Little Ms. Wren (and a few of the others)

Wren on sheep and playing with my dogs this morning.

I see Toss in these 2 looks!!

My girls! They both did wonderful today. I played with them both in the larger area. I had to work a little at blocking Ivy when I changed direction or wanted her to stay behind the sheep a little. She works well in contact, but quite a bit off the sheep like Gwen, but does not seem to have quite as intense desire to keep at their heads, and has quite a bit less eye. The round pen wouldn't be a bad idea for Ivy for awhile. She sure seems like she's going to be nice! Clare is so cool! I can already send (30-50') this little monster and she just goes pretty as a picture! She's better on her 'come' side. She already paces behind the sheep. I'm so excited to see what this girl turns into!! My guess is all Deal, plus some simply because of things I know now that I didn't know with Deal.

She really looks like her Daddy!

Videos below are from this morning. The puppies turned 6 months on the 27th. This is about the 3rd time she has been on sheep and the first time Ella has been in the larger area with her. If she continues on with the way she is going, they won't need the round pen anymore. I think Wren is the most like Cruz on sheep. She likes to be close, but is very polite and sensible- yet bold if she needs to be. She makes me laugh with all her heel nips- good to see that in her since her mother is so full of eye and likes to keep at their heads. Cruz came thru in Wren in that sense. She's going to be such a perfect pup for Ella to start. She's biddable, and certainly has enough power and confidence, and she is not in there (currently anyway!) making a mess. She's going to be like Cruz was for me.

A Good Morning

After a fairly emotional day yesterday, in which I had myself just mentally exhausted by 5pm, today is starting off to be much better. Yesterday there were a few things that were going on that got me all "spun up" as my husband would say. I was fighting being pretty depressed most of the day. I HATE that feeling, and not really having anything worthy of being that worked up just makes it worse. I called my husband at work and I knew he was going to be very busy and that I would not have anything positive to say, but I needed to. I don't like being a "burden" like that, but if I can't talk to him, then who can I talk to! He finally jerked me back into line by asking me "Are you hungry?" I said "what?". "Are you hungry?". "no, I guess not" (still confused). He said "are the kids hungry?" "Probably not" I said. "Is the house standing?" Then I understood. In other words I needed to pull my head out of my ass and quit working myself up over little things. Yes, those little things weren't great and they did all seem to happen right together, but in the big picture that we call our life, they were indeed little things. It's so wonderful to be married to someone that is enough like you that you are truly best friends, yet different enough you balance each other out! Whew! I was glad to go to bed and start over this morning! The kids are ready for school to just be done already and Charlie fussed a little bit about having to go. They have 2 more school week's left. Ella came this morning at 9am to play with Wren and hang out. Like a good husband, it sure is good to have a couple good friends!

People Are Weird

Okay, so I had to laugh today when I read the blog of the woman I mentioned last week as being a friend that is too different from me to continue a friendship with. First she put down every other "Border Collie blog", claiming hers is a "journal" and everyone else's is crap. Okay... isn't that what all blogs are; a journal? I'm sure with most people not everything is laid out in text on their blog- I certainly don't write about everything on mine. Then she went on to make this comment about my post from the other day in regards to me having things to write about Jim, but not being able to at this time- "On one Blog I noted the writer accused certain people of “spying” on her. Ah, duh, it’s a public “Blog;” no one is “spying” on it because you are making it available for anyone to read (or not read) it. Shaking head in disgust." See, I know there are people who keep up with my blog, but not because they care about me or my dogs. (A little like Ms. Bernard) There are people out there that simply keep tabs to see what I am doing- with ill intentions. This is what I meant by "spies". Yes, I certainly know this is public, good grief I'm not living under a rock! Being public is the reason that I chose to not talk about Jim at this time- it is not a public topic right now. Ms. Bernard had expressed interest in what I found out in regards to Jim, and when I wrote to her, (after several years of friendship mind you) she could not even muster up an "I'm really sorry" email. I am more sure than ever that I am better off without her in my life. Some people are just plain cold- and odd. I'm sicken by the fact that my heartbreak probably brought a smirk to her face!! It's not to be forgotten that this winter she pretended to be an interested person in a dog I had for sale and then went as far as saying 'she' liked "a dog in NC" better- of course the dog in NC was a dog she had for sale. That's not normal behavior and I should have never tried to re-up our "friendship"!! I had been keeping up with her blog out of pure curiosity, but I should probably just stop. She talks of reading other "crap" blogs and that just sounds like a stupid thing to do- but I guess it's what I'm doing when I read hers- reading crap!! We are way too different to appreciate each other's views and it's foolish to keep reminding myself of that by reading her "journal".

Play Day