feel about the wide black stripe at the sleeves and neck... but I think I like it. I just don't know if this one would work as well underneath dresses as the other one. Nevertheless, this is the one I think I'm slightly leaning towards. Which one do you prefer?

A Doxie Holiday Card

Just received another DWB Christmas e-card. This time from Cayman.

Back to Normal

Excuse me a moment of non-dog-related rambling.

Today I defended my Master's thesis in Holstein coat colour genetics. It's been a long time coming, 2.5 years of research and endless hours in the lab. But it's all over now, it's official! I'm slowly collecting as many titles as the dogs have ... though I highly doubt I will ever catch up!

These past couple of weeks have really been difficult. Lots of studying and preparing for the "big day". I'm absolutely exhausted and feel as if I could sleep for a week. But I'm excited to get back to a normal life, and I'm sure the boys will be happy to get their routine back to normal as well. We are off to rally-o practice tonight ... I feel as if I want to just stay home and veg with a bowl of popcorn and a stiff drink. But I need to make it up to the boys, they've been somewhat neglected for the past while. So I will postpone the popcorn and booze night until this weekend.

I think this is all over just in time ... It feels as if I am being closely pursued by a scratchy cough situation. My throat has been scratchy all day, but it could be all the hours of talking this morning. Nothing that a swig of Buckley's and a glass of Ginger Ale can't cure.

Apologies and More Christmas

Hey all. First, I need to apologize for the pathetic upkeep of the blog this past while. Non-computer-related life has been CRAZY, and I have had neither the time nor the energy to be witty or intelligent or entertaining. I PROMISE to get back in the swing of things soon ... like tomorrow, when all this craziness should be over.

They boys are not enjoying this new life of "neglect" either. I fear they may have sunk into depression due to the lack of movement of their toys.


Romeo has even threatened "squeakicide".

"Play with me or the squeaky tug lion gets it!"

Soon, boys, I promise!

In the mean time, we got another Christmas e-card from the DWBs Christmas card exchange. This one from Rusty and his mom, Sharon.

Writing.

I've finally spent some time on my assignment about my work experience during the last few days, and it feels good to be almost done with it. Tomorrow I'm going to have a guidance session with one of my teachers, which I feel sort of nervous about.

This is what I wore today. The cardigan is probably one of my favourites, and although I've had it for four years and it's H&M, it's excellent quality. Oh, and sorry about the dirty mirror!

Cardigan, blouse (underneath), and skirt; H&M, tights; Noa Noa.

First Christmas Card!

This morning the boys received their first Christmas card from the DogsWithBlogs exchange! It was a very pretty e-card from Amber-Mae, Faith, and Chloe. Thank you ladies! It is beautiful!

Howliday Giveaway!

We'd sure appreciate a vote ... or two, or three.

Johann is holding a Howliday Gift Giveaway and we are entered! Anyone can vote and you can vote as often as you like! Please consider sending a vote our way.

Also, while you are in the voting mood, a while back the Sheltie Hair blog was chosen as site of the day on DogMark.net. Voting for site of the month is still open, and you can vote for us every day until the end of November! Only a few days left!

Winter Care for Dog Paws

During the winter months, there are hazards to our dogs as they venture outdoors. The area of the body that seems to feel the cold the most is the paws. Even just playing out in the yard or at the park can result in snow balling up and freezing to the paws causing pain and discomfort to the dog. There are a number of steps that you can take to ensure you keep those paws as warm as possible.

Firstly, proper paw maintenance. Be sure to trim the hair on the bottom of the paws and between the toes to prevent snow from clumping and freezing. There is a misconception that leaving the paw hair long will provide natural insulation against the cold, but this is incorrect. Long paw hair allows snow to clump, where if the hair is trimmed there is a lesser chance for snow to ball up and cling. Check out a previous article for instructions on one method of paw trimming: Grooming Those Sheltie Feet.

There are also many items available to help keep the snow off of the paws. The most common is likely booties. There are many styles of booties to choose from, all with varying price tags. I have not had success with booties, they never seem to stay on properly, and if they do then it alters the way that the dog walks and their ability to get grip on slippery surfaces. Instead, I prefer products such as Musher's Secret Paw Wax. This stuff is amazing! It is roughly the consistency of firm Vaseline. Smear a thin layer on the bottom of the paws and between the toes and it forms a waterproof breathable layer that keeps the moisture away from the paws, prevents snow from clinging and balling up, and also blocks against road salts and chemicals. Road salt and chemicals can burn and irritate the skin, as well as cause serious health problems if ingested after the dog licks their paws. Musher's Secret keeps the chemicals away from the skin, then a quick wipe of the feet before re-entering the house clears them away completely. The wax is not overly greasy, I haven't had any issues with it staining carpet or furniture. Though on indoor flooring, it can be a little slippery so be sure to wipe the feet when coming back indoors.

Be sure to also monitor your dogs while outside. Take cues from them as to when it is too cold. Your first sign will likely be if the dog is holding their paws up out of the snow, also reluctance to walk or play or constant running back to the door signals time to go back indoors and warm up. My rule of thumb, if the dogs are playing hard with no sign of discomfort, then there is no need to worry. Watch the body language of your dogs, they can't tell you verbally when they are cold, so you need to be an honest judge.

Once back inside, check the dog over for hidden ice clumps. Chest/neck hair, armpits, inner thigh, and up the legs are common "clump" areas. If you do find clumps, use a dry towel to melt the clumps enough to gently remove them from the fur. Some dogs enjoy chewing the clumps off themselves, but allowing that risks the dog breaking or damaging the hair itself and may irritate the skin. It's better, then, to help your dog out and melt the clumps with a dry towel.

Enjoy the Snow!

New bag, new tag.

First of all I apologize for the lack of updates lately. When I have a lot to do (university assignment), I find it really difficult to concentrate on other things and end up neglecting them - and I suppose that's what I've been doing. I'm still not done for now, but I'll try to squeeze in a few more updates.

Nevertheless, I got a new bag. I talked about this bag (and some in other colours a few posts ago), which reminds me of an old school bag, and I decided to get one. I am really pleased with it as it fits my laptop and other things perfectly. I just wish it looked a bit 'older' somehow, but perhaps it's possible to customize it a little. Does anyone have any ideas on how to do that?

While trying to work hard (I'm unfortunately very bad at concentrating) on my assignment this weekend I started browsing Australian ebay for vintage clothing, and I discovered that so many pretty vintage clothes are sold there - especially dresses. Just thought I'd share that if anyone is interested.

Finally, I was tagged by the inspirational The Valentine Journals to write the first and only word I can think of to the following questions;

Where is your mobile phone? Table.

Where is your significant other? Israel.

Your hair colour? Blonde.

Your mother? Mother.

Your father: Father.

Your favourite thing? Travelling.

Your dream last night? Horrible.

Your dream goal? -

The room your in? Living room.

Your hobby? Films.

Your fear? Pigeons.

Where do you want to be in 6 years? Stockholm.

Where were you last night? Working.

What you're not? Energetic.

One of your wish-list items? DSLR

Where you grew up? Tromsø.

The last thing you did? Flossed.

What are you wearing? Clothes.

Your TV? Old.

Your pets? Here.

Your computer? Macbook.

Your mood? Restless.

Missing someone? Yes.

Your car? None.

Something you're not wearing? Jewellery.

Favourite shop? Topshop.

Your summer? Nice.

Love someone? Yes.

Your favourite colour? Green.

When is the last time you laughed? Today.

When is the last time you cried? Weeks.

This tag didn't say to tag anyone so I am tagging anyone who wants to do this!

RMBs and Christmas Cards!

I love Saturdays. Lazy, casual Saturdays.

This afternoon I gave the boys each a big raw marrow bone and let them gnaw away in bliss as I worked on some Christmas cards. Dogs With Blogs is having a Christmas card exchange, so I thought I should get a good start on things. 144 dog bloggers are signed up! I can't afford postage to send to everyone, but I'm trying my best.

Holiday cards with shiny seasonal stickers.

Doggy version of an ice cream cone ... mmm Moose flavored.

"Nom nom nom"

"There is this darned hard stuff covering up my marrow. How frustrating!"

The height of RMB laziness.

getting it overwith already

Yesterday, Eric packed a small truck of essentials, and early this morning, he started south, on his journey to San Diego and a new, promising job. He's excited about the job, and I've been very supportive (I think sometimes he wished I wouldn't be, so he could use me as a reason not to go). We'll see each other as often as we can, but for now, while tears are frequent, I am determined not to wallow around the house feeling sorry for myself.

Ergo, my to do list for today:

Farmer's market to get ingredients for thanksgiving dinner (potatoes, mostly)
haircut (I had an appointment yesterday, but completely spaced it)
IKEA & REI
plant crocus, snowdrop and narcissus bulbs
walk Finn (it's a lovely crisp autumn morning)
laundry and general house cleaning

=================================

Before he left (as in, at about 11pm last night), Eric finished our new bed....

The details: solid oak head and foot boards, and side rails. Queen size bed, pine slats. As yet unstained, but in the interest of using it (and getting it out of the garage), we assembled it last night and will stain it later.

PetLand and Puppy Mills

As if we didn't already know that the Yorkipoos, Puggles and any assortment of other dogs sold at PetLand stores across Canada and the USA are from puppy mills. Well, now there is proof.

I have received a large number of e-mails with links to the articles and investigation reports over the past couple of days. Instead of passing them on to my e-mail list, I thought I would post it here. My site is getting upwards of 75 hits per day, so what better way to get the word out! I don't have that many people on my e-mail list.

Here are the links to the various articles that I have received:

MSNBC: Investigation Ties Pet Chain to Puppy Mills

HSUS Video

So what can we do?

I decided long ago to never shop at a store that sells puppies. So I've never spent a cent at PetLand, myself. I think that is a decent start. If we don't shop there, we don't support their mistreatment of dogs. Spread the word, encourage others to find different more humane stores to spend their money at.

If you prefer the large chain stores, then consider PetSmart. They do not sell dogs, rather they partner with local SPCAs and provide visibility for adoptable dogs in the shelters. Better yet, support your small local businesses! If you are in Saskatoon, I strongly recommend Critter's or Early's.

Snow and Splarts

Gio was scheduled to make a visit to his ladies at Stensrud Lodge this afternoon, but we had to cancel. On therapy dog days, I leave work at noon so that I have time to get home, have some lunch, and groom Gio up all handsome before our visit. I pulled into the driveway shortly after noon today and could hear Gio barking from the basement where his crate is. That only means one thing ... someone has got to go poop!

I quickly got into the house and let him out of his crate and he ran straight to the back door, no time for "hey how are ya"s. Poor guy has a bad splart situation happening. It is likely due to his potassium bromide levels again. So I'll knock his medication back a little bit this evening. After our last blood work, the vet recommended that I cut back his potassium bromide a bit as it was slightly over the recommended therapeutic level. Since it wasn't over by much and there weren't any side effects, I decided to leave it where it was. But now that there are side effects it is time to cut back.

We had to cancel our visit as I'm sure Gio's ladies don't want to cuddle up with a stinky poo dog, and Gio has to run outside about every half hour, so it wouldn't be fair to make him work for an hour with no relief.

Aside from the stinky bum, Gio's spirits are high and he seems to be feeling fine. He and Romeo took some time out of their afternoon naps to have a game of chase in the back yard. Chase games between Gio and Romeo are always hilarious to watch. Gio puts his Cujo Face on and both dogs make "I'm gonna eat you" noises. But it's all for show, they are best buddies in the end.

Technique---Curling with a flat-iron

Finally! A new post, and a tutorial to boot! I have had many, many, many requests for this. My apologies. I have been waiting for my husband to be home long enough to take pictures. That hasn't happened...he has been a little busy with a work project, so I pulled out my handy dandy tri-pod and my old camera with a remote. Unfortunately, the remote wasn't working. You really need both hands to do this so I hope explain it well.

I put in some Garnier Curl Sculpting Creme and went to work. When I curl their hair with a flat iron, I usually curl the ends under first. I can't always get the ends the way I want and this eliminates that frustration. So start at the base of the hair and slide the iron down and when you get almost to the bottom, twist the flat-iron just ever so slightly to get a nice bent under shape, more if you want more curls.

Like so.

Take a section of hair and separate it from the rest of the hair. Clamp your flat iron on the base of the hair. I take the end of the hair and wrap it around the flat iron, if only to give it direction and keep it going in the same movement. This is where the bevel on your flat-iron comes into play. You are basically using the bevel to curl the hair. So after I clamp onto the hair, I pull the hair on the bevel in the direction I am curling. Now, keeping the iron clamped, slowly slide it away from the base of the hair towards you. As you are sliding it out, you slowly twist the flat iron like you would when wrapping hair in a curling iron


See how I have my hand holding onto her hair and it is wrapped around the iron? That is not a necessary step...HOWEVER...it makes for more control AND it keeps the hair together to make more of a ringlet. If you don't do that, the curl ends up being unpredictable.


Here is where I am twisting and sliding at the same time.


Follow this same fluid movement to the end of the hair.





And let go.

This second one shows more detail than the first.


Clamp

Twist

Twisting and sliding

Now I find as I get towards the end that sometimes the hair gets tight, so I loosen my grip on my flat iron.

Like so

Then pull your flat-iron out of the hair towards the ground.

Finish the hair

All this took me two minutes, tops.

But I didn't want to leave ringlets, so I ran my fingers through the curls.

And separated them by pulling the top from the bottom.

Then sprayed

And scrunched

Tada!

I hope this helps for those who have questions. When my husband gets home...a video as well.