Bindi and I traveled to Beaumont, TX last weekend. There were 3 all-breed shows and an evening specialty. Donnie & Sharon Boyd were also at the show and invited me to keep Bindi's crate in their set-up. We had a great time chatting all weekend!
Bindi won the Breed 3 of the 4 times in the ring with a Group First and a Group Fourth and she won the Specialty!
I tried Crawfish. I have eaten them before but was told on the plane by my seat mates that Beaumont was the best place to get them. Well.... they were fine, but to much work for what ya get. And the spice they put on them just messed up my hands... but it was good all the same. Cultural eating.
When I was walking Bindi in a field at the show there were strange mud chimneys (for no better explanation) around holes. Now if were home I would just think "ground critters", but these were different. So I asked a local and was told they were crawfish holes! Yep, right there out in the middle of a muddy field. Go figure!!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Another sad day for the Callea family
Today we lost my brother's family Dal, Sophia. She was 14+ years old. She had several strokes over the past 2 years or so, but with very indulgent care she did very well. Pam trained Sophia for her C.D. and started on open, but she had problems with jumping so that was not to be. Most likely that was just fine with Sophia!
Sophia was wonderful with my puppies over the years. She was a great Auntie! Even to Mocha's puppies. She and Mocha hated each other, plain and simple. They loved to mark where the other one could not cover it! It was quite a game for them over the years.
Sophia was a creature of comfort. She almost always had to have her special quilt my Mom made for her and she always had her head on a pillow. She loved her bed by the wood stove too. In her last few years she "trained" Tom & Pam to cook for her. She loved trout, grandma cookies, beef stew and every now and then dog food... but not so much!
As they all are... Sophia was such a special girl.
Tramac Simply Sophia, C.D. aka Sophia Maria Callea 1-10-95 ~ 4-22-09
Sophia was wonderful with my puppies over the years. She was a great Auntie! Even to Mocha's puppies. She and Mocha hated each other, plain and simple. They loved to mark where the other one could not cover it! It was quite a game for them over the years.
Sophia was a creature of comfort. She almost always had to have her special quilt my Mom made for her and she always had her head on a pillow. She loved her bed by the wood stove too. In her last few years she "trained" Tom & Pam to cook for her. She loved trout, grandma cookies, beef stew and every now and then dog food... but not so much!
As they all are... Sophia was such a special girl.
Tramac Simply Sophia, C.D. aka Sophia Maria Callea 1-10-95 ~ 4-22-09
Friday, April 17, 2009
Izzy moves to China!
I talked to one of my puppy people (we have been doing phone tag for a bit) she and her husband are moving to CHINA! And Izzy and Snoopy (the Beagle) are leaving for China next week. Bobbie found a pet transport company that flies with the dogs from start to finish. I guess there was lots of paper work to get it done, but all seems to be a go right now.
They have a house with a yard in a fenced area and there are several families on their street that also have dogs. She even found the same food she feeds the kids for sale in China. Talk about a culture change!! I hope to get an email once they settle in. All the best for a safe trip and new life!!
Well, things are getting back to normal here. Yes, I'm still smiling :) I'm going to try to get a photo of Mocha and Bindi when we get some sunshine and I'm home. Maybe next week.
Jennifer called yesterday and she took Phoebe in for her surgical breeding to Dylan! That makes for puppies around June 6th or so. Jennifer wanted liver puppies, but Dylan is pure for black so she will have to wait for that brownie she has so longed for!
They have a house with a yard in a fenced area and there are several families on their street that also have dogs. She even found the same food she feeds the kids for sale in China. Talk about a culture change!! I hope to get an email once they settle in. All the best for a safe trip and new life!!
Well, things are getting back to normal here. Yes, I'm still smiling :) I'm going to try to get a photo of Mocha and Bindi when we get some sunshine and I'm home. Maybe next week.
Jennifer called yesterday and she took Phoebe in for her surgical breeding to Dylan! That makes for puppies around June 6th or so. Jennifer wanted liver puppies, but Dylan is pure for black so she will have to wait for that brownie she has so longed for!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Our trip to DCA - OMG!
Well, were home from DCA and it seems all but a dream. Jennifer & I got to the hotel in Lawrence, KS late on Monday evening. Jennifer and Tanner had a delay due to weather in Denver but got to the Kansas City airport in fine shape! We got settled in our room and went to the hospitality area to visit. By the time we were done visiting we both realized that neither of us had eaten anything but snacks all day. So we went hunting for something (anything) at almost 11pm... not much to choose from.
On Tuesday we watched the end of the bitch classes and all the dog classes. Winners Dog & Winners Bitch were littermates bred by Tom & Michele Wrath. Congrats!! After Stud Dog & Brood Bitch it was time to get started dressing for the DCAF Gala and the Top Twenty.
The Gala was nice, kind of quiet, but fine. Then we went up to get Tanner & Bindi for the Top Twenty. By the time we got them down stairs to the crate room they were READY!! It's really strange how they know this is a special event. Mocha did the same thing!
When we finally got to go in the ring Bindi was so buzzed up I had to keep her under extra control, something I almost never have to do! Then back to her crate to wait for her turn... I had a new long dress that I did not practice running in before we went into the ring... Note to self.... practice when wearing a long dress... Tanner was up first and had Queen's, Don't Stop Me Now http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUBwjyhRweQ&feature=related for his music. The crowd went NUTS when he hit his free stacks. What a good boy!!!
Then it was Bindi's turn, her music was Hall & Oats, You Make My Dreams Come True, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2Um-w2nfRA&feature=related she was so cranked up she FLEW around the ring! I had to hold up my dress to keep up with her! WOWZER!! She did her free stack well and did a nice swing into another free stack. Good girl. Then I had to get her to go in a straight line for the up and back. She flew! Bindi sometime does not want to hold still to have her teeth looked at... so it was to be for Dr. Doane. What a brat! But we got thru that... Then we did some more free stacks and then around and out of the ring. WOW what a buzzz! Then we did photos, man that seems to take a long time... They don't announce the Top Twenty winner until the dinner the next evening. Then is was time to walk the dog and try to get some sleep, ya right....
Wednesday dawned with much warmer weather than the previous days. Breed judging started at 9:30am. All the dogs have to go in the ring at the start; they then divide us up into groups. Tanner was in the 2nd group of boys and Bindi was in the first group of girls. When we left the ring I took Bindi back to the room so she could rest. I got back down in time to watch Tanner. He was of course a good boy and he made the cut in his group. Then the judge brought in his 3 groups of boys for one more cut and Tanner made that cut too!!
Then it was Bindi's turn. She was MUCH better about her teeth. Good girl! She too made the first cut in her group. Then the judge again brought in his cuts of girls and Bindi made the final cut. Then the judge took a lunch break. Jennifer got some lunch but I did not eat... I did have some of the meat I bought for Bindi if you call that eating...
Now we were down to the final cuts. Tanner & Jennifer were in the front with the boys and Bindi and I in the middle with the girl cut. The judge made another cut (I think) and then got down to the final placements. He first pulled out a liver boy and put him on the other side of the ring, maybe the start of his Award of Merit's? Then he pulled his Winners Dog to go in front of the liver dog.... hmmmmm maybe that is his Best of Opposite and Best of Winners... That means it's going to be a bitch for Best of Breed. Funny how your brain flies! He stopped and looked at the girls again and then pointed to Bindi and said to go to the front of the line. OMG! Bindi always turns it up a notch every time she makes a cut, just like Mocha. So she was on auto pilot by then! I never had to touch her again. She just free stacked and wagged her tail!! Then the judge arraigned the Awards of Merit and then said something like "are you all waiting for something?" I don't remember just what he said... Then he looked at me and said "take them around" OMG!! I told Bindi to walk up and held on and away we went, she floated around the ring... then Rick pointed to us. I though I was going to fall down, I slowed down Bindi and grabbed her. She was sooo silly, lots of kisses! Then the hugs, lots of hugs!!! The brain really goes blank!! I hope there are some photos of us in the ring. Writing this sure helps me to remember what happened. But it really turns into a blur... I do remember LOTS of hugs tho!! Tanner got one of the 6 Awards of Merit. Good boy!!
We did our photos and Jennifer said they looked good. Still floating we went back to room and started working on the Award of Merit frames I do for the winners. Then I got packed up and Jennifer, Bindi & I left for the airport. I had to be in Sacramento to work on Thursday.... So we were going to miss the Awards Dinner... bummer and the announcement of the Top Twenty winner. I asked Jennifer to call and leave me a message on my phone about the Top Twenty so when I landed in Denver to change planes I could find out who won.
When we landed in Denver I turned on the phone, no message... But a few minutes later my phone buzzed that I had a message, it was Jennifer screaming "you did it, you did it, Bindi Sue, Bindi Sue!!!!!!! She WON!!!! Here's Jim hang on..." I just started crying!! The guy sitting next to me asked if I was OK, I said I was fine it was good news, he thought someone must have died... I was just sitting there saying over and over, "I don’t believe it". When I got off the plane I called Mom & Dad, WOWZER. Talk about not needing a plane to get to Sacramento!
So that was our trip to DCA 2009! It’s still hard to believe it happened. This was the shortest DCA I have ever been to. I really did not get to visit much or see that many dogs. That darn work thing…. Whatcha gona do… Bindi was very glad to see Dad at the airport on Sunday night when he came to pick us up. Dad had the last page from the DCA results printed the size of a poster and taped it in the van when he picked me up!! http://www.dcanational.com/2009/spot_check_wednesday.pdf
When we got home Jasper, Tess and Ina were very glad to see me, so I played with them for a bit, Mocha spent the night at Mom & Dad’s so Bindi could sleep with me and then we crashed!
On Tuesday we watched the end of the bitch classes and all the dog classes. Winners Dog & Winners Bitch were littermates bred by Tom & Michele Wrath. Congrats!! After Stud Dog & Brood Bitch it was time to get started dressing for the DCAF Gala and the Top Twenty.
The Gala was nice, kind of quiet, but fine. Then we went up to get Tanner & Bindi for the Top Twenty. By the time we got them down stairs to the crate room they were READY!! It's really strange how they know this is a special event. Mocha did the same thing!
When we finally got to go in the ring Bindi was so buzzed up I had to keep her under extra control, something I almost never have to do! Then back to her crate to wait for her turn... I had a new long dress that I did not practice running in before we went into the ring... Note to self.... practice when wearing a long dress... Tanner was up first and had Queen's, Don't Stop Me Now http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUBwjyhRweQ&feature=related for his music. The crowd went NUTS when he hit his free stacks. What a good boy!!!
Then it was Bindi's turn, her music was Hall & Oats, You Make My Dreams Come True, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2Um-w2nfRA&feature=related she was so cranked up she FLEW around the ring! I had to hold up my dress to keep up with her! WOWZER!! She did her free stack well and did a nice swing into another free stack. Good girl. Then I had to get her to go in a straight line for the up and back. She flew! Bindi sometime does not want to hold still to have her teeth looked at... so it was to be for Dr. Doane. What a brat! But we got thru that... Then we did some more free stacks and then around and out of the ring. WOW what a buzzz! Then we did photos, man that seems to take a long time... They don't announce the Top Twenty winner until the dinner the next evening. Then is was time to walk the dog and try to get some sleep, ya right....
Wednesday dawned with much warmer weather than the previous days. Breed judging started at 9:30am. All the dogs have to go in the ring at the start; they then divide us up into groups. Tanner was in the 2nd group of boys and Bindi was in the first group of girls. When we left the ring I took Bindi back to the room so she could rest. I got back down in time to watch Tanner. He was of course a good boy and he made the cut in his group. Then the judge brought in his 3 groups of boys for one more cut and Tanner made that cut too!!
Then it was Bindi's turn. She was MUCH better about her teeth. Good girl! She too made the first cut in her group. Then the judge again brought in his cuts of girls and Bindi made the final cut. Then the judge took a lunch break. Jennifer got some lunch but I did not eat... I did have some of the meat I bought for Bindi if you call that eating...
Now we were down to the final cuts. Tanner & Jennifer were in the front with the boys and Bindi and I in the middle with the girl cut. The judge made another cut (I think) and then got down to the final placements. He first pulled out a liver boy and put him on the other side of the ring, maybe the start of his Award of Merit's? Then he pulled his Winners Dog to go in front of the liver dog.... hmmmmm maybe that is his Best of Opposite and Best of Winners... That means it's going to be a bitch for Best of Breed. Funny how your brain flies! He stopped and looked at the girls again and then pointed to Bindi and said to go to the front of the line. OMG! Bindi always turns it up a notch every time she makes a cut, just like Mocha. So she was on auto pilot by then! I never had to touch her again. She just free stacked and wagged her tail!! Then the judge arraigned the Awards of Merit and then said something like "are you all waiting for something?" I don't remember just what he said... Then he looked at me and said "take them around" OMG!! I told Bindi to walk up and held on and away we went, she floated around the ring... then Rick pointed to us. I though I was going to fall down, I slowed down Bindi and grabbed her. She was sooo silly, lots of kisses! Then the hugs, lots of hugs!!! The brain really goes blank!! I hope there are some photos of us in the ring. Writing this sure helps me to remember what happened. But it really turns into a blur... I do remember LOTS of hugs tho!! Tanner got one of the 6 Awards of Merit. Good boy!!
We did our photos and Jennifer said they looked good. Still floating we went back to room and started working on the Award of Merit frames I do for the winners. Then I got packed up and Jennifer, Bindi & I left for the airport. I had to be in Sacramento to work on Thursday.... So we were going to miss the Awards Dinner... bummer and the announcement of the Top Twenty winner. I asked Jennifer to call and leave me a message on my phone about the Top Twenty so when I landed in Denver to change planes I could find out who won.
When we landed in Denver I turned on the phone, no message... But a few minutes later my phone buzzed that I had a message, it was Jennifer screaming "you did it, you did it, Bindi Sue, Bindi Sue!!!!!!! She WON!!!! Here's Jim hang on..." I just started crying!! The guy sitting next to me asked if I was OK, I said I was fine it was good news, he thought someone must have died... I was just sitting there saying over and over, "I don’t believe it". When I got off the plane I called Mom & Dad, WOWZER. Talk about not needing a plane to get to Sacramento!
So that was our trip to DCA 2009! It’s still hard to believe it happened. This was the shortest DCA I have ever been to. I really did not get to visit much or see that many dogs. That darn work thing…. Whatcha gona do… Bindi was very glad to see Dad at the airport on Sunday night when he came to pick us up. Dad had the last page from the DCA results printed the size of a poster and taped it in the van when he picked me up!! http://www.dcanational.com/2009/spot_check_wednesday.pdf
When we got home Jasper, Tess and Ina were very glad to see me, so I played with them for a bit, Mocha spent the night at Mom & Dad’s so Bindi could sleep with me and then we crashed!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Spring forward????
Did you know that today was the day we were to spring our clocks forward until our past President changed the date? Well, my atomic clock did NOT know it... So I got up one hour early this morning... and for any that know me that is NOT A GOOD thing!!! I did not realize it however, until it was too late to go back to bed...
So I have a little time before Bindi and I leave for DCA to blog. Seems strange that the welcome party was last night.
Hey, something to talk to your Vet on your next visit... Ask them to show you how to do a Heimlich on a dog. Mocha got a golf ball sized goodie stuck in her throat and was on her way out... I did get it out, but using a Heimlich might have been better than sticking my hand into her mouth... just a thought.
Well, much to the dogs dismay.. I have time to do toenails!!! I'll be gone for a week, so nothing from here for a bit. (I know you are waiting with baited breath to read my blog) Keep good thoughts for Tanner & Bindi!
So I have a little time before Bindi and I leave for DCA to blog. Seems strange that the welcome party was last night.
Hey, something to talk to your Vet on your next visit... Ask them to show you how to do a Heimlich on a dog. Mocha got a golf ball sized goodie stuck in her throat and was on her way out... I did get it out, but using a Heimlich might have been better than sticking my hand into her mouth... just a thought.
Well, much to the dogs dismay.. I have time to do toenails!!! I'll be gone for a week, so nothing from here for a bit. (I know you are waiting with baited breath to read my blog) Keep good thoughts for Tanner & Bindi!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Well, time is getting close! DCA is next week. So I have started packing. I have to pack for two weekends... one for DCA the other for 4 days of work in Sacramento. I think I know what I am going to wear for DCA... but that is subject to change at any moment!!
Both Jennifer and I are looking for that special guy at DCA for Bindi & Phoebe. Hopefully we will find a dog that will just "nick" with the girls...
I'm glad I let the girls out to play in the big yard yesterday as it is raining again... They get muddy in the big yard, but not too bad. Nice thing about Dals is they shed any dirt about an hour or so after it dries. Bad thing.... it's now in my house... oh well.
Mom made it home from Florida and is she glad to be home!! I don't think I need to worry about my parents retiring to FL :) Too hot, too humid and too many strange critters. ( 2,4&6 legged!)
Back to packing!!!
Both Jennifer and I are looking for that special guy at DCA for Bindi & Phoebe. Hopefully we will find a dog that will just "nick" with the girls...
I'm glad I let the girls out to play in the big yard yesterday as it is raining again... They get muddy in the big yard, but not too bad. Nice thing about Dals is they shed any dirt about an hour or so after it dries. Bad thing.... it's now in my house... oh well.
Mom made it home from Florida and is she glad to be home!! I don't think I need to worry about my parents retiring to FL :) Too hot, too humid and too many strange critters. ( 2,4&6 legged!)
Back to packing!!!
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