September 2, 2010 by meg.

The AKC parent conference was really worthwhile.  I got a lot of ideas for the club and will be sending them out after I get back home.  It was hot but nothing that we hadn’t had the past month.

flying home is so much easier than driving the motor home.   Picked the MH up on Monday morning.  well maybe it was Monday afternoon.  Laundry done again.  seems I get home and have laundry to do.  I don’t even remember what I did on Tuesday but I know it wasn’t sitting around and watching TV.  Talked to Cheryl,  she thought she had Plantar fasciitis but instead found out she had torn a tendon.  Wrong treatment for a couple of months.  Well at least even if she has to sit with a leg up, she’ll be able to whelp puppies with me next week :O

Other than being busy today was pretty darn smooth.  No problems with the motor home.  Got here before dark.  Had to stop setting up ex pens while the rains came but they didn’t last long and we were able to get the rest of the pens up.  The Fluffy thinks she is our guard dog and barks at all the strange dogs that walk by us.  The Dals and Otterhounds don’t give a rip.

We’re trying a new  ex-pen stiffener. I bought some metal fasteners to go across the joints to keep the fence from bending every where.  Tomorrow we show the Cavalier and Dalmatian at the same time.  I’ll stay on Indie and have Laura go in with Fluffy.  The rest of the weekend we should be fine.

The Bears game is on, tied 10 10 and it’s half time.  I don’t know if they are going to do anything this year but I keep hoping.

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August 29, 2010 by meg.

I’m sitting here waiting for the bus to take me to the airport and home.  I suppose I ought to go back to last weekend and finish.   The Specialty was wonderful!  complementary catalogs, Lunch and a great show dinner.  No we didn’t do “anything” but that’s OK  I could follow the judges and Indie was not the best behaved.  I talked with our sweeps judges at the dinner and we discussed the fract that EVEN if you have a nice dog, if he  or she does not behave you can’t do an honest evaluation!  I was worried because the previous weekend Indie was stung during the second day of the Western Reserve Specialty during sweeps and wouldn’t let anyone touch his rear after that.  Since I was nervous, he was twitchy :)  He stood but wiggled and couldn’t gait very well.  Oh well it’s a dog show.

On Saturday,  things were better, I was calmer and Indie was WD for 4 points (it broke from 5 since a dog was excused)  It was HOT HOT HOT and we decided that we weren’t staying for dals the next day.  We got up Sunday morning showed the Fluffette …second AGAIN to a different Cavalier and then off.

WE had a flat somewhre in no where Nebraska.  2 hours later we were back on the road again.  We use CoachNet for our motor home service.  They were great.  They would have even brought a tire if we had really needed one.  But we had a spare.  We spent the night in a WalMart parking lot and I don’t even remember where.  Home again for a few days.  Catch up on my real life and then fly out to Raleigh NC for the AKC Parent Club conference.

The AKC puts together a conference every other year for Parent Clubs like the Dalmatian Club of AMerica or the Kin Charles Spaniel Cavalier Club of America or any and all of the 150+ parent clubs.  Very interesting and informational.  I received a lot of pertinent materials and now I’ll need to get them out to my committees…or maybe I should say that I get them out to the DCA’S COMMITTEES.

When I get home, I’ll need to get ready for the Amana Colony shows AND right after that, Crystal’s babies.

 THEN I get a break…well at least I hope I get a break

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August 19, 2010 by meg.

We got home from Western Reserve. Boy was it hot there.  Got to see a lot of friends that don’t travel this direction very often.  We ran the generator and ran it and ran it.  I forgot to check the oil…oops.  Fortunately it has an automatic switch off if the oil gets too low.  I took  Monday to do laundry and make lists of what we needed for Colorado.  Tuesday we ran the motorhome into the shop to have the generator checked out and do an oil change.  Everything was OK.

I spent the afternoon washing dogs and getting “stuff” together.  Picked up the motor home and then packed it.  Laura brought over the 2 otterhound puppies that would be making the trip with us.   They are so cute but they are going to be so big. No otterhounds for me.  No I did not give them baths.

Laura headed home and returned the next morning with Piper and Fiesta who were going to stay with Mike.  Bless his heart. We finished with the last minute essentials.  And I couldn’t find my cell phone.  The usual locations were a bust.  Laura called it. Mike called it nothing.   Mike gave me his phone for the trip.  As I was climbing into the MH there it was on the floor.  I must have dropped it when I picked up the motorhome.  I gave Mike his phone back along with all the cords and we were finally off.

The trip was long but not hard.  every 350 miles we stopped for gas.  At most places I had to run the card through twice since most pumps stopped at 75.00.  We got to Grand island and decided to spend the night.  The 24 hour Walmart was our stopover. We were able to pick up a couple of items that we could use.  a new drainage hose, a can opener, and peroxide for when one of my darlings eats something that they shouldn’t have touched.

Laura woke up at 4 am (the air isn’t even turned on then) when the street sweepers started cleaning the parking lot.  We walked the dogs and Laura was ready to go.  I got her to the highway and I back to sleep.  She woke me when we got to Colorado and needed gas.  Do you realize there is NOTHING in northern Colorado?????  Even the Flying J was closed.  We did get to a gas station before we ran out but they (American Express) declined my card. when the clerk told me that I couldn’t believe.  I immediately called the card number on the back and waited through all the possibilities until I could finally talk to a human.  She wanted to verify who I was…and before she even started I rattled off all the personal information and all the places I had used my card…all gas stations…she thanked me and wanted me to know they were just trying to protect me from fraud.  I told her I’d be using the card through out Colorado and all the way back home.   Then it getsa rest.  This is the LAST CHIC/DNA blood draw we’re doing for DCA  this year.

We’ve gotten to the show site.  It’s nice.  We have hookups with enough power 50 and 30 amps and water.  We’re at the back of the lot but that’s ok.  I’ve been able to borrow a computer to check my email and write my blog.  I don’t think I”ll have time to do this again until I get home.  but then I’ll be able to nap

I took the dals, Indie and Aerin out with the electric scooter.  both are very good about staying where they belong…I believe I should say that they coach well.   I got them exercised before the rain hit.  We hadn’t put out the awning and I’m glad.  We watched as other motor homers’ scurried to get their awnings put up.

Laura is watching the weather.  If it rains it rains, nothing I can do.  wish us luck.  I need another major on Indie, 2 would finish his AKC championship.  Aerin needs everthing.

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August 10, 2010 by meg.

It’s official…Crystal is pregnant.  The ultrasound showed 7 sacs…one did not have a developing fetus.   So we think 6 puppies, as long as all hear and did not have patches and were the right color and the right sex and and and…ultrasound 8/9/2010

But that’s the problem with raising Dalmatians.  We still have a long way to go.   We have some wonderful people waiting for puppies.  Several are repeat dalmatian owners and one is a newbie.  If I could only talk a couple into thinking about showing their dog.  We need more new people in the sport.  And we definitely need more anti PeTA people.

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August 8, 2010 by meg.

It’s about 75º outside, overcast and just quiet.  The dogs are out.  Puppies with Aerin and Duncan.  I’m on my second cup of coffee.  It’s going to be a busy week so I appreciate today.  Went grocery shopping yesterday and I’ll be making a traditional Sunday Roast Beef dinner.  I’ll be eating out the rest of the month and I just feel like it.  I’m slowly harvesting my potato crop.  They actually are really good.  I have a variety of sizes so we’ll be doing the little spuds as “new potatoes in herb butter”.  Yes I do know how to cook, I just don’t do it often.

I made tacos and black bean salad last night.  Tried a new variety of corn taco shell.  I don’t know if they were old (no expiration date) or just bad.  In either case, I won’t be using them again.

Tag is watching me through the patio doors.  He’s ready to come in and sleep on the couch.  He can sleep outside.  I’ve got to finish the powerpoint and videos for Indie and Duncan.  The last pedigree update is Tuesday, then we start finalizing the video and get the book ready to be published.

Well quiet Sunday morning is over.  back to work

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August 6, 2010 by meg.

Last weekend we headed for Wisconsin to the Waukesha shows.  Indie was RWD both Saturday and Sunday and WD on Monday and Tuesday.  We need 7 points to finish.  Wednesday, Laura and I helped with the CDC pedigree book. updating information, making corrections and seeing what else needed to be done.  We went to Janesville on Thursday to get her electric lawn mower, took pictures of Fiesta and Piper, fixed her futon bed that Fiesta ( otterhound) thinks is her trampoline.  Laura is camping one of the liver boys that I still have and need to place.  After I got home, I wrote my president’s message for the SPOTTER and then Mike and I went for a drive.  We had NO destination but I needed to get away from everything for awhile.  I left my cell phone at home

Today I’ve pulled weeds from my garden.  Started harvesting my potatoes and then worked on next week’s schedule.  Pick up Flash on Monday at 10. vet at 2 for Crystal’s ultra sound, vet at 4:30 to see Sue’s Border Terrier puppies and take pictures of them. Tuesday Pedigree book, Wednesday prep and pack for Ohio and Thursday leave for Ohio.  specialty Friday, Saturday and all breed Sunday.  Oh and somewhere along the way, I have to pick up the motorhome from the shop.  The engine was making a disgusting noise on the weekend.  Hopefully it’s only a minor fix.

I need to update the Cavalier website, my website and then I think I’ll take a nap…no wait, I have to work with the puppies, groom Aerin and Indie and the cavaliers….then I can take a nap.

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August 6, 2010 by meg.

Cheryl called with a Crystal update.  She doesn’t want to eat or play or go outside.  When she does eat she does it with great reluctance and then tosses her cookies.  Yes she is pregnant We have a vet appointment on Monday to do an ultrasound to verify her pregnancy and give us some idea of how many puppies.  I think we’ll get to the “more than 8″ count and then it’s up for grabs.  Crystal and Cheryl were here this past weekend to go to the Waukesha shows with us.  Crystal dragged around the ring and couldn’t wait to get back to her crate and sleep.  After 2 days Cheryl decided that she and Crystal were heading home.  If Crystal wanted to sleep she would be more comfortable there.  When I asked Crystal how many babies she was going to have…she gave me 17 kisses…lordy I hope not….unless they were mostly black girls.  But I don’t think I’m going to get what I want.  Crystal will come here to whelp her puppies and Cheryl will be with us.  This is probably the best possible situation.  Hopefully it’ll be a normal non-complicated whelping.  Cheryl will get to watch one puppy being then help with the second then do a puppy herself.  and best of all, if it’s the middle of the night, I’ll get to take a short nap :)  I’ll get our whelping kit together after Labor day.

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July 23, 2010 by meg.

Small Entry at the Specialty but Dinner last night with the Texas Club was fun.  we got 15 more CHIC/DNA blood samples. Ginger and Mark got the samples out last night…whew.  At least they weren’t sitting in a marginal room refrigerator.  Today is a quiet day.  Started out by sleeping in until 7:30.  worked on Pedigree book corrections until 9 am.  Next breakfast at the hotel. The brunch was less expensive than ordering off the menu BUT they had a omelet station at the buffet.  since I’d have ordered an omelet anyway, this worked for me.

went to the business center and printed off the DCA board reports that came in last night and this morning.  Board Meeting tomorrow. I’ll be out of touch until next Monday.  Waukesha KC shows next weekend and we have majors in dogs and bitches.  I hope it holds.

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July 23, 2010 by meg.

Yesterday was a travel day to get to Houston TX.  I finished packing out of the dryer.  Mike drove me to Midway airport since I didn’t want to leave the van there until Sunday.  Cost of driving there and back twice was less than the parking fees anyway.

I HATE southwest.  I feel that it’s a cattle call when you’re getting ready.  You need a mystery hand shake to know what to do.  Oh well, I did get an aisle seat that was NOT at the back of the plane.  The trip was rough.  The flight to Houston had a stop in Nashville TN.  It was only long enough to drop some passengers off and pick up others.  The plane was full on both legs of the trip.

When I got here, my roomie was already checked in. Sharing the room helps on my credit card bill at the end of the month.  She’s already headed out for the judges seminars today.  I’m still in my PJ’s.  I’ll get picked up at 9am and transported to the reliant center…ah it’s good to be a judge :)  Small entry.  I should be done in less than an hour.

Then a blood draw.  I’ve already located our FedEx drop for tonight.  I certainly don’t want to hang onto the blood until Monday.

I guess I better get ready.

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July 20, 2010 by meg.

 Friday morning we had planned on leaving for Omaha as soon as judging was over by 10 at the latest.  I wasn’t entered but Deb and Rio were.  Unfortunately, the judge was SLOW.  Rio took the dog points.  Deb is getting much better at showing him. and we were out of there by 11:30!  Back to my house to through in the last of my stuff into Laura’s little car and off we went.  Totally uneventful trip.  Laura and I were still speaking to each other by the end of the day.  The Garmin took us on a bizarre route in Omaha to get to our hotel.  We ended up on the wrong side of the hotel with no driveway.  So off looking for a way with no cul de sacs to get to the front.  We checked in and then headed to the Wilson’s for dinner.

I trimmed Indie.  He probably would have gotten by without the minor details but he and I needed to get re-acquainted.  Back to the hotel for a late night movie and channel surfing.  I find it amazing that cable has so many channels and I still can’t find anything to watch that I haven’t already seen.

Saturday morning, moan and groan and up we go.  We took the shuttle from the hotel to the Qwest Center.  free shuttle and no parking fee.  The Qwest center - air conditioned - was a decent place to show.  They held conformation, obedience, rally and agility at the same site.  John had Indie benched in the agility area.  We watched some agility and then took Indie out for a stroll around the arena.

Dals were first in at 9 am.  Since he had no class competition we used this as a training session.  He was good through his class and through most of Best of breed competition.  He stopped working for me and we then were in the “you will do what I want and not what you want” phase.  Needless to say we didn’t get BOB or BOS so no points.  I let Indie rest and then took him out later to remind him that a stack is a stack is a stack no matter how many times we’ve just done it.  Laura and I toured the vendors and then headed out to do some touristy stuff.

Took the shuttle back to the hotel, hopped in the car and off we went.  we had lunch at Rick’s boatyard on the Missouri River.  We did NOT go out to the deck to eat.  The maitre D said that he did have a couple of hearty souls must most of us opted to be sensible.

There were a lot of interesting items on the menu.  we had an artichoke crab appetizer with pita bread that was wonderful.  Laura thinks that I should add that to my cooking repertoire.  We settled for Louisiana pulled pork for our main course.  It was the special for the day.  No desert

The city of Omaha had a set/park/open air gallery of bronze statues depicting the homesteaders in their wagons on their journey to the area.  These bronze statues of complete Conestoga wagons  pulled by horses and oxen and mules, along with people riding in the wagons, walking on foot or riding horseback…in fact this was a complete wagon train.  But it was HUGE  The information stated that the figures were 1 and a quarter times the normal size.  How did they cast these things???  There were also Buffalo and cranes.  amazing.  After viewing the display which was outside in the HEAT we headed back to the hotel to cool off.  Oh I was sticky and sweaty  eiuuu.

Cookout at the Wilson’s (we ate inside in the cool) talked dogs, sampled beer (no not me but they did) and back to the hotel.

We decided to take the car to the Quest center so that we wouldn’t have to go back to the hotel and get it after we were done showing.  Indie showed well but no points.  We loaded up and headed home.  No problems with the trip.  Laura and I were still speaking to each other at the end. (I’ve been told I get a little cranky when I don’t get enough sleep.)

Unpack and off to dinner.  I couldn’t face cooking and my kitchen was a mess….hmmm wonder who didn’t clean up after himself this weekend.

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