Was looking out the kitchen window this morning and see cows. But they are not where they are supposed to be - they are strolling through the fields. So, I phoned my neighbour to tell him that his cows had broken out.
About a 1/2 hour later the owners come with a couple of pickup trucks (modern day horse and rider). It is just amazing to watch the cows respond to their owners. They "know" the trucks and they "know" their owners. While it was not as sexy as watching "City Slickers" with Billy Crystal riding herd, it was amazing to see these cows follow the trucks. They came galloping from all over the fields.
It took them about 3/4's of an hour to lead the herd back into the pasture. It entailed getting out and rattleing grain buckets and jus yahooing them....and not one "cowboy" hat among them.
About life on the windswept prairies with multiple Bernese Mountain Dogs and cynical cats
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Fascination
We had a power outage last night and broke out several candles. Baby Puddy was quite fascinated with the pumpkin scented candle.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Guinness - also known as "Dot"
It is with great sadness that I announce that Guinness, beloved sweet girl of Paul and Lynne passed away yesterday. She was 8 years old. Guinness was from my "G" litter and she was the tiniest little thing when she was born, weighing only 220 g. She struggled to nurse, so I fed her with an eyedropper. This gave her enough strength and she was then able to latch on to a nipple on her own. Despite her rough beginning she went on to grow into a strapping big girl and is one of Treeline Bernese foundation mommies.
I shall fondly remember my G litter of Dot and Dash so called because of the markings on their heads. Dot with a splash of white on her crown and Dash had a white stripe down her neck.
This is my favourite picture of Little Dot - despite that ball being almost bigger than she was, she kicked that thing around the yard.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Happy Birthday H Litter
The H litter turns 8 years old today. I remember when these guys were born. Genie had to have a C-section and I had brought Bonnie along so her two babies could have their dewclaws removed. Well, as Genies babies were delivered we popped them on Bonnie to nurse and much to Bonnie's delight because she only two babies of her own and I am sure she figured that she had more babies and I kept them hidden from her. Since Genie had 7 puppies, Bonnie was happy to help nurse the babies and the two moms raised the litters together.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Thelma and Louise - The Sequel - Fight
Dar and I are fighting over who is Thelma and who is Louise. I so want to be Thelma - that means I have the love scene with Brad Pitt. But, Louise is so cool and James Marsden is oh-so-hot too (but no love scenes). Decisions, decisions.
Jeopardy - How to Win
Peter and I enjoy watching "Jeopardy" on TV and seeing who can answer the most questions (or is that give the correct question to the answer). I realized that the show comes on at different times during the day and so I watched the show, wrote down the answers and waited for Peter to come home (hee hee hee).
We sit down with our dinner and are watching TV. Jeopardy comes on and I start answering the questions (I do miss some intentionally). Peter looks at me and says, "What? Did you take smart pills this morning?".
The game continues and final jeopardy comes on. Of course I have the correct answer. Peter is just amazed with my intelligence. I try to keep a straight face but do finally succumb to fits of laughter.
It was an awesome joke!
We sit down with our dinner and are watching TV. Jeopardy comes on and I start answering the questions (I do miss some intentionally). Peter looks at me and says, "What? Did you take smart pills this morning?".
The game continues and final jeopardy comes on. Of course I have the correct answer. Peter is just amazed with my intelligence. I try to keep a straight face but do finally succumb to fits of laughter.
It was an awesome joke!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Happy Birthday G Litter
G Litter turns 8 years old today. That was my big litter of two - who were called Dot and Dash - now known as Guinness and Neve.
Hope you girls get lots of presents and belly rubs.
Hope you girls get lots of presents and belly rubs.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Thelma and Louise - The Sequel - Day Two
We woke up to snow - but it was not sticking to the roads. The hotel offers a free breakfast. Well, this one was one of the poorest examples I have ever seen. The breakfast room was reminiscent of a lunch room at some office. No decor what-so-ever. A few muffins, some bread, yogurt, and coffee - that's it. No fruit. No waffles.
Apparently, we were supposed to pay a park fee. Well, we simply drove around the toll gates (following the big trucks). I thought the park fee was only for someone camping overnight - not someone staying in a hotel. Since our parking was underground in the hotel our car was not seen - so we saved 40 bucks! Great because that breakfast was LOUSY!
On the road around 9 am. Still no mountains to be seen in Banff. The drive between Banff and Golden, BC took around 4 hours. It's gorgeous - we did manage to see a few mountain peaks that were floating above the clouds. The passes (Kicking Horse and Roger's) are breathtaking. It is a wonder of technology and the determination of the men and women who toiled through these mountains. We had the most appropriate music playing... Gordon Lightfoot's - Canadian Railroad Trilogy.
Dar decided she would have a hissy fit in Golden. We stopped at a Husky/Mohawk station to gas up. The new thing these days is prepaying at the pump. I had already gone into the store to use the facilities and Dar was trying to pump gas. Well, she had problems. For whatever reason she could not get the pump to work. She had inserted her credit card but still the gas refused to flow into her tank. She got frustrated. She got back into the car and drove away. She heard a CLUNK - wondered what that was. Well,turns out it was the gas nozzle that was still in her tank. Luckily, it did not come off. Me - I am in the store totally unaware of the drama that is going on outside. I see the store clerk run outside. I see Dar come into the store (snorting fire and brimstone). I am still unaware of what happened. All I hear is her saying...I cannot find my gas tank plug.
She stomps back outside and this waitress from the restaurant comes out to tell her that the plug is on the back of the vehicle. Dar snarls at her..."your pumps don't WoRK!". Poor little waitress.
I get in the car and ask her...WTF? What has just happened. She snorts and spurts about how the gas pump didn't work and how she hates the prepay stuff. We find another gas station that offers full service and get our tank filled.
About 15 minutes down the road Dar is starting to calm down and suddenly feels like a big SHIT. She hopes she can find the address for this station and write a letter of apology. She really didn't mean to have a melt down. Me - I just ate my bbq cashews that I had bought and just let her rant and rave until she had worn herself out. (Shades of Legends of the Fall - Dar is Tristan - the rock we break ourselves against).
We finally reach Kamloops, BC and can now travel on the Coquihalla. Oh I forgot to mention - I do not have any money in my wallet. Well, I have 3 American dollars, but no Canadian money. Darlene says all I need to pay for is my plane trip home from Abbotsford. Now, I do not mean to leave home without money but I thought I could stop at some ATM along the way, but so far I've not used one. Now the Coquihalla is a toll highway. It connects Kamloops to Hope, BC. Always 2 lanes - sometimes 4 lanes so one does not get blocked behind slow transport trucks or RVs while going through the mountains. So - I am to pay for the toll.
This highway is one big climb from Kamloops to Merrit, BC. Merrit is in a valley - so down you go and then once past Merrit another big climb (hence all the lanes). Then you reach the apex and it's the biggest downhill slope I've ever been on. Going 110 kmph for over an hour and we are still going downhill. I keep waiting for the toll booth but it never appears.
Dar has brought along her GPS and we have programmed it with the address that we want in Abbotsford. Once we are passed Merrit, I note that Hope, BC is another 133 kms, however the GPS is showing our destination at 120 kms. This is just not right - we have to pass Hope and Chillewack. We are supposed to take Road 3 off of the Transcanada.
We are still descending this amazing hill and the GPS says turn right in 3 kms and there is this exit for Hwy. 3 to Princeton. I know this is not correct but I turn anyway and the GPS then says...."make a legal U-turn ASAP". I love the "legal" U-turn suggestion. The GPS got confused between Hwy 3 and Road 3.
We manage the "legal" U-turn and another hour later find Road 3. We miss a few roads but finally manage our final destination...Bonnie and Al's house. Ding ding! (GPS chirps upon arrival).
We fall out of the car - crouched like pretzels and it takes us several strides before we can walk upright. We greet Bonnie and say...Wine and hot tub please - doesn't matter which order.
Bonnie not only provides us with wine and hot tub but a fantastic supper. What a wonderful home...funky little retreat nestled in the Fraiser Valley. This home is a rambling ranch house with four bathrooms, 3 kitchens and only 2 bedrooms! A wonderful place for weary travellers - I highly recommend it.
And the funniest thing - the Coquihalla is no longer a toll highway. HA HA. I did not have to pay.
PS - no men were shot on this trip, no trucks were blown up and we did not drive off any cliffs.
Apparently, we were supposed to pay a park fee. Well, we simply drove around the toll gates (following the big trucks). I thought the park fee was only for someone camping overnight - not someone staying in a hotel. Since our parking was underground in the hotel our car was not seen - so we saved 40 bucks! Great because that breakfast was LOUSY!
On the road around 9 am. Still no mountains to be seen in Banff. The drive between Banff and Golden, BC took around 4 hours. It's gorgeous - we did manage to see a few mountain peaks that were floating above the clouds. The passes (Kicking Horse and Roger's) are breathtaking. It is a wonder of technology and the determination of the men and women who toiled through these mountains. We had the most appropriate music playing... Gordon Lightfoot's - Canadian Railroad Trilogy.
Dar decided she would have a hissy fit in Golden. We stopped at a Husky/Mohawk station to gas up. The new thing these days is prepaying at the pump. I had already gone into the store to use the facilities and Dar was trying to pump gas. Well, she had problems. For whatever reason she could not get the pump to work. She had inserted her credit card but still the gas refused to flow into her tank. She got frustrated. She got back into the car and drove away. She heard a CLUNK - wondered what that was. Well,turns out it was the gas nozzle that was still in her tank. Luckily, it did not come off. Me - I am in the store totally unaware of the drama that is going on outside. I see the store clerk run outside. I see Dar come into the store (snorting fire and brimstone). I am still unaware of what happened. All I hear is her saying...I cannot find my gas tank plug.
She stomps back outside and this waitress from the restaurant comes out to tell her that the plug is on the back of the vehicle. Dar snarls at her..."your pumps don't WoRK!". Poor little waitress.
I get in the car and ask her...WTF? What has just happened. She snorts and spurts about how the gas pump didn't work and how she hates the prepay stuff. We find another gas station that offers full service and get our tank filled.
About 15 minutes down the road Dar is starting to calm down and suddenly feels like a big SHIT. She hopes she can find the address for this station and write a letter of apology. She really didn't mean to have a melt down. Me - I just ate my bbq cashews that I had bought and just let her rant and rave until she had worn herself out. (Shades of Legends of the Fall - Dar is Tristan - the rock we break ourselves against).
We finally reach Kamloops, BC and can now travel on the Coquihalla. Oh I forgot to mention - I do not have any money in my wallet. Well, I have 3 American dollars, but no Canadian money. Darlene says all I need to pay for is my plane trip home from Abbotsford. Now, I do not mean to leave home without money but I thought I could stop at some ATM along the way, but so far I've not used one. Now the Coquihalla is a toll highway. It connects Kamloops to Hope, BC. Always 2 lanes - sometimes 4 lanes so one does not get blocked behind slow transport trucks or RVs while going through the mountains. So - I am to pay for the toll.
This highway is one big climb from Kamloops to Merrit, BC. Merrit is in a valley - so down you go and then once past Merrit another big climb (hence all the lanes). Then you reach the apex and it's the biggest downhill slope I've ever been on. Going 110 kmph for over an hour and we are still going downhill. I keep waiting for the toll booth but it never appears.
Dar has brought along her GPS and we have programmed it with the address that we want in Abbotsford. Once we are passed Merrit, I note that Hope, BC is another 133 kms, however the GPS is showing our destination at 120 kms. This is just not right - we have to pass Hope and Chillewack. We are supposed to take Road 3 off of the Transcanada.
We are still descending this amazing hill and the GPS says turn right in 3 kms and there is this exit for Hwy. 3 to Princeton. I know this is not correct but I turn anyway and the GPS then says...."make a legal U-turn ASAP". I love the "legal" U-turn suggestion. The GPS got confused between Hwy 3 and Road 3.
We manage the "legal" U-turn and another hour later find Road 3. We miss a few roads but finally manage our final destination...Bonnie and Al's house. Ding ding! (GPS chirps upon arrival).
We fall out of the car - crouched like pretzels and it takes us several strides before we can walk upright. We greet Bonnie and say...Wine and hot tub please - doesn't matter which order.
Bonnie not only provides us with wine and hot tub but a fantastic supper. What a wonderful home...funky little retreat nestled in the Fraiser Valley. This home is a rambling ranch house with four bathrooms, 3 kitchens and only 2 bedrooms! A wonderful place for weary travellers - I highly recommend it.
And the funniest thing - the Coquihalla is no longer a toll highway. HA HA. I did not have to pay.
PS - no men were shot on this trip, no trucks were blown up and we did not drive off any cliffs.
Thelma and Louise - The Sequel - Day One
My niece Jenny has a contract nursing assignment in Abbotsford, BC and was wishing she had her car, so my sister Darlene (Jen's mom) decided to drive her little Cavalier to BC. The car is a standard, and while it has air conditioning, it does not have cruise control. I decided to accompany her from Saskatoon to Abbotsford. It took Dar three, 12-hour days to get from her farm in Dundalk to Saskatoon. Her first day she made it to White River, Ontario and then next day she made it to Kenora, Ontario. The third day she arrived at my house. She managed to lose her car keys in Brandon - but luckily had spares.
Friday morning saw Darlene and I hit the road at 8 am. We had planned on going to Abbotsford via Jasper, but, at the last minute diverted to Banff because Darlene's son, Gord was going to Banff that weekend and we could have an overnight visit. The drive through Banff National Park, Kicking Horse Pass and Roger's Pass (over the Rockies) is beauitful, but very slow because the roads twist and turn and the speeds often go down to 60 km or less. Jasper is a much faster drive. Anyway - we had not even been 1/2 hour into our trip - just made it to Saskatoon when Peter calls to tell us that snow is expected in Banff that evening. We wonder whether we should divert once again and go to Jasper (we have to make this decision in Saskatoon because the highway forks) or take a chance and hope that the snow is not too bad and the roads will be ok (we do have snow tires in the back of the car). We decide not to be whimps and head for Banff.
When we get to Calgary, we try to find a garage that will put the snow tires on the car - but everyone is booked. So, we proceed to Banff with our summer tires.
We arrive in Banff around 5 pm. Gord is not expected to arrive until 8-9 pm. We are booked at the Spruce Grove Lodge and because it is off season all the hotel rates are extremely reasonable (lots of vacancies). We take a walk through Banff - it is a gorgeous alpine town - however, there are no mountains to be seen as the weather is socked right in. What a shame - drive all this way to see the majestic Rockies and all we can see are a few pine trees.
After our walk, we decide to have a hot tub and sauna (the hotel has these facilities). The hotel is actually joined by a tunnel to The Voyageur (and that is where the pool facilities are). We have those plastic keycard passes and stand by the pool door - insert the key into the card reader but it does not go green. I try again - nothing. So, I go up to the lobby to complain that our key card does not work. The receptionist tells me we don't need one. OK - duh...we never even tried the door, just assumed it was locked because the of the big sign that said "no trespassing - for guests only" and the fact that it had a card reader on the doorknob.
Dar and I are the only ones using the facilities and after a long days drive a hot tub and sauna are just what we need to relax our cramped muscles...ahhhhhhh. I decide I've had enough and am going back to the room. Dar is still in the sauna and I tell her I will meet her in the room. I have the key. I go into the change room to take a quick shower and put on my clothes. As I am stepping out of the change room I see the door to the hallway click closed. I look in the sauna and Darlene is gone - as are her clothes. I'm thinking...oh oh - I'd better get back to the room as she will be pounding on the door. Instead of using the tunnel, I just cross over the parking lot and get to our room. Darlene is not standing there, nor is she inside. A couple of minutes later I hear her knocking on the door. She's standing there in her clothes and tells me that she couldn't get through the tunnel because she did not have a key (she thought it was locked) and waited until someone opened the door for her (turns out that door was unlocked - once again she never tried the door). The funniest thing though was that she had put her clothes over her wet bathing suit and was standing there with her soaking wet butt showing through her jeans. I am sure the person who opened the door for her thought she was "special".
Gord and his fiancee arrive around 9 pm and we had ordered pizza and wings. We had a wonderful evening. Gord had brought his guitar and we had a little jam session. The most amazing thing of that evening though was watching Gord eat chicken wings. In would go an entire chicken wing - he'd move his mouth around and out would come bare bones. It was amazing! He's an awesome eating machine. We said goodnight and were probably in bed around 11 pm.
Around 3 pm, I heard a BEEP and woke up. I was not sure if I had dreamed it. I looked over at my sister and saw that she appeared to still be sleeping so figured I must have dreamed the noise. I was about to fall back to sleep when I definitely heard a rather loud series of BEEPS. It was the smoke detector. Darlene was now awake and I asked - "Did you hear those beeps?"
She replies "I think I dreamed it".
I retort, "We can't have the same dream".
I see that the radio alarm clock is blinking - so we had a power bump and that set off the smoke detector. None-the-less, I get out of bed and go to the door and open it - and sniff the air. I do not smell smoke. I had a difficult time falling back to sleep because I kept expecting the alarm to beep again (anticipation).
Friday morning saw Darlene and I hit the road at 8 am. We had planned on going to Abbotsford via Jasper, but, at the last minute diverted to Banff because Darlene's son, Gord was going to Banff that weekend and we could have an overnight visit. The drive through Banff National Park, Kicking Horse Pass and Roger's Pass (over the Rockies) is beauitful, but very slow because the roads twist and turn and the speeds often go down to 60 km or less. Jasper is a much faster drive. Anyway - we had not even been 1/2 hour into our trip - just made it to Saskatoon when Peter calls to tell us that snow is expected in Banff that evening. We wonder whether we should divert once again and go to Jasper (we have to make this decision in Saskatoon because the highway forks) or take a chance and hope that the snow is not too bad and the roads will be ok (we do have snow tires in the back of the car). We decide not to be whimps and head for Banff.
When we get to Calgary, we try to find a garage that will put the snow tires on the car - but everyone is booked. So, we proceed to Banff with our summer tires.
We arrive in Banff around 5 pm. Gord is not expected to arrive until 8-9 pm. We are booked at the Spruce Grove Lodge and because it is off season all the hotel rates are extremely reasonable (lots of vacancies). We take a walk through Banff - it is a gorgeous alpine town - however, there are no mountains to be seen as the weather is socked right in. What a shame - drive all this way to see the majestic Rockies and all we can see are a few pine trees.
After our walk, we decide to have a hot tub and sauna (the hotel has these facilities). The hotel is actually joined by a tunnel to The Voyageur (and that is where the pool facilities are). We have those plastic keycard passes and stand by the pool door - insert the key into the card reader but it does not go green. I try again - nothing. So, I go up to the lobby to complain that our key card does not work. The receptionist tells me we don't need one. OK - duh...we never even tried the door, just assumed it was locked because the of the big sign that said "no trespassing - for guests only" and the fact that it had a card reader on the doorknob.
Dar and I are the only ones using the facilities and after a long days drive a hot tub and sauna are just what we need to relax our cramped muscles...ahhhhhhh. I decide I've had enough and am going back to the room. Dar is still in the sauna and I tell her I will meet her in the room. I have the key. I go into the change room to take a quick shower and put on my clothes. As I am stepping out of the change room I see the door to the hallway click closed. I look in the sauna and Darlene is gone - as are her clothes. I'm thinking...oh oh - I'd better get back to the room as she will be pounding on the door. Instead of using the tunnel, I just cross over the parking lot and get to our room. Darlene is not standing there, nor is she inside. A couple of minutes later I hear her knocking on the door. She's standing there in her clothes and tells me that she couldn't get through the tunnel because she did not have a key (she thought it was locked) and waited until someone opened the door for her (turns out that door was unlocked - once again she never tried the door). The funniest thing though was that she had put her clothes over her wet bathing suit and was standing there with her soaking wet butt showing through her jeans. I am sure the person who opened the door for her thought she was "special".
Gord and his fiancee arrive around 9 pm and we had ordered pizza and wings. We had a wonderful evening. Gord had brought his guitar and we had a little jam session. The most amazing thing of that evening though was watching Gord eat chicken wings. In would go an entire chicken wing - he'd move his mouth around and out would come bare bones. It was amazing! He's an awesome eating machine. We said goodnight and were probably in bed around 11 pm.
Around 3 pm, I heard a BEEP and woke up. I was not sure if I had dreamed it. I looked over at my sister and saw that she appeared to still be sleeping so figured I must have dreamed the noise. I was about to fall back to sleep when I definitely heard a rather loud series of BEEPS. It was the smoke detector. Darlene was now awake and I asked - "Did you hear those beeps?"
She replies "I think I dreamed it".
I retort, "We can't have the same dream".
I see that the radio alarm clock is blinking - so we had a power bump and that set off the smoke detector. None-the-less, I get out of bed and go to the door and open it - and sniff the air. I do not smell smoke. I had a difficult time falling back to sleep because I kept expecting the alarm to beep again (anticipation).
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