Summer

These two pictures are of Deal moving a very, very stubborn and brave wether at my friend Ella's where she care takes a historical plantation. This guy is something else. I brought Deal along for this job because this kind of stock is her speciality. She is very brave and steady and when she bites, she bites hard, she bites clean, and she doesn't let go until the stock has changed it's mind. She bites quick and clean. Cruz will bite, but he flashes in when he does (so does Gwen). Deal just goes "WHAM"- like a cobra! Ella's oldest daughter took these pictures for me. Sometime I need to have some work her in this kind of situation so I can get a close up of her "go ahead...make my day" look! She's such a cool, powerful little thing! She's my little black bullet, as Ben calls her! We were sorting the sheep and moving them to different pastures, so there was a practical reason for her to be with such an ornery old man! All he needed to do was turn around and go into the barn, but that was just not on his agenda!

Well summer is officially here. The kids were done with school yesterday! I took some pictures of my boys and the Fox kids just being kids. I'll get them downloaded and up probably late tonight. I also took a cute video of Toss.

It's nice and cool this morning. I drove home from work in the light this morning! Yes, I worked 6pm-5:30am.... We were slammed with a 2300 piece truck and my dept. was me myself and I. I could have left at 3am because the part that I only I know how to do was done, but the HBA girl would have never gotten all the break packs and her g.m. freight done in her 10-7 shift. So I stayed until I had the HBA break packs all put up. It's pay day and we needed some groceries so I did that quick and stopped at the bank. Ben called me at 6:25 thinking I'd been calling him all morning because I was broke down or something... I knew he'd call if he was worried (he has no idea when I come in, but he was up for work), so rather than calling him at 6:15 when maybe it was a morning he could sleep till 7, I waited for him to call. He was relieved when I didn't curse at him for not answering his cell phone! LOL!

It is so nice and cool outside. I thought about working dogs, but decided although I'm still awake I'm not really on the ball. I don't have to work tonight, so I'll have all evening to get everyone worked. And if it's not too bad in the shade I can work on shed work with a few of them this afternoon after I get some sleep. I plan to sleep from 8-noon. It's 7:45 right now. I made a pizza, ate a few pieces and can feel a good sleep setting in. I did a lot of house work yesterday, so today can be a guilt free dog day! :-)

Rodney told me he added a 5th day to my schedule, but I'm not seeing it on the board. Maybe he meant he had to change it, and then didn't get to it. I figure just adding a 5th day could pay for the payments on a dog trailer. That trailer is my priority right now. It's not safe for my dogs to ride in the cab of the truck. Right now I'm limited to trialing 4 dogs. I can fit 4 crates in the bed of my truck. The dogs ride with me, and then go in the crates when we get to the trial. Not to mention it's a pain to pull out, put in, and strap in 4 crates at 3-4am on Saturday morning! How nice to have a trailer for them! The trailers are safe, insulated, have forced air into each box (or even a/c if you spring for it), all the storage I'd need, and even water tanks with built in hoses. I need to call the company in AL and get a price quote. They build them all custom, so I need to pull up their site so I know what kind of things I'd prefer to have and what things aren't needed.

I'm trying to decide on late summer trials. The VBCA summer trial is in early July and it sure was hot there last year... Thinking that one may be a no. Although I know it's a field Cruz could nicely do Ranch in and it's a "good company" trial. There is a trial the end of July that is 2 trials in each day. (nn-ranch) That appeals to me because I am usually limited to one day... But again July.... I am going to go to the VBCA trial at Breezy Hill the end of August. My very expensive (4 dogs plus I'm sure Ella will run MJ and I have Gwen double entered as she can run Nursery) entry form is on the frig. I'm looking forward to that. I really, really enjoy trialing multiple dogs. Not only does it make the trip seem more worth while, but I get that much more trial experience. I much prefer the Jan-March trials!! I'd rather wear long underwear than have it take me 5 minutes to pull down my sweaty jeans in a 120 degree porta-potty!! LOL!!

Off to SLEEP!!!