tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30841652510055002482024-03-13T09:09:26.588-07:00Shanti's travel blogThis blog tells about my trip to the USA with my faithful little aussie Dracu.Shantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11552281597177556296noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3084165251005500248.post-88704205367164757112010-12-13T10:39:00.000-08:002010-12-13T10:39:33.879-08:00ASCA agility + obedience trial in Columbia, MOThe weekend was not of to a good start. Freezing-ass-cold, expensive-rip-off-motel and my bitch-in-the-house attitude is never a good setup... At least the agility trial was held in a relatively warm indoor arena that held the agility, obedience and conformation shows. We had entered in two obedience trials on Saturday + 5 agility runs and just 5 agility runs Sunday. So quite a busy weekend! <br />
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The first <strong>obedience</strong> run was first, and can't say I trained at all. Lucky we did the same thing in 2009 so I knew the rules pretty well.. Dracu barked a few times so that lowered our score, but still we got a 187, 1 leg and 1st place. The second run was around midday and the individual parts went real well, but just before we went into the ring for the sits and stays, Dracu got her paw caught in a folding chair and screamed bloody murder. I yanked it out and there was no visible damage so we went into the ring to do the long sits and downs. Poor Dracu started licking her paw in the sit and laid down to get a better angle! So there went the CD title... No Q for us :( In ASCA you can fart around and do a really bod job (believe me, I saw some runs you won't believe) but as long as the dogs gets some points it will probably Q. We do everything else perfect and have one 0 score and that's it. Pretty harsh if you ask me...<br />
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Agility was also pretty crappy. The surface was a rug and Dracu was clearly uncomfortable on it. We knocked so many bars down that steam was coming out of my ears! Some bars were because I was handling her (but still she should not have knocked them down!) but some were just random. It's these low jumps, Dracu is not really trying to go over clean as with higher bars. <strong>The only Q's we got were two from Open Gambler, and so we got our GS-O title.</strong> We did Elite Jumpers and Elite Regular and the only faults were bars, no missed contacts, no off-courses.<br />
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So all in all, not a good weekend. I was real pissed off and poor Dracu was getting the short end because there was nobody else to be angry at :( I felt much better when we loaded the car up and drove out of Columbia, MO. Definitely not my kinda town!Shantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11552281597177556296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3084165251005500248.post-61473977761469620762010-12-13T10:13:00.000-08:002010-12-13T10:13:34.002-08:00Starting up NorthOn Sunday at the agility trial this guy, named Steve Sanders, I had talked with offered me a room for a few nights and a chance to relax, do my laundry and train agility. A offer doesn't come much better than that so I jumped at it and drove over to his place a few hours North of Rendon. We spent three nights there with Dracu, just relaxing. We went to two agility classes with Steve and his aussieboy Trip (H&M's Triple Threat) as well and I got to work a little on turning Dracu, something she had "forgot" after the trial...! The other lesson was by a very nice lady called <a href="http://www.bestfriendsagility.com/elizabethevans.html">Elizabeth Evans</a>. One day I also drove back to Jamie Burns and she worked some of her dogs for me to see; Rosa, Sweetie and Dodge. BTW, here are some never-before-seen pictures from the Westerman's ranch:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZdsW_yXTI/AAAAAAAAASE/qSpEHaiBm90/s1600/Dally_Up_Tuffer%2527n_Leather1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZdsW_yXTI/AAAAAAAAASE/qSpEHaiBm90/s400/Dally_Up_Tuffer%2527n_Leather1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aussie boy Boot, Dally Up Tuffer'n Leather, owned by Marsha Westerman</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aussie boy Boot, Dally Up Tuffer'n Leather, owned by Marsha Westerman</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZd-bHDVWI/AAAAAAAAASM/__lDhHi1h7g/s1600/max_son_of_nellieXspur1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="355" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZd-bHDVWI/AAAAAAAAASM/__lDhHi1h7g/s400/max_son_of_nellieXspur1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little aussie boy Max, out of Nellie/Spur, owned by Marsha Westernman</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Max has got some BIG shoes to fill!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZeKj1fD_I/AAAAAAAAASU/eN9jsxqCeLA/s1600/Twin_Oaks_Precious_Jessie_of_That%2527ll_Do1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="245" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZeKj1fD_I/AAAAAAAAASU/eN9jsxqCeLA/s400/Twin_Oaks_Precious_Jessie_of_That%2527ll_Do1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aussie girl Jessie, Twin Oaks Precious Jessie of That'll Do, owned by Mark Westernman</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZeTN3oWkI/AAAAAAAAASY/Jfqtrwxyn_o/s1600/Twin_Oaks_Precious_Jessie_of_That%2527ll_Do2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="391" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZeTN3oWkI/AAAAAAAAASY/Jfqtrwxyn_o/s400/Twin_Oaks_Precious_Jessie_of_That%2527ll_Do2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aussie girl Jessie, Twin Oaks Precious Jessie of That'll Do, owned by Mark Westernman</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZegUKM86I/AAAAAAAAASc/UAatv38Zr2o/s1600/marsha_westerman_dogs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZegUKM86I/AAAAAAAAASc/UAatv38Zr2o/s400/marsha_westerman_dogs.JPG" width="315" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marsha, Jessie & Boot</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZeon1ZCzI/AAAAAAAAASg/n43jroWBOK4/s1600/marsha_westerman_dogs2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="350" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZeon1ZCzI/AAAAAAAAASg/n43jroWBOK4/s400/marsha_westerman_dogs2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check out the swing, pretty cool!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZe_v5s1NI/AAAAAAAAASk/qLiuu9M5Hjk/s1600/DSC00691.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZe_v5s1NI/AAAAAAAAASk/qLiuu9M5Hjk/s400/DSC00691.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And that's above the gate...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZfYwACDcI/AAAAAAAAASo/sy8qoim3NOw/s1600/DSC00655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZfYwACDcI/AAAAAAAAASo/sy8qoim3NOw/s400/DSC00655.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No portable toilets here ;)</td></tr>
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On Wednesday morning I woke up early and started my truck towards Oklahoma City. I went to meet a breeder called Beth DeLozier, <a href="http://www.nineveh-ranch.com/">kennel Nineveh</a>. She had quite a few interesting aussies and I spent two days there just getting to know her, the dogs etc. She did some herding with Ready, a Qwick-son, and two of her young girls Scout and Trick. Her dogs were very nice and just super friendly! We also spent quite some time trying to get them to pose for the camera so I could get some pictures, but the dogs were having none of it! Quite a job, now I understand why people post such awful pictures of their dogs on the net - they can't get any better! :P<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZX0O4GzxI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/DdzbybLuDS4/s1600/Nineveh%2527s_Ready_2_Scout3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="281" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZX0O4GzxI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/DdzbybLuDS4/s400/Nineveh%2527s_Ready_2_Scout3.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aussie girl Scout, Nineveh's Ready 2 Scout, owned by Beth DeLozier</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZX51hQR_I/AAAAAAAAAQ4/c57Vycyazt8/s1600/Nineveh%2527s_Ready_2_Scout4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZX51hQR_I/AAAAAAAAAQ4/c57Vycyazt8/s400/Nineveh%2527s_Ready_2_Scout4.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aussie girl Scout, Nineveh's Ready 2 Scout, owned by Beth DeLozier</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZYDF43IDI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/nyZoUtaj5ao/s1600/Nineveh%2527s_Ready_2_Scout9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZYDF43IDI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/nyZoUtaj5ao/s400/Nineveh%2527s_Ready_2_Scout9.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aussie girl Scout, Nineveh's Ready 2 Scout, owned by Beth DeLozier</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZYGDK3JeI/AAAAAAAAARA/oXcXLg_3Zm8/s1600/Nineveh%2527s_Ready_2_Scout11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="365" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZYGDK3JeI/AAAAAAAAARA/oXcXLg_3Zm8/s400/Nineveh%2527s_Ready_2_Scout11.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aussie girl Scout, Nineveh's Ready 2 Scout, owned by Beth DeLozier</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZYLp7KEuI/AAAAAAAAARE/TofVVw9dzrs/s1600/twin_oaks_ruth1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZYLp7KEuI/AAAAAAAAARE/TofVVw9dzrs/s400/twin_oaks_ruth1.JPG" width="325" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aussie girl Ruth, Twin Oaks Ruth, owned by Beth DeLozier.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZYWH08UyI/AAAAAAAAARI/oNO_ot0bSU8/s1600/Wonder_Hill%2527s_Trick_Rider1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="383" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZYWH08UyI/AAAAAAAAARI/oNO_ot0bSU8/s400/Wonder_Hill%2527s_Trick_Rider1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aussie girl Trick, Wonder Hill's Trick Rider, owned by Beth DeLozier</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZYb9PW91I/AAAAAAAAARM/SxR2DBnYcDE/s1600/Wonder_Hill%2527s_Trick_Rider3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="387" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZYb9PW91I/AAAAAAAAARM/SxR2DBnYcDE/s400/Wonder_Hill%2527s_Trick_Rider3.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aussie girl Trick, tired of all the picture taking. Where's the ACTION??</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZYrL3LhMI/AAAAAAAAARQ/7dVIaSIBcvY/s1600/Wonder_Hill%2527s_Trick_Rider6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="252" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZYrL3LhMI/AAAAAAAAARQ/7dVIaSIBcvY/s400/Wonder_Hill%2527s_Trick_Rider6.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aussie girl Trick, Wonder Hill's Trick Rider, owned by Beth DeLozier</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZYxasyzQI/AAAAAAAAARU/UMqKwNXt9XM/s1600/Wonder_Hill%2527s_Trick_Rider7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZYxasyzQI/AAAAAAAAARU/UMqKwNXt9XM/s400/Wonder_Hill%2527s_Trick_Rider7.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aussie girl Trick, Wonder Hill's Trick Rider, owned by Beth DeLozier</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZY2EILCnI/AAAAAAAAARY/DCAHLS_F16c/s1600/baby_herding.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="311" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZY2EILCnI/AAAAAAAAARY/DCAHLS_F16c/s400/baby_herding.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Life with a baby... :D</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZY8MqK6zI/AAAAAAAAARc/zRcF0sRvM1s/s1600/baby_herding2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="322" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZY8MqK6zI/AAAAAAAAARc/zRcF0sRvM1s/s400/baby_herding2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beth, Ready & kid</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZZEOC0W-I/AAAAAAAAARg/IuN6DeFojFE/s1600/Starstuff_Rapture_Ready4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="307" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZZEOC0W-I/AAAAAAAAARg/IuN6DeFojFE/s400/Starstuff_Rapture_Ready4.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">aussie male Ready, Starstuff Rapture Ready, owned by Beth DeLozier</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZZHugwe5I/AAAAAAAAARk/fa8dpjm6L3w/s1600/Starstuff_Rapture_Ready5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZZHugwe5I/AAAAAAAAARk/fa8dpjm6L3w/s400/Starstuff_Rapture_Ready5.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">aussie male Ready, Starstuff Rapture Ready, owned by Beth DeLozier</td></tr>
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The American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) was having a big competition in Oklahoma City so I went to watch that with Beth and saw some real, live cow roping!! Very cool... We also went to take a look at the behind-the-scene area where all the horses were and wow... Some serious money I must say! They had decorated the temporary stalls with these fake, Hollywood-style sets and huge banners and pictures. It was pretty amazing. I also went by the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum (known as the Cowboy Museum) and it was my lucky day, free entry! That was my first - and probably last - cultural thing on this trip...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZaAyW8uRI/AAAAAAAAARo/E1XJbFwNJ5s/s1600/aqha_world_show1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZaAyW8uRI/AAAAAAAAARo/E1XJbFwNJ5s/s400/aqha_world_show1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First you lasso it...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZaIleE1wI/AAAAAAAAARs/r7kkfuzRiZw/s1600/aqha_world_show2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZaIleE1wI/AAAAAAAAARs/r7kkfuzRiZw/s400/aqha_world_show2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then you jump of your horse...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZaMWQwdHI/AAAAAAAAARw/J5UYs7ViSIE/s1600/aqha_world_show3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="305" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZaMWQwdHI/AAAAAAAAARw/J5UYs7ViSIE/s400/aqha_world_show3.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And tie it up! No big deal. :D</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZaQZX5lqI/AAAAAAAAAR0/ac2V2fkcH7w/s1600/aqha_world_show5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZaQZX5lqI/AAAAAAAAAR0/ac2V2fkcH7w/s400/aqha_world_show5.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who is faster?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZaUOkg5vI/AAAAAAAAAR4/tlndSex2bxo/s1600/cow_mom.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="262" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZaUOkg5vI/AAAAAAAAAR4/tlndSex2bxo/s400/cow_mom.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RodeoMama!</td></tr>
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I left on Thursday afternoon and drove about 4 hours to Bolivar, Missouri. I was definitely feeling the drop in temperature and was NOT happy :/ I arrived pretty late to visit Pam Watson, <a href="http://www.watson-ranch.com/">kennel Sage Creek</a>. We sent a good few hours just talking dogs, how is it that I never tire of talking dogs? The next morning it was raining, but bravely we went outside to face the cold and work some dogs! Firstly Pam introduced her pack, mainly working aussies from Crown Point lines. I was again surprised by how friendly the dogs were, and also quite small and compact! With the working lines you can really get anything in size and built depending on the line!<br />
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Pam worked her dogs Jet, Kellie, Gaby, Spook, Charlie and Punch - so quite a busy day! I also got to work Dracu, we did quite a long workout with her on sheep in Pam's nice, dry indoor arena! I got some really good tips about how to move, when to put pressure and when to release it. Poor Dracu was so tired after we worked her for almost an hour!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZh8un7KXI/AAAAAAAAASw/zhln_4EJKoM/s1600/my_cowgirl_boots.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="343" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZh8un7KXI/AAAAAAAAASw/zhln_4EJKoM/s400/my_cowgirl_boots.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't think posted these pics yet! My new cowboy boots, from Texas :D</td></tr>
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Far too soon I had to bid my new friend goodbye. We were in a rush to get going as I had an agility trial the next day in Columbia, Missouri, a 3-hour drive away. When we finally got there, it was getting dark, raining and very cold! I was already in a lousy mood and then we spent a good two hours trying to find a reasonably priced motel for the weekend. But, as I learned way too late, it was game weekend (stupid, stupid American football be damned!) and all the priced were pretty much doubled!!! I finally settled at a Motel 6, seething angry. WHY did I have to pay extra if I'm not here to watch football???? So the weekend was not off to a good start...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZgTWLstII/AAAAAAAAASs/-tqRVc612I0/s1600/DSC00903.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TQZgTWLstII/AAAAAAAAASs/-tqRVc612I0/s400/DSC00903.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinda felt like turning the car around and driving back South, or the desert, or Florida... Hrr...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Shantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11552281597177556296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3084165251005500248.post-45965951175436549352010-11-29T09:32:00.000-08:002010-11-29T09:32:50.521-08:00ASCA Agility trial in Rendon, TXThere was a 3-day ASCA agility trial in Rendon, Texas, which is just about 15 minutes out of Fort Worth. Driving South from Whitesboro would have been a 1,5 h drive, but I hit some NASCAR traffic! It was insane, just standing in line for 20 minutes without moving anywhere! :O<br />
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I did eventually make it to the competition area. It was a big horse arena that is normally used to host rodeos, barrel racing etc. A roof and some walls, but no heating. The first day (Friday) had three runs, one Gambler and two Jumper-runs. I had entered Dracu in only Novice class because I had no idea you could start from Elite if you wanted and just get your Novice and Open titles there! The classes were super small but everybody was really nice and welcoming. AND I won the prize for longest distant traveler! :D<br />
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Our first run was Gamble Novice. Dracu jumps in the 20'' height (about 51cm) and that is lower than what we would normally in Finland, 23,5''. The Gablers class in something we had never done (as we don't have anything similar in Finland) but I had read the rules and everybody helped me out. Basically you have 30 sec to collect as many points as possible by doing any obstacles you want. Different obstacles are worth a different amount of points. When 30 sec is up there is a buzzer and you need to do a 4-6 obstacle course the judge has made + there is a line that the handler can't cross so the dog has to do the so called "Gamble" in a distance.<br />
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So what could be better for us than a competition where you don't get faults (you just don't get points for a faulty performance) and you need to be fast and work at a distance? We had a load of fun even though Dracu was a bit confused that after doing the contact or what ever we just turned around and did it again! <strong>Our first run was a Q (qualified) with 1st place and high points :)</strong><br />
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The two Jumpers-classes were super easy, just straight lines and only jumps and tunnels allowed. But the jump distances were a bit different and Dracu knocked a bar or two down on both runs. But man was she fast!! She was going about 6,5 YPS (pretty much the same in meters)! Because the jumps were so low she could just plow on like a crazy dog!<br />
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On Saturday we had quite a busy time with 5 runs total! 1 Gambler, 2 Jumper and 2 Regular. We got an other Q from Gambler and got <strong>a new title GS-N - Gamblers Standard Novice!</strong> The other runs didn't go as well with more bars coming down. Even though the courses are a lot easier than Finnish courses there was one really difficult thing in even Novice, tunnel-contact combinations. We have not really gotten to train these yet and had some trouble with them. <strong>We made one more Q, this time from Novice Jumpers.</strong> We also had one VERY nice, fast and clear Regular class, but were disqualified because I went back to correct Dracu in the beginning because she stood up. In Finland the course has not started before the dog comes over the first jump but here it apparently is... <br />
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On Sunday we had 5 more runs! Again 1 Gambler, 2 Jumpers and 2 Regulars. We had gotten special permission to move up the Open Gamblers but didn't make the gamble. It was super hard, you had to stay way behind and get your dog into the farther side of a U-tunnel :O Even though I could laugh that the Elite courses are easier than the Novice classes in Finland, some of these Gambles are super hard! The dogs here really have to know long distance work and know the difference between the obstacle names! <strong>We did get a Q from Jumpers and got our title JS-N - Jumpers Standard Novice.</strong> <strong>We also qualified on the second Jumpers course, but had a bit of a commotion!</strong> A border collie got loose and chased us around! It was no big deal because Dracu didn't even notice, but they couldn't get our time. So we got to run the course again right away to get a time. We knocked some bars down this run but they only marked the time :)<br />
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So we got two titles and had a LOT of fun :D But the courses (all straight running, hardly any turns) really killed Dracu's turns! Also all the speed she got leaded to her knocking bars a lot more than normally. But it was cool just running like crazy and sending Dracu off to run like crazy! A lot of people were really impressed with her and she was the fastest dog in the trial, hands down.<br />
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Oh and just for me, our Gabler points were in total: 51, 60 & 35 (without gamble). Dracu's speed (YPS) were at best 6,58 (on Jumpers) and 5,62 (on Regular)Shantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11552281597177556296noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3084165251005500248.post-29030357463413033312010-11-16T11:23:00.000-08:002010-11-16T11:23:58.738-08:00Aussies, aussies, aussies...!Next stop after our stay with Jean was Linda Bell's (kennel Winslide) in Gerogetown, TX. When I got there the weather was dramatically changing from warm summer to something more similar to what I left behind in Finland. It got dark, wet and cold and we only did a bit of work with Dracu. No herding yet - but Linda did explain to me about pressure and how to teach a dog to respond to pressure. She showed me different kinds of things I could train without the sheep, like applying pressure on her (like stepping on her leash close to her collar) and when she lied down I would step off the pressure. Dracu took a bit to get it and Linda had to really work to get Dracu to react to her pressure at first. But these are things we definitely need to work on because all the agility and obedience training has made Dracu not so sensitive to pressure from me. <br />
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The next day we did two sessions on sheep with Dracu on a long line and me helping her from behind. Linda would be with the sheep and apply pressure and I would just make sure Dracu could not get away with not reacting to the pressure. It slowed things down a lot and made it easier for me to understand what was going on and where the dog should be.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dance aka Lagniappe's Winslide Dancer</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dance aka Lagniappe's Winslide Dancer</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TOLUkBm4F5I/AAAAAAAAAPg/6TkxFznyLO8/s1600/linda_and_dance.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="376" px="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TOLUkBm4F5I/AAAAAAAAAPg/6TkxFznyLO8/s400/linda_and_dance.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Linda and Dance</td></tr>
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Dracu started to really respond well at the end of the second session and I'm sure if we had had more time she would have progressed nicely indeed. But as it was, I was in a hurry to reach my next destination. We did talk a lot of dogs and training with Linda and she showed her dogs work. I was specially taken with her super friendly aussie boy Tripp (Dance's pup). What a cutie! I also got a chance to meet Linda's old legend Winslow and was very stricken to hear he passed away just a few days after my visit :(<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TOLRsoszH4I/AAAAAAAAAPU/XDqwMlYCfMs/s1600/Winslide%2527s_Trip_to_the_Top1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="343" px="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TOLRsoszH4I/AAAAAAAAAPU/XDqwMlYCfMs/s400/Winslide%2527s_Trip_to_the_Top1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TOLQNUOIiaI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/MlNypOsnE54/s1600/Winslide%2527s_Trip_to_the_Top2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TOLQNUOIiaI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/MlNypOsnE54/s400/Winslide%2527s_Trip_to_the_Top2.JPG" width="380" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.winslide.net/Trip.htm"><span style="color: #d9350d; font-family: Arial;"><strong>Winslide's Trip to the Top</strong></span></a> "Trip"</td></tr>
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That evening I drove to Terry Martin's place so we could finish watching the tv-series we had started, Moonlight! We had a nice, relaxing evening in front of the tv that was a rare treat for me. I don't seem to have any downtime to just hang and do nothing! Or if I do, I'll be reading. I just can't get enough of these books! I can't ever find anything to read back home but here (thanks mostly to suggestions made by Terry) I have found so many wonderful books and it's all I can do to pry myself away from them and sleep a few hours a night! My suitcase is sure getting heavy... When I get back home I'm going to learn how to use Amazon.com and start ordering books that you can't find here.<br />
<br />
The next morning I was up (way too early considering how late we stayed up) and drove 3 hours North to Whitesboro, TX. I went to visit first the Westermans (kennel That'll Do) at their home/mansion. That was one big house and grounds! I met all their dogs and also this years Nationals winner Manfred and his dog Nellie were there. Manfred was actually from Germany and has lived quite an interesting life :O<br />
<br />
I had a nice time with him as he showed me all the grounds, animals etc. that were owned by the Westermans. Unfortunate they were leaving the next day for 3 weeks to California for a vacation after the huge job of putting the Nationals together. I spent a night there and finally bought myself the Cowgirl Boots that I had been looking for. pretty expensive, but worth every penny! Before leaving the area, I made a quick trip down the road to meet Jamie Burns (kennel Cut'N Loose). Because I only had a few hours she just showed me her dogs (what a happy pack!) and we talked some dogs and I made plans to come see her later as I would spend the weekend at an ASCA agility trial in Rendon, TX and would drive past her house after it was over! The next time I visited Jamie showed me some herding with Rosa, Sweetie and Dodge!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TOLVtJK3aNI/AAAAAAAAAPk/0sSwveWP7tY/s1600/Cut%2527N_Loose_1_Tuff_Sweetie1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" px="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TOLVtJK3aNI/AAAAAAAAAPk/0sSwveWP7tY/s400/Cut%2527N_Loose_1_Tuff_Sweetie1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweetie aka <a href="http://www.cutnloosestockdogs.netfirms.com/sweetie.htm"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Cut'n Loose 1 Tuff Sweetie</span></a> owned by Jamie Burns</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TOLWI4QWqJI/AAAAAAAAAPo/z4cU4gmDb7Q/s1600/Cut%2527n_Loose_Mi-T-Sweet_Rosa2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" px="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TOLWI4QWqJI/AAAAAAAAAPo/z4cU4gmDb7Q/s400/Cut%2527n_Loose_Mi-T-Sweet_Rosa2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosa aka <span style="font-family: Arial;">Cut'n Loose Mi-T-Sweet Rosa owned by Jamie Burns</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TOLWdp01zxI/AAAAAAAAAPs/rtEHa1V-tpI/s1600/Cut%2527n_Loose_Mi-T-Sweet_Rosa5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" px="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TOLWdp01zxI/AAAAAAAAAPs/rtEHa1V-tpI/s400/Cut%2527n_Loose_Mi-T-Sweet_Rosa5.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosa aka <span style="font-family: Arial;">Cut'n Loose Mi-T-Sweet Rosa owned by Jamie Burns</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TOLWqm25BeI/AAAAAAAAAPw/Xc1_HBxcMOU/s1600/Cut%2527n_Loose_Mi-T-Sweet_Rosa7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="377" px="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TOLWqm25BeI/AAAAAAAAAPw/Xc1_HBxcMOU/s400/Cut%2527n_Loose_Mi-T-Sweet_Rosa7.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosa aka <span style="font-family: Arial;">Cut'n Loose Mi-T-Sweet Rosa owned by Jamie Burns</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TOLXwPSUN1I/AAAAAAAAAP0/RQpn3y1QECo/s1600/jamie_burns_and_rosa.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" px="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TOLXwPSUN1I/AAAAAAAAAP0/RQpn3y1QECo/s400/jamie_burns_and_rosa.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jamie and Rosa</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TOLY9wkYCNI/AAAAAAAAAP4/TNtRvzJqbMU/s1600/jamie_and_sweetie.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TOLY9wkYCNI/AAAAAAAAAP4/TNtRvzJqbMU/s400/jamie_and_sweetie.JPG" width="398" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jamie being attacked by her super vicious aussie Sweetie (if love and kisses could kill...!)</td></tr>
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Next stop was a three day ASCA agility trial in Rendon, TX! I'll write about that next! :PShantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11552281597177556296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3084165251005500248.post-3999729964860863562010-11-15T15:00:00.000-08:002010-11-15T15:00:57.865-08:00Two fearsome Cowgirls (NOT) cause havoc in TexasAfter Nationals were over me and my Swedish friend Silja drove South to Bryan where she was staying at Russ Ford's place (kennel Aggieland). I had actually met Russ in 2009 when he came to Finland to judge in an ASCA herding trial, but that is an whole different story ;) It was really late when we got there and Russ was out of town on business. Russ's wife was already sleeping. I managed to keep awake the entire drive but might have given Silja quite a fright by kinda verging to the side of the road a time or two...<br />
<br />
We got up pretty late the next morning and nobody else was home. Because Silja helped out with the daily chores, we went out to take care of the dogs in the kennel and feed the cows in the small pasture they were in. Before this though we decided to do a bit of herding. Silja managed to get four cows into the round pen<br />
and then Dracu and I went in. Right when we went in she got kicked and she was pretty intimidated by the cows after that. Barked a bit but didn't want to go close. I think the round pen was too small for her and she felt like there was no place to escape if the cows wanted to get her. Silja called her aussie Chippa in to help <br />
give Dracu more confidence and we worked on that for a little bit. After we were finished Silja went to let the other cows we had left in a take pen out. <br />
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When she got close to them they leaned against the opposite side on the pen and broke the chain and got out! Lucky for us the take pen was a gate into a bigger pasture of Russ's. But the cattle ran full blast out into it and had disappeared into the bush before we even understood what had happened :O Quickly Silja told me where to stand and left after the cattle with Chippa. My job with Dracu was to make sure the cattle didn't run out of the bush and into the wrong side of the pasture. Because the pasture was very large and covered with thick bush it was hard to tell where the cattle were and we spent a good hour running around in the afternoon heat trying to a) find the cattle and b) get it into the right direction! Finally we got a few cows into the smaller pen they were supposed to be in but Silja came to me with some very bad news. She had seen three escape through the fence into a neighbors pasture and three more were missing and there was an ominous hole in the fence that lead into an other neighbors 1000 acre pasture!!!!! We went to put the dogs away and started looking for the missing cows in the smaller pasture. It was really thick bush and used at some places as a dump. We found an ugly, greenish pond and the neighbors assortment of animals, including a mule and an ostrich but now cows. <br />
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At this point we were starting to feel pretty desperate. Missing cows, Russ and his wife both gone for the whole day. We thought of taking the two horses and looking for the cattle on horseback, but as luck usually has it, the saddles were in Russ's trailer that was being fixed in a other town and only Russ had the keys. So all we could do was wander around the pastures looking for the cows in the Texas mid afternoon heat - not exactly what we had planned for the day! Russ's friend came to help us a bit but she could only stay an hour. She did see a glance of the cows in the smaller pasture but they were to railed up to get close to. After she left we spend a good few hours looking for those bloody cows. Silja saw them once but could not get anywhere near in the bush before they took off. Around 5 PM (when we had spent 6 hours outside in the heat) we have up. My arms were full of bloody scratches of pushing me way in the thick bush and we were sweaty, dirty and tired.<br />
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We decided to drive into a close-by city for some lunch/dinner. We had Silja's American friend meet us there and ate with gusto. After dinner we shopped a bit and stopped at a local little amusement park and the movies. It was well past midnight when we came back to Russ's and again everybody else was already sleeping. The next morning Silja had to get up early because she was flying back home to Sweden. I got up as well to leave because Russ was expecting company. Not quite sure what to do next, I went into College Station to do some laundry (in a real Laundromat!) and use the Internet in Starbucks. I just wrote on a friends wall on FB that I had been kicked out of my current place for loosing the owners cows (kidding) and a lady I had met first at Melinda May's and then at Nationals wrote to me that I could come stay with her in the same town Russ lived in! Of course I jumped at this offer and was over at her workplace (Jean actually works at the ASCA office!) in a jiffy.<br />
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Before this though I had a little accident. I was just driving around College Station when some guy pulled out of a parking lot and hit me in the side! I was pretty shocked by this and pulled over. He came out and we went to look at my car. Of course it was a shady place I stopped at and I could not see any major damage. I got his phone number and said I would call if I needed his information. Stupid me. I was pretty shocked by the whole thing especially since Dracu was in the back of the truck in her crate and I thought he might have hit her! The damage seemed minimal but when I stopped to look at it after I calmed down I noticed it was much bigger than I had first thought. I called the guy the next day and he promised to look up his insurance info and call me back. You can guess twice did he call. I tried calling again but he never answered. So that was that. Apparently I should have had a police rapport anyway for the insurance company but I didn't even think of calling the police over a little fender bender. Not when they are busy solving murders and such (how very Finnish of me to think like this?).<br />
<br />
Well next time some ass hits me I know to call the cops, complain about a awful neck pain and milk every penny outta the idiot... And that just might happen because I have had two VERY close calls with idiots pulling in front of me out of nowhere. Stupid people here never walk anywhere so I guess Mama never taught them to look both ways before running in front of moving vehicles.<br />
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Anyway, me and Dracu spent four very nice days with Jean and her husband and three aussies. I got a grand tour of the city in a very cool Jeep and learned how to drive a four wheeler! Now that was FUN! We went to agility class with Dracu and had a nice time to rest and relax. It was also fun to go bother Jean at the ASCA office, see all the cool history stuff they have.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TOGzsoeyC_I/AAAAAAAAAPA/6AFBaI5NKKU/s1600/driving_a_4wheeler.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="348" px="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TOGzsoeyC_I/AAAAAAAAAPA/6AFBaI5NKKU/s400/driving_a_4wheeler.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TOG0cXV0W-I/AAAAAAAAAPE/iazn-J362bs/s1600/dracu_and_4wheeler.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="341" px="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TOG0cXV0W-I/AAAAAAAAAPE/iazn-J362bs/s400/dracu_and_4wheeler.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
On Halloween Jean took me around in her car and we went to see real, live tricker treaters! (Not a invention of Hollywood, they actually exist!) And I ate my first steak in 10 years! It was okay, not something life altering and I doubt I will ever be a huge carnivore but hey, I got it down and didn't feel like puking my guts out so all in all it was pretty cool. We also got a big dinner from this little trailer parked outside a gas station. In my opinion that's kinda like eating food bought out of a trunk of a car but whatever. I tried the ribs and pork chaps and they were okay but me and Jean ended up getting Chinese takeaway.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TOG7XDy_ilI/AAAAAAAAAPM/qCxgNPrs_Hc/s1600/DSC00615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" px="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TOG7XDy_ilI/AAAAAAAAAPM/qCxgNPrs_Hc/s400/DSC00615.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Oh and if you are wondering what happened to those 6 cows me and Silja lost, well Russ spent two days on horseback looking for them and he did eventually find them. So that was my one (and hopefully only) look at farm life. Left at a farm for too long, I'm sure I would efficiently bring down the whole meat industry of America... :D<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TOG382-JRbI/AAAAAAAAAPI/iFqPMpKz_VY/s1600/DSC00653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" px="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TOG382-JRbI/AAAAAAAAAPI/iFqPMpKz_VY/s400/DSC00653.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Shantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11552281597177556296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3084165251005500248.post-75129668922439471502010-10-29T08:21:00.000-07:002010-10-29T08:21:14.934-07:00The Lone Star State (in Finnish; Texas)!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After spending three nights in Memphis we left Andrea's for Texas. I didn't feel like driving the whole way on the boring interstate and so I ended up driving to Hot Springs in Arkansas! It was just gorgeous! In the center of the city there was a mountain and you could drive up to see the view. I took these cool pictures.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMrYtEyNCmI/AAAAAAAAAOA/r298dtW_1h0/s1600/at_hot_springs.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="335" nx="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMrYtEyNCmI/AAAAAAAAAOA/r298dtW_1h0/s400/at_hot_springs.bmp" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMrYtqOXjxI/AAAAAAAAAOE/iJJogD17XK8/s1600/darcu_at_hot_springs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="322" nx="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMrYtqOXjxI/AAAAAAAAAOE/iJJogD17XK8/s400/darcu_at_hot_springs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMrYuZ0Ba7I/AAAAAAAAAOI/EpXwg8ZD5LM/s1600/shanti_at_hot_springs.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nx="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMrYuZ0Ba7I/AAAAAAAAAOI/EpXwg8ZD5LM/s400/shanti_at_hot_springs.bmp" width="335" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The city was just so beautiful, I fell completely in love with it! I spent a few hours just walking around but couldn't stay long because I wanted to drive a few more hours before it got dark! We took a smaller route and ended up sleeping in a motel in De Queen, Arkansas. I'm being a bit bad here in motels because I don't mention anything about a dog and just sneak her in so I don't have to pay extra! The motel was really nice for such a cheap place! I was just on my computer and suddenly it went blank! I couldn't get the screen to work anymore! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Next morning we took to the road again and as I was driving I noticed a sign to Paris! As it was pretty close, I just had to go and take a look! We found the town in Texas and spent a few hours just walking around. The stores were luckily dog friendly and I could take Dracu with me. I even found the Eiffel tower! It was styled a la Texas though :D Gotta love the Texas sense of humour!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMrdySHOgGI/AAAAAAAAAOY/fTQdkmcPhns/s1600/eiffel_tower_texas.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" nx="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMrdySHOgGI/AAAAAAAAAOY/fTQdkmcPhns/s400/eiffel_tower_texas.JPG" width="352" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eiffel Tower in Paris, Texas!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMrk1Uj7I8I/AAAAAAAAAOs/wCScEmHqIwc/s1600/paris_sign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" nx="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMrk1Uj7I8I/AAAAAAAAAOs/wCScEmHqIwc/s400/paris_sign.JPG" width="356" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">=D</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMra5mjv82I/AAAAAAAAAOQ/H-f9SIYlcaA/s1600/dracu_and_eiffel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" nx="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMra5mjv82I/AAAAAAAAAOQ/H-f9SIYlcaA/s400/dracu_and_eiffel.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dracu under the Eiffel tower!</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="text-align: left;">Next we drove down to Hico, Texas were Terry Martin from <a href="http://users.htcomp.net/slashv/home.htm">kennel Slash V</a> lives! Terry is a very long time working aussie breeder and she has really worked hard to create the Slash V lines that are very distinguished! We talked dogs for a few hours and then went inside Terry's house. There we found an other common factor; the love of fantasy books! We are both huge fans of the Twilight saga and similar books. We also shared the same taste in movies, TV-series etc! I ended up spending two nights with Terry and we had the best time ever!! Just talked dogs, books and life in general! Terry is a really nice and interesting person and she also has strong political views that I found very interesting as I hope to maybe study world politics in the future. Terry took me to eat in this super good place called the Koffee Kup (KKK!) and we had the best pie ever! And the nights we spent up watching a very cool series called Moonlight. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMrjxFhIGtI/AAAAAAAAAOg/JEhBlRIqFn8/s1600/spinoff_slashen3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="382" nx="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMrjxFhIGtI/AAAAAAAAAOg/JEhBlRIqFn8/s400/spinoff_slashen3.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aussie boy Spinoff Slashen "Shen" owned by Terry Martin</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMrj4m10xtI/AAAAAAAAAOk/umxW-Dl5k8k/s1600/terrys_puppies.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="296" nx="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMrj4m10xtI/AAAAAAAAAOk/umxW-Dl5k8k/s400/terrys_puppies.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Terry's pups, age 2 days, out of Wicked and Tide</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMrkAHaLQDI/AAAAAAAAAOo/-hzFma7VAfs/s1600/terrys_boys_playing1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" nx="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMrkAHaLQDI/AAAAAAAAAOo/-hzFma7VAfs/s400/terrys_boys_playing1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boys Shen and Tide playing</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">On Sunday I finally had to tear myself away from Hico and drove about 2,5 hours to Fredericksburg where Melinda May from <a href="http://mysite.verizon.net/maybunch/">kennel Hullabaloo</a> lives. There is a very nice little female from this kennel living in Finland so I was real interested in Melinda's breeding! Melinda also had a few other guests; Jean Miller (who works at the ASCA office!) and two ladies from California. We talked dogs, I got to meet her dogs and then we worked goats a bit. I did a little with Dracu but she was way too excited after watching all the other dogs work!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMrlLTGYciI/AAAAAAAAAOw/Q3nozH-3p3A/s1600/jeans_female_aussie1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" nx="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMrlLTGYciI/AAAAAAAAAOw/Q3nozH-3p3A/s400/jeans_female_aussie1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">aussie boy Cedar Glen I'm a Ben Two "Ben" owned by Jean Miller</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMrlRk2gk4I/AAAAAAAAAO0/8aAJd4sY_h0/s1600/jeans_female_aussie2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" nx="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMrlRk2gk4I/AAAAAAAAAO0/8aAJd4sY_h0/s400/jeans_female_aussie2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">aussie boy Cedar Glen I'm a Ben Two "Ben" owned by Jean Miller</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMrlYX6xe4I/AAAAAAAAAO4/_KxCH6z7U30/s1600/L_Bar_J_Meant_2B_4_Hullabaloo1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="273" nx="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMrlYX6xe4I/AAAAAAAAAO4/_KxCH6z7U30/s400/L_Bar_J_Meant_2B_4_Hullabaloo1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">aussie girl L Bar J Meant 2B 4 Hullabaloo "Shine" owned by Melinda May</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMrljQddtFI/AAAAAAAAAO8/eapgwmpyXb8/s1600/L_Bar_J_Meant_2B_4_Hullabaloo2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" nx="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMrljQddtFI/AAAAAAAAAO8/eapgwmpyXb8/s400/L_Bar_J_Meant_2B_4_Hullabaloo2.JPG" width="393" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">aussie girl L Bar J Meant 2B 4 Hullabaloo "Shine" owned by Melinda May</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I found a cheap motel for the night. I went to ask for the price and then told the guy that it was too expensive but thanks. He called me back and made a new deal and I ended up paying like 15 $ less! :D So now I know at smaller places you can try to get the price down! On Monday I drove to Georgetown to make a surprise visit to Linda Bell from <a href="http://winslide.net/">kennel Winslide</a>. I was supposed to give her a call but my computer was still broken and her number was saved in there so I couldn't call her! She wasn't home but after waiting for 15 minutes she luckily drove home! We spent a few hours chatting but she had a lot going on so we agreed to meet after Nationals and I drove to Georgetown, found a used bookstore and ended up with about 15 books! That is one other thing I love about the States, all the books! I need to buy enough to last me until my next visit!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Next I drove an hour to Waco, TX where the Nationals would start on Wednesday (it being Monday). I got a motel room and just hung out for two days. I bought a new computer after the repair guy told be my computer was toast. I had a pretty crappy day on Tuesday as my bank card was not working and my budget suffered badly because this computer fiasco! But life goes on and I had a very big last paycheck from work so I should be okay. Just gotta be careful with money and that has never been one of my strenghts! Next I'll write about the Nationals!</div>Shantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11552281597177556296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3084165251005500248.post-20213546692242422262010-10-22T19:39:00.000-07:002010-10-22T19:39:14.067-07:00No Elvis in Memphis, but plenty of dogs!Okay this is coming with such a massive delay I can't be expected to remember everything! I'm just trying to catch up with the now asap! <br />
I left my grandparents on Monday and drove the 5 hour drive to Memphis, TN. We checked into a motel (quite the dump!) and I was a bit scared when Dracu would stand most of the night at the door and growl... Luckily everything was quiet and my truck was where I had left it in the evening! Also I was at Wal-Mart and just walking back to my car next to a couple with a cart. Out of nowhere this lady backed her huge SUV right at us! We jumped out of the way just in time but she knocked the couples cart over so it was really close! And believe or not, she jumps out and starts yelling at us how it was not HER fault!!! Not a single "sorry" or are we okay.<br />
<br />
That's something I've noticed about a lot of Americans. Nothing is their fault, someone else is always to blame. Someone made them do it or they could not help it. They are not responsible for anything. Jumping a bit in time, I was trying to get some sleep at the first night at Nationals around midnight when a lady in a stall next to me starts blow drying her dog! I get up and tell her I'm trying to sleep and it's pretty late so could she do it in the morning. And guess what she said: "It's not my fault there is all this noise, this is not my dog!" So because she does not own the dog she can't be blamed for anything she does with it? What kind of logic is that??<br />
<br />
Anyway, Tuesday morning we pack up and drive to downtown Memphis. I park the car (of course later I notice it was to most expensive parking lot, go figure...) and walk around with Dracu. I got a hint from Ally Bryant about a lady called Andrea Hoffman who lives in the area and I went to meet her at her work place in downtown. Otherwise we just walked around looking. Can't say I'm a fan of Memphis... Downtown was pretty dead, and the black men where coming onto me a lot. Lucky I had Dracu, people seemed to think twice before approaching us! After wandering aimlessly around for a few hours I drove to Andrea's farm where I also met her roommate Tish Brockmire, who believe it or not, breeds Finnish Lapphunds! (Suomenlapinkoira) It was pretty weird seeing this Finnish dog (and a Finnish import!) all the way in Tennessee!<br />
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMJDelV5W7I/AAAAAAAAAMs/CrudH3mEj8U/s1600/cool_fairy_house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="270" nx="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMJDelV5W7I/AAAAAAAAAMs/CrudH3mEj8U/s400/cool_fairy_house.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This cool house houses college students! I'm green with envy...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMJDxq93RbI/AAAAAAAAAM0/iJPTyIkX2nY/s1600/memphis_fire_truck.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" nx="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMJDxq93RbI/AAAAAAAAAM0/iJPTyIkX2nY/s400/memphis_fire_truck.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah that's a firetruck!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMJECJscrwI/AAAAAAAAAM4/_2xqobFEuIg/s1600/school_bus.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="336" nx="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMJECJscrwI/AAAAAAAAAM4/_2xqobFEuIg/s400/school_bus.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The yellow schoolbus is NOT just a Hollywood invention! They are everywhere :O</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMJEixGn51I/AAAAAAAAAM8/ApzNLY0Vx50/s1600/memphis_boat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" nx="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMJEixGn51I/AAAAAAAAAM8/ApzNLY0Vx50/s400/memphis_boat.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They don't make riverboats like this in Finland!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I ended up spending two nights with Andrea and Tish. Andrea was kind enough to let me have her bed and she got the couch. Me and Dracu even got some herding lessons with the sheep which was really cool! I got a lot good points of how to work distance onto her. I got to watch all Andrea's aussies work and it was real cool. It's so nice to see the dogs in real life work, not only trials. We also did some agility, I showed them some Finnish handling and vise verse. And of course we spent hours just chatting about dogs, training, breeding etc. <br />
<br />
They also took me out to eat at Taco Bell for the first time ever! Tish told our cashier I was a Taco Bell virgin and she was stunned! Called all the workers to see the girl who had never been to Taco Bell and they were amazed we have no Taco Bells in Finland! She even brought us some free dessert! Must try this again ;D Tish took me around a bit on Wednesday and we had a great time. The only not so nice experience (but fun for Andrea and Tish!) was when I met Peking the duck! Tish had told me about her being a guard duck and chasing some lady out of their yard and I could see why someone would flee from that duck! It was scary as hell, making all kind of weird noises and looking really weird :O<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMJCaPLe3xI/AAAAAAAAAMo/gIwiPxWwy_I/s1600/taco_bell_smile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" nx="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMJCaPLe3xI/AAAAAAAAAMo/gIwiPxWwy_I/s400/taco_bell_smile.jpg" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big American smile at Taco Bell</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMJCDjOEtaI/AAAAAAAAAMc/pOWa0LXvtgA/s1600/peking_the_duck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" nx="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMJCDjOEtaI/AAAAAAAAAMc/pOWa0LXvtgA/s400/peking_the_duck.jpg" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peking the duck...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMJCE0l9wkI/AAAAAAAAAMg/6BxzWpMMoLA/s1600/memphis_cafe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" nx="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMJCE0l9wkI/AAAAAAAAAMg/6BxzWpMMoLA/s400/memphis_cafe.jpg" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love that shirt! Thanks Donna!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I really liked Andrea's dogs, she breeds with a <a href="http://my.att.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=16&groupid=192337&ck=">kennel name Istari</a>. Her lines are based on Twin Oaks and a little something else. I was specially taken with her super fast girls Lin and Lizzy and fast & sweet boy Motley. But they sure had a fun pack! Thanks again guys for having me!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMJKCFaV2QI/AAAAAAAAAN4/R1xGw7cZ5L0/s1600/mom_and_kids.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" nx="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMJKCFaV2QI/AAAAAAAAAN4/R1xGw7cZ5L0/s320/mom_and_kids.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMJKEnMPrNI/AAAAAAAAAN8/iyg62z3fWAk/s1600/this_and_stan1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" nx="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TMJKEnMPrNI/AAAAAAAAAN8/iyg62z3fWAk/s320/this_and_stan1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Shantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11552281597177556296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3084165251005500248.post-10127577389430611392010-10-19T12:29:00.000-07:002010-10-19T12:29:19.387-07:00Broken computer! :(Last Thursday I was using my laptop and the screen just went blank! And since then it has not worked! I took it in to a computer repair place today and they said it's a common problem this brand had a while ago and the manufacturers took them in to be fixed but that was years ago and they don't do it anymore. AND he can't fix it :( :( So there went my laptop. I'll go see if I can buy a cheap new one but I'll have to see if I have the money.<br />
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I'm in Waco now waiting for the Nationals to start tomorrow! Since my last post I have visited Andrea Hoffman (kennel Istari) in Memphis and Terry Martin (kennel Slash V), Melinda May (kennel Hullabaloo) and Linda Bell (kennel Winslide) all in Texas! Hopefully I can soon write more about all this...Shantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11552281597177556296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3084165251005500248.post-11263429388871490562010-10-11T19:59:00.000-07:002010-10-11T20:18:37.889-07:00Spending more time in Georgia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="272" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TLPMr-xnGwI/AAAAAAAAALo/wi0ttOYkxps/s400/coosawattee_boys.jpg" width="400" /></div><br />
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I left to Georgia again on Thursday and drove about 3 1/2 hours to go visit Allison & Micheal Bryant (<a href="http://www.fourmileaussies.com/">kennel Four Mile</a>). The drive there was quite fun as my navigator took me by the scenic route over the mountains. All I could do was pray the navigator knew where it was going 'cause I sure was lost!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TLPIJu-b3KI/AAAAAAAAAK8/q9PMRW_ejTA/s1600/mountain_view1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TLPIJu-b3KI/AAAAAAAAAK8/q9PMRW_ejTA/s400/mountain_view1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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I did make it to my destination and I had a really nice time just meeting the Four Mile gang, watching Ally work her dogs and then just talking dogs for hours :) Not to mention the wonderful food that maestro chef Mike made! I could have stayed there for ever after they gave me the old WTCH books to look at... All that history and those old dogs described by their owners. It really gives you something more to add when looking at the same names in pedigrees!<br />
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We spent Friday out with Ally on the farm. First we gave the sheep a hoof clipping and then a foot bath! It was quite something when the sheep decided the foot bath would kill them and they would not go in! We had to practically carry then into the shoot and then they would just jump over it and we would have to start again! What a workout! I really learned a lot about handling sheep, mostly how so push, pull, drag and lift :D Then Ally worked her dogs a bit more for me to see (I saw Cartman, Jade, Chili and Pony work). Must say Cartman stole my heart, what a silly sweet aussie boy!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TLPIV9fJNmI/AAAAAAAAALA/WJLDDg8vPkA/s400/allys_chili1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="351" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">W Lazy J J2 Chipotle Chile "Chile" owned by Allison Bryant. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">W Lazy J J2 Chipotle Chile "Chile" owned by Allison Bryant. </td></tr>
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</div>In the afternoon we left to pick up Ally's daughter Perry from school and went for an adventure! Ally drove us to see the biggest waterfall east of the Mississippi, <span class="UIStory_Message">Amicalola falls. We drove to the top of a mountain to look at the waterfall from below and then we drove to the bottom and hiked quite a hill up to see the waterfall from below. Dracu came with us and we all got a good days worth of exercise! I spent one more night at Ally's and left early Saturday.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TLPK2aC7kUI/AAAAAAAAALI/eiR3jutNLSw/s1600/falls_look1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TLPK2aC7kUI/AAAAAAAAALI/eiR3jutNLSw/s400/falls_look1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TLPLGgAQKWI/AAAAAAAAALM/h0qUUioe6kw/s1600/dracu_being_cute2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TLPLGgAQKWI/AAAAAAAAALM/h0qUUioe6kw/s400/dracu_being_cute2.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TLPLI_bTwVI/AAAAAAAAALQ/d8RNUH6rG9Y/s400/dracu_being_cute3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="381" /></td></tr>
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</tbody></table><span class="UIStory_Message">I drove about a hour to Tony and Donna Padgett's farm (<a href="http://www.coosawatteeaussies.com/">kennel Coosawattee</a>) for some herding. There were a few people besides me so I got to see some more dogs which is always nice. <b>Dracu</b> and I started with sheep and Tony came in to help us get started. We were both a bit rusty from the year long break but it started coming back pretty soon. Dracu was very excited to work and she didn't mind one bit that Tony's dog Georgia came to help us get the sheep out of the corners.</span><br />
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<span class="UIStory_Message">Next we went to try the ducks. This was the first time ever Dracu saw ducks and I was pretty nervous. She did start out pretty rough and did run them over and try to nip a few times. Then she settled down and I helped her to understand that she should move slowly and give the ducks a little time. After that she worked them much nicer and I'm sure she will work them really well after a bit more training!</span><br />
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<span class="UIStory_Message">The last thing we did was cattle. Dracu did see cattle in Sweden in 2009 but we just kind of followed them, she didn't really get to work them. Tony helped again and got the cattle out of the pen so we could start safely in the open. Dracu was really interested and after a bit of encourage she started working the cattle pretty nicely. She was quite keen on heeling and she would run to the heads but she didn't quite have the courage to head them (yet at least!). She does have this habit of not wanting to go too far away from me. She would follow the cattle a while but then stop and wait for me to catch up. That's the downside of a lot of obedience training i guess ;) But for a first time I thought she did real nice and I can't wait to do more with her. She also got a bit trampled at one point but just got up, shook it off and was of again!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TLPLnEBkWVI/AAAAAAAAALU/PkIctTVvsQ0/s1600/dracu_herding_cattle1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TLPLnEBkWVI/AAAAAAAAALU/PkIctTVvsQ0/s400/dracu_herding_cattle1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TLPMViWzrvI/AAAAAAAAALg/wL3F1K33Ux8/s1600/dracu_herding_cattle4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" height="281" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TLPMViWzrvI/AAAAAAAAALg/wL3F1K33Ux8/s400/dracu_herding_cattle4.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TLPLoJ7fr5I/AAAAAAAAALY/e03eRzgWz9U/s1600/dracu_herding_cattle4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TLPLtG63rpI/AAAAAAAAALc/m-O-4vMVtXI/s1600/dracu_herding_cattle5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TLPLtG63rpI/AAAAAAAAALc/m-O-4vMVtXI/s400/dracu_herding_cattle5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<span class="UIStory_Message">After the training Tony showed us around in his little cross country car thingy (like I know what those toys are called) and Dracu got to be in the back with Georgia. I got my first ice drink things (I swear I'm not always this bad with remembering things, it's really late!) and we all went for a really late lunch in a restaurant. I got to meet a real American hemorrhoid (who knew they were pretty, long-legged and real friendly?) Sarah and we had a real fun time just hanging out. Then we got to talking dogs, pedigrees, herding etc. and before I knew it it was dark! Because I had a 3 hour drive ahead, Donna invited me to stay the night and I got to sleep in this really cool horse trailer/RV camper with Dracu!</span><br />
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<span class="UIStory_Message">Poor Dracu was left outside in the kennel while we went to eat and she was NOT happy. I could hear her howling away when we came back. We were in the house watching old ASCA trial runs from the early 90s when suddenly Dracu's nose was there against the window! She had somehow climbed over the fence and found us! And boy was she happy to have found me! She made such a fuss and would not be left alone anywhere without me. My spoiled, pampered doggy <3</span><br />
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<span class="UIStory_Message">The next morning I woke up bright and early and got a real Southern breakfast of biscuits and gravy! I can tell you my eyes were as big as plates when I watched them take a biscuit, a chunk of butter and a fair amount of syrup and stir them all together! I was brave and tried it - not too bad! Though it wouldn't be something I would eat every morning ;) But boy did that breakfast keep me going! The next time I was hungry was 10 hours after at dinner!</span><br />
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<span class="UIStory_Message">I got back to Crossville in the afternoon and I have just been preparing to leave tomorrow for Texas! I'll start my trip by going to see Memphis and Tuesday I'll get to go meet Andrea Hoffman (kennel Istari)! The plan is to be in Dallas by Thursday evening but we'll just have to see what happens.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TLPMqNpED8I/AAAAAAAAALk/zFn3ersBjMM/s1600/horse_riding_chair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TLPMqNpED8I/AAAAAAAAALk/zFn3ersBjMM/s400/horse_riding_chair.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donna Padgett's WTCH Coosawattee C-Me Emmy Rose "Emmy"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="305" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TLPMtpJg_bI/AAAAAAAAALw/Y58VGh8jKoM/s400/Coosawattee_Hillbilly_Deluxe1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coosawattee Hillbilly Deluxe "Jeb"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="271" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TLPMvYJMmHI/AAAAAAAAAL0/c3K9CufDvQc/s400/coosawattee_siblings_herding.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Georgia" and "Paisley" working the sheep together.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TLPMwg7kkBI/AAAAAAAAAL4/2rKjM2mCi_U/s400/Coosawattees_I'm_Still_a_Guy1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="330" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coosawattee I'm Still a Guy "Paisley" owned by Sarah Logan</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="306" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TLPMxhuJ9bI/AAAAAAAAAL8/GHwhgBiJbeU/s400/Coosawattee's_It_Just_Comes_Natural1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WTCH Coosawattee's It Just Comes Natural "Georgia" owned by Tony Padgett</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="327" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TLPMzT79G1I/AAAAAAAAAMA/pwM_ebS3_fU/s400/dracu_being_cute4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dracu cooling off after some hard work</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="342" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TLPMzw9sKeI/AAAAAAAAAME/gp2PxNw9nLA/s400/Hardin's_Hot_Chili_Pepper1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hardin's Hot Chili Pepper "Chili" owned by Darla Huffman</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="398" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TLPM1OrjFjI/AAAAAAAAAMI/DvvNONLvhrU/s400/Hardin's_Hot_Chili_Pepper4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hardin's Hot Chili Pepper "Chili" owned by Darla Huffman<span class="UIStory_Message"></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Shantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11552281597177556296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3084165251005500248.post-83469195496763729802010-10-06T17:46:00.000-07:002010-10-06T17:55:03.165-07:00A walkers nightmare & other tidbitsOkay, so I'm Finnish and probably I'm just used to too good but I'll bitch anyway. This country is a dog walkers nightmare!! Honestly, before I came here I thought I would take a long walk in the woods every night and enjoy the nature. Yeah right. <br />
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There is forest, but it's pitch black and there is so much under growth that you can't walk in it. I could walk up and down the road, but with no street lights, no sidewalk and people who like to drive without their headlights, not my piece of cake. I asked my grandparents where they walk their dog and they just mumbled something incoherent. Later I found out they walk him in the backyard a mind blowing 1 min 3 x day. <br />
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Dracu is clearly getting ants in her pants (how can you not love a language with a phrase like that??) and I'm getting sick and tired of the inside of this house as well. There is only so many American commercials I can stand to watch in the TV. But now I have a solution! The number one (and only) activity here is golf so there are more places to drive your golf car than truck if you can believe that. So it's pretty obvious what I'll do after everyone is sleeping (that'll be around 8.00 PM). I just wonder where I packed that bullet proof vest, hmm... After all this is the country where people can shoot each other if they trespass on private property. I guess I just need to keep an eye out for Tiger Woods :D <br />
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As I'm in a humorous mood I'll share a few pieces of wisdom I have heard so far:<br />
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1) I'm at the eyedoctor (eyepidist?) because I need new glasses. I really hate wearing them and I'm complaining about how annoying I find glasses to the poor doctor. And this nice older man totally changes my mind by saying: <strong>"better you wear those glasses than leave this country with one ugly man"! </strong><br />
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2) The other good saying I heard was at a dinner event after the ASCA trial in Georgia. I was sitting with a bunch of farm people and Rachel Vest asks me: "Shanti, have you ever heard about the time Terry (Wofford) went to catch a buffalo?" And then a very modest Terry went on to tell us about the time he roped a buffalo with his horse. <strong>"You can take a buffalo anywhere he wants to go!"</strong> was how the story ended!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TK0W7s04RcI/AAAAAAAAAJU/tllPeSpQWXI/s1600/buffalo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="228" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TK0W7s04RcI/AAAAAAAAAJU/tllPeSpQWXI/s320/buffalo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Against</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TK0XBCcyj5I/AAAAAAAAAJY/u7DhvVZmmFE/s1600/aussie_mule2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TK0XBCcyj5I/AAAAAAAAAJY/u7DhvVZmmFE/s320/aussie_mule2.JPG" width="195" /></a></div>Shantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11552281597177556296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3084165251005500248.post-15106231050619245562010-10-04T16:02:00.000-07:002010-10-04T16:02:22.874-07:00ASCA trial at Georgia 2.-3.10!I heard just by passing on Friday that there would be an ASCA trial on the weekend in Cartersville, Georgia, which is about a 3 hour drive from where I'm staying. Because I didn't have any fixed plans, I decided to go check it out! I got up at 4 AM and thought I would be right on time at the trial when it started at 8 AM... To my surprise everything was up and going when I got there and a nice lady told me the time zone is different and I was an hour late! :O <br />
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On Saturday there was obedience, conformation and stock trials. I mostly watched the stock trials (judged by Rick Hardin & Maxine Schvaneveldt). There were only a few entires per class but I got to see a few simply amazing runs! Not only were the dogs really good, the handlers were also really skilled! I'm so used to handlers (myself included) trying to screw up the dogs attempts so it was cool to watch handlers who knew how to help the dogs do well! <br />
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The trial was really laid back and nobody was in a hurry. People came to do the run in what ever order they wanted and the atmosphere was really laid-down. There was an apprentace judge, Allison Bryant, and I really learned a lot sitting between the judges and taking time! The judges were really nice and I got to ask questions about the runs, how they judge etc! Everyone was real friendly and soon I felt like I had known them all for ages!<br />
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After the runs I checked into a motel, left Dracu to guard my room and drove to a Mexican restaurant where we were having an little gathering. I felt a bit starshocked (I guess this is how regular people feel when they meet a celebrity) sitting next to such aussie legends as Rachel Vest and Rick Hardin! I also met a number of realy nice people that I will hopefully have a chance to see again at Nationals & trial in December!<br />
On Sunday there was a herding trial, conformation and a ranch trial! This time I also had my video camera ready and I filmed a few runs. I'll post them as soon as I can get my camera charged! I bought a power adapter but the first time I used it it said "pop", smoked and hasn't worked since that...<br />
<br />
The drive to the trial was real fun! I just love driving my truck! It has cruise control so I can just set a speed and all I need to do is hold the steering wheel! The roads are marked really poorly and I can't figure out where anything is, but luckily I went and bought a navigator before heading out! The driving laws are technically the same here, but people don't follow them as well. I was pretty shocked as a rule abiding Finn when people were passing me on the highway on both sides! :O <br />
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Here are some pics from the trial:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TKpcphh9ioI/AAAAAAAAAJI/URMwdVsVokA/s1600/my_truck.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" px="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TKpcphh9ioI/AAAAAAAAAJI/URMwdVsVokA/s320/my_truck.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My truck. Dracu usually travel IN the truck ;)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TKpZMdGf_kI/AAAAAAAAAIY/Ly6YTeJx5HA/s1600/aussie_gemstone_blu_kyonite_of_J_bar_d1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TKpZMdGf_kI/AAAAAAAAAIY/Ly6YTeJx5HA/s320/aussie_gemstone_blu_kyonite_of_J_bar_d1.JPG" width="296" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aussie <strong>Gemstone Blu Kyonite of J Bar D</strong> (owned by Rachel Vest)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TKpZNAQLzjI/AAAAAAAAAIc/zH3f7RWyWDI/s1600/aussie_hardrocks_make_my_day3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TKpZNAQLzjI/AAAAAAAAAIc/zH3f7RWyWDI/s320/aussie_hardrocks_make_my_day3.JPG" width="273" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">aussie <strong>Hardrocks Make My Day</strong> owned by Cheryl Padgett</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TKpZOrhWzVI/AAAAAAAAAIg/bKEKd2SDyeo/s1600/aussie_mule1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="269" px="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TKpZOrhWzVI/AAAAAAAAAIg/bKEKd2SDyeo/s320/aussie_mule1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">aussie <strong>River Road VW Mule</strong> and owner "Buffalo wrestler" Terry Wofford</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TKpZQfNpFXI/AAAAAAAAAIk/r94XCVdWSxY/s1600/aussie_mule2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TKpZQfNpFXI/AAAAAAAAAIk/r94XCVdWSxY/s320/aussie_mule2.JPG" width="195" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cowboy and his faithful aussie</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TKpZRnPuZSI/AAAAAAAAAIo/K2dr5l5j9tY/s1600/aussie_woods_end_moon_shine4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TKpZRnPuZSI/AAAAAAAAAIo/K2dr5l5j9tY/s320/aussie_woods_end_moon_shine4.JPG" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">aussie <strong>Woods End Moon Stone</strong> owned by Jane Bradley</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TKpZS7zg6DI/AAAAAAAAAIs/oo87q4gTmr0/s1600/aussie_woods_end_moon_shine5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="291" px="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TKpZS7zg6DI/AAAAAAAAAIs/oo87q4gTmr0/s320/aussie_woods_end_moon_shine5.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">aussie <strong>Woods End Moon Stone</strong> owned by Jane Bradley</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TKpZUBBbx3I/AAAAAAAAAIw/8a4KwVpvHfY/s1600/coosawattee_dog1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TKpZUBBbx3I/AAAAAAAAAIw/8a4KwVpvHfY/s320/coosawattee_dog1.JPG" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">aussie <strong>Coosawattee It Just Comes Natural</strong> owned by Tony Padgett</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TKpZVs0ZY4I/AAAAAAAAAI0/dqLRsXy3L18/s1600/coosawattee_dog2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TKpZVs0ZY4I/AAAAAAAAAI0/dqLRsXy3L18/s320/coosawattee_dog2.JPG" width="306" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">aussie <strong>Coosawattee C-Me Emmy Rose</strong> owned by Donna Padgett</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TKpZX1V7LfI/AAAAAAAAAI4/4WdsYvJuNXc/s1600/dracu_awardstand.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TKpZX1V7LfI/AAAAAAAAAI4/4WdsYvJuNXc/s320/dracu_awardstand.JPG" width="280" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best aussie in the world <3</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TKpZaH4KBFI/AAAAAAAAAI8/Ah_CzlI2lmg/s1600/dracu_grin1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" px="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TKpZaH4KBFI/AAAAAAAAAI8/Ah_CzlI2lmg/s320/dracu_grin1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is MY truck!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TKpZbhOmJYI/AAAAAAAAAJA/zDkG7gwcu_w/s1600/dracu_rafters.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TKpZbhOmJYI/AAAAAAAAAJA/zDkG7gwcu_w/s320/dracu_rafters.JPG" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching & learning</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TKpZdfQ7xdI/AAAAAAAAAJE/miexCtQAG7s/s1600/jane_bradley_and_flint.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TKpZdfQ7xdI/AAAAAAAAAJE/miexCtQAG7s/s320/jane_bradley_and_flint.JPG" width="242" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Job well done</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Shantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11552281597177556296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3084165251005500248.post-25786664764885508802010-09-30T18:25:00.000-07:002010-09-30T18:25:10.329-07:00Flight & first dayThe morning of the trip started at a reasonably early wakeup at 7.30. We arrived at the airport around 9.00 and I took Dracu to get checked in right away. My first sweaty and nervous moments were when the attendant looked at her papers and then went somewhere to copy them. She took forever and I was sure there was something wrong! But luckily everything was in order and to my astonishment the kennel box passed the inspection without any mention of the rusty bars or wrong size! So they wheeled Dracu away with me holding back tears. Just a few days ago there was a story in the paper about a dog that escaped at the airport and I just hoped they would look after her!<br />
<br />
The flight to Amsterdam was uneventful but I had quite a short time to change planes. The time my airplaine landed was the same time I should have already been at my next gate! Luckily I found my gate easily enough and because the security is so tight they were still checking people and I ended being right on time. The nice people at the gate informed me that Dracu was safely on board and I could "relax" for the next 10 hours until we would arrive in Memphis, Tennessee. The flight was loud, cold and really long. I just hoped Dracu got to sleep more than I! <br />
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The first real panic I got into was in Memphis. A security person came up to me looking all serious and said "Mam, would you please come with me, I need to discuss the situation with your dog." I was sure something awful had happened to Dracu or at the very least there was something wrong with her papers! I followed the officer and was nearly hysterical when she started to ask me questions! But she told me everything was fine and she would just like to ask me some standard questions about Dracu's health etc. She even let me take a quick look at Dracu (who was sleeping soundly in her box) before wheeling her off. <br />
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Even though I had plenty of time before my next flight I was last at the gate because the US security was crazy! Bodyscans, questions, luggage checking (we had to get our big trunks and wheel them 20 meters and then they were taken back) and everything. The last flight to Knoxville was soon over and I ran right away to luggage claim to find Dracu. Man was she happy to see me and I her! Everything seemed fine with her and she even had some water in her bowl. She peed for ever and the cage seemed clean. My grandparents picked me up from the airport and we drove to their house about 1,5h. When we got there it was 11 PM local time so about 7.00 AM in Finland the next morning. With zero sleep during the travel I can say I was pretty tired as was Dracu! <br />
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Of course the damn time difference made me sleep real uneasy and I woke up bright and early 6.30 in the morning. I took the dogs (my grandparents have a jackrussel) out for a long walk and we did some shopping & golfing! I've been really tired all day and just counting the hours until I can go to bed! Hope I get used to the time difference soon, being jet lagged is such a waste of time!<br />
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Hopefully I'll have some more activities this weekend with Dracu! I'll post pictures as soon as I get my laptop up and running, can't believe I didn't remember to get an adapter before the trip!!Shantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11552281597177556296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3084165251005500248.post-22156726851748975612010-09-28T13:38:00.000-07:002010-09-28T13:38:45.477-07:00Last night in FinlandWell it seems like I'm leaving tomorrow! Most of the packing is done and I think I did all of the (important) travel arrangements! Dracu has now got her health stuff in order, or most of it. The airline just can't seem to figure out what it requires from dogs! If I can't fly Dracu tomorrow, I have a backup plan that will be a) try to send Dracu alone by an other airline or b) have Dante sent afterwards if I can't get Dracu over! Also I'm not a 100% sure the travel box I have for Dracu is okay but the backup plan is to drive to a close pet shop and get a new one! The one I have is really old an borrowed from my sister but it should be still meeting with the regulations...<br />
<br />
So I have a bunch of stuff to worry about but on the bright side, I found a few more aussie breeders from close to the place I'm flying to and will go visit them this week or next. I'm staying about 2 weeks with my grandparents in Crossville, Tennessee and while I'm there I'll go visit at least kennel Coosawattee and Four Mile! There are also a few kennels up north in Kentucky that I might visit before heading for Texas, or maybe I'll visit them at the end of my trip (I'll spend about a week at my grandparents also before leaving home).<br />
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I'll try to update what places I'm going to beforehand so if somebody wants me to keep an eye on a special dog you can email me (shanti.karinen@gmail.com) or post a comment!<br />
<br />
Oh and BTW, I bought a amazing, spanking new camera: <a href="http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/SonyNex5Nex3/">Sony NEX-5</a> . It was a bit pricey but how could I resist... So soon you can enjoy some nice pictures as well!Shantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11552281597177556296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3084165251005500248.post-85425413513080838962010-09-24T03:10:00.000-07:002010-09-24T03:10:02.341-07:00As the trip gets closer (way close!)I now understand how people can die of stress! For the last week I have had this stomachache and feeling that my guts are all twisting and nausea from all this stress! I'm not stressed about the actual trip, but this whole booking flight tickets has been a total nightmare!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TJx3t3hexRI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/jit4toe03DA/s1600/stressed-out.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TJx3t3hexRI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/jit4toe03DA/s320/stressed-out.jpg" width="306" /></a></div>I won't go into the details (as it will get me really mad again) but the bottom line is I fly in 5 days and the airline still has not confirmed Dracu! Also I'm getting different health & crate info from every person I speak with from the airline. One says I need a special crate brand and a other says I don't. One says the dog needs tick treatment & tape worm treatment and an other says I don't!!! I will <strong>never ever</strong> again fly with KLM and recommend the same to everyone else!<br />
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Hopefully I will know more today or Monday if my head does not explode before that...Shantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11552281597177556296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3084165251005500248.post-28375812667172448362010-08-25T03:55:00.000-07:002010-09-02T14:23:01.100-07:00Travel plansI can't believe it! I have FINALLY got my ticket! I will leave on the 29th of September and return on the 4th of December. I also got a return ticket that I can change the date on - just in case I feel like coming home earlier/later than planned. So the return in open to changes!<br />
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So far I have emailed some very interesting working aussie breeders in the States and asked if it's okay to visit. I have also arranged some herding lessons for me and Dracu. Maybe I'll also see if there is any ASCA venues or agility we could go and watch & compete in!<br />
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Fall started officially a few days ago and it's now wet & cold here in Helsinki... And hurricane season started in the States so I'm just getting used to being wet! Hopefully there won't be any big storms where I'm going :O I just watched the movie Twister and it's making our worst -35 Celsius weather sound very nice indeed...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TIAVnP5GmTI/AAAAAAAAAHE/-VNXPraiewA/s1600/d27986add72fc7ef1bc3fbf32eefeb21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yqYcFJtsPX0/TIAVnP5GmTI/AAAAAAAAAHE/-VNXPraiewA/s400/d27986add72fc7ef1bc3fbf32eefeb21.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Shantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11552281597177556296noreply@blogger.com1