Decorating the Nest

I've previously mentioned that I've been working on getting a few spaces in the house finished up in an effort to really make me feel that my house is more me rather than still looking like the previous owners live there. Gradually over the past few years I've come up with more ideas of how I'd like the place to look and so far 3 spaces in the house have been substantially changed from when I first moved in.

The ensuite bathroom is lovely thanks to Marc's hard work gutting the entire space and starting over. A few little touches are still needed but we're getting there.

The kitchen/family room/office is now looking really great. Still more to do, especially in the family room/office but at least the walls are painted and everything else that is still to be done seems relatively insignificant to me. Sure the fireplace needs "something" done to it, a light of sorts needs to be installed to highlight the fireplace area, and the tv currently in the living room needs to be moved back into the family room and mounted on the wall, but at least all of those jobs can be done without total disruption to Becca and Tazio. Of course their needs are the most important in the house!!

Next week will see additional painting done in the bedrooms and I've been trying and trying to get enough time to check out carpeting possibilities for the areas where a certain awful green carpeting needs to be obliterated! (If I didn't like the idea of toxic smoke I'd do a primitive dance around the burning green rug!)

I originally thought everything might be done by Christmas but since I won't be here for Christmas perhaps the end of January is a more likey completion date.

Then there's the main bathroom and small powder room that will need to be redone. Oh, yes and the landscaping at the front of the house just has to go.

And in the midst of all this I'm trying to finalize the choice of a husband for Becca (yes, puppies in 2010!). And I really need to keep up with my work!

A Lovely Sunday Walk

Yes, we should have gone lure coursing today but I have so much work to get organized before Tuesday that late last night I decided I just had to stay home and get more work done.

That said it was a lovely day and I wanted to make it up to the dogs so we headed off for a nice walk at a local park with two friends. Tazio stayed up front with Philip and Becca walked behind with Susan and I.

Gorgeous day out and I'm so glad I took my camera. Autumn is definitely here and while we don't have the gorgeous maples of my native Ontario the local trees still provide some lovely yellows, pinks and oranges.

The start












Fast moving walkers and whippets
















The bridge













Back to the parking lot











And now back to work!!

A week and weekend with human and whippet visitors!

This past week I was able to spend some time with two good friends - one that I haven't seen in years and another that I see several times a year, always during dog events.

A good friend who I was able to get back in touch with via Facebook is Maria. Maria was on her way to a new adventure in a more eastern area in Canada whose name strikes a chord of fear in many a Canadian's heart but which shall remain nameless. I don't want to offend anyone and frankly I see the attractions of the place, never mind the cold!

Maria came through town, spent the first night of her adventure here in our humble abode and set off early the next morning driving east.

Then, this past weekend saw a first in our household - whippet visitors that numbered more than one! (And of course my good friend Jenn who accompanied said whippet visitors)

Jenn came up to Canada to show our mutual friend Beth's girl Lark in this past weekend's dog shows held in Cloverdale. Lark is one of my favourite whippets and just needed one more Winner's Bitch award to earn her Canadian championship. Jenn also brought along her girl Tara who we puppysat last December and who fit in quite well with my two dogs.

Now the only proviso for any additional whippets staying here is that they all be girls as my boy Tazio gets a bit put out when he's around boys. I think it was due to the time he spent as number 2 boy to my first whippet Senna, Tazio's half brother.

We had a lovely weekend, visiting, going to the dog shows (Lark took Winner's Bitch on Sunday and is now Can CH Serendipity Skylark FCH, FCH, SR, OTR, TRPX, DPC!!), talking a lot about life, relationships, dreams, dogs, travel and just generally enjoying each other's company.

Love being able to host good friends!!

Dispensation Of The Cheese!

Flowers Of The Week

Another weekend, another lure coursing trial

This weekend found my youngest whippet and I travelling over to Vancouver Island for two days of lure coursing in the area between Nanaimo and Ladysmith. Earlier this year Becca and I travelled to the same area for a very successful weekend of lure coursing where Becca completed her Field Championship and became the first of my three whippets to achieve this title. This weekend was another awesome weekend. Becca finished 2nd in the trial on the first day and while she didn't place on Sunday we had a great time.

Becca has really been my dog of many firsts - first girlie dog, first Canadian show champion, first Canadian field champion, first CWA Dual Purpose Champion and also has her Title of Racing Proficiency (and one ARX point!), first whippet that I've taken to obedience and that has both charmed and enthralled the instructor, first whippet to take swimming, and now it's looking likely for Becca to become my first whippet to have babies!

When I first got into whippets many moons ago I never ever considered having anything to do with having a litter - unless one of my boys (as I only ever wanted boys) proved to be simply amazing and someone wanted to use him as a sire. And now I'm suddenly in the midst of health testing to ensure Becca's got the right stuff to become a mommy.

Very scary!!

A Picture Speaks A Thousand Words!

NFL FOOTBALL IS BAAAACCCCCKKKKKKKKK!

Okay kids - this week sees the return of NFL football to our tv screens. And what better opening game to the season can you ask for than for the Tennessee Titans to be travelling to the hallowed Heinz Field to play the PITTSBURGH STEELERS! And kids, do you know how to spell "ROETHLISBERGER"? 'Bout time you learned.

You may have detected a wee bit of favouritism associated with any mention of the PITTSBURGH STEELERS!. And the fact that the excitement bit of punctuation is also somewhat attached to that particular team name. AND YOU'D BE RIGHT!!!

Needless to say the Older Brother and his wife are hosting a bbq the the evening of the season opener and I will be travelling to their home probably mid-afternoon as the tv coverage of this event will commence at 5 p.m. West Coast time and I don't want to miss a minute. Now a part of me would love to be at the Kickoff and Rib festival that is part of the Pittsburgh pre-season opener festivities taking place right now but I will happily settle for a lovely 'burger from Jimmy's grille on game day.

If you've read any of my earlier blog posts you may have run across those from the last NFL season and especially from last season's Super Bowl game when the PITTSBURGH STEELERS! came out on top in the league.

(Hmmm, I'm already wondering if the shrine will be in place at Jim's house for this fabulous season opener.)



The Terrible Towel is at the ready and the arm is warming up . . .