Picking apples

Isn't she cute? Couldn't wait, haven't even mounted the stamps yet!!!! Thanks to the ladies at Funky kits for the excellent service and the gorgeous stamps.
 Have been playing with my few copic markers.... can see I might need more of these beasts. Its a never ending list of needs and wants with this hobby!!!

Sugar Nellies

Yay! Our Sugar Nellie stamps have arrived!! They look so cute!! Can't wait to start playing with them.  Trace rushed around last night with Bailee and Cameron, to pick up her stamps. The girls tusssled a bit over who got to pat and brush Abbie! Vinnie of course would only cuddle mummy and Riley is just too busy for cuddles....
Unfortunately I have a full on weekend with our dog agility champ show so wont have much time to play..... tho, as of next Thursday I  am on holiday for 10 days. Time to play with my new stamps as well as lavish lots of attention on my woofers. Yippee.

 We had a big day on Sunday, it was a " Dog's day out" fundraising for our dog training club and Guide dogs for theBlind. Abbie spent most of her time being fussed over by 4 or 5 young girls, with Trace's Bailee being heard to say" NO, I'm going to brush her, she's MY dog!" How cute. Every now and then a huge handful of goldie hair would be passed over to me! LOL! The picture of Bailee is with Alby, Marises's wee boy who I trained for agility and has turned out to be a little rocket. Isn't he cute?

Bummed Out

Well, its all quiet in this house now. You wouldn't think that one less dog would make such a difference. I guess Bruno was the NOISY one.... now there's no one squeaking toys, grabbing Abbie by the neck for a wrestle, trying to hassle me into taking him out for a walk,  or pushing his head under my arm while I sit at the computer for an ear rub ( yes Vinnie is curled up on my lap but that goes without saying!) or just talking away at me for the sake of it.  Abbie is quietly lying behind me, Vinnie asleep on my lap, Riley curled up on his couch....we're all sad.
  Had beautiful flowers from our agility mates, the vets and from the girls at work. I made a card to go to the vets to thank them for their wonderful care of Bruno (he loved visiting them, got lots of attention from everyone) , &  cried the whole time while making it!!! 
  The picture of the two puppies fighting over a tug toy is Abbie & Bruno, about 11 years ago. Such cute babies. It was a handful or three!!!! having littermates....wouldn't do that again, as they needed alot of one-on-one training away from each other and guess who ended up doing all that! ME of course!   Bruno took a lot of work (cos most boys do!!) but we got so much fun out of going to training together.  He got his CD award which is a kennel club certificate for " Companion Dog" but Bruno did it with his typical style, throwing in some curlies for me. He liked to vary his work, giving me a down instead of a sit, rolling on his scent cloth instead of presenting it to me ( which he did during a public demonstration!!!) Abbie was the easy one...trained herself....

Challenge & Bruno

Wow Trace! Will my computer self destruct if I'm a bit slow onto this? I've been awarded this by the lovely Trace and have two questions to answer along with it.

1. Say something nice about the man in my life... I love the fact that Gavin loves our dogs as much as I do and even fights me for poodle cuddles!

2. Six ways I measure success in my life...
 -  We have a lovely home with our beautiful dogs and cat and Gavin is a great partner.
 - Though my stepdaughter doesn't live with us now she has grown up into a lovely young woman, despite some very rocky times in her early teens.
- My family and Gavin's family are all very special people and we have a close, happy relationship.
-  I have a great job tho (it gets stressful at times,) my workmates and my boss are wonderful and some of our regular patients can make our days great too, which makes up for the times when some people can be downright awful.....
- I have made some great friends through my dogs and dog training , its great to know there are people around who think the way I do about these beautiful animals.
- I have met more great friends through my scrapbooking/card making and love the way people I have never met can be so supportive via the internet!
 

  On an extremely sad note, we said a very teary goodbye to our lovely, happy, noisy, cheeky big boy Bruno this morning. After a very quiet day yesterday and a restless night for him, we had the vets come today and he went very peacefully to sleep, lying on his bed, on the deck, in the sun, with the other dogs and our cat all there to say goodbye. Miss you my mate......
 

Vin & Ginge

The little boys look so cute, doesn't take much to tart them up.  There is a cold wind blowing today and Gavin has disappeared for the afternoon so I found a spare few minutes to have a play.
 Must stop sitting on the internet looking for STUFFFFFF to buy ( stop me Tracy!!!!) ...sposed to be saving for Senz, aren't we guys?  But its so far away.....
 Riley is sitting on my bed , peering out the window,shouting at someone over the road. He is a bit of a challenge this boy, but then I did ask for it, taking an Aussie import!  We love him to bits tho.
Vinnie is curled up on his little couch, keeping a close eye on me.  Abbie is snoring and Bruno is working up to the " ITS TEA TIME!!!!!!" performance where he nudges and woofs then shouts at us to get a move on.  Because he is so sick Gavin has been giving in as soon as Bruno starts. He has created a monster! LOL! . Some days it starts at 2.30pm!!!!

Carrot Express

Had a play with some colouring in yesterday, this rabbit is a cutie and as I have to wait for my sugar nellie stamps I might just have to play with some more high hopes stamps ( the ones I got in trouble for ordering....well you know what its like late at night, cruising stamp sites and you just gotta have those ones, no time to CONSULT everyone else in case they want any !!!!! GEEEZ!)
I DID consult Tracy about the sugar nellies and dont tell her husband but she went crazy!  Now Denise will chew my ear off I guess...just can't wait any longer...gotta have them now! They're so cute.
  Were sposed to be going over to Hawkes Bay for my brothers wedding this weekend. Unfortunately we cant leave Bruno, its too hot for him to travel, I wont go on my own...if this rain keeps up I may have to do some housework then hit the stamps...and I can feel a poodle page coming on....
  

Corfu

Well its slightly cooler here cos we have some rain but still humid. Best I go and pick some more beans , they're going crazy at the moment, and the zucchinis.
Bruno is enjoying the slightly cooler temps, his breathing is much easier. Went back to the vets on Monday and they're happy he's holding his own, we just keep him dosed up on steroids till he's had enough.... he's still enjoying his doddles in the park and all those extra treats!

  This page I did a while ago .... I keep procrastinating with my scrapbooking as I have so many OE photos to do. Its too daunting. However, maybe a change of topic might get me inspired, (what about some doggie pages??!!!!!) or not !! LOL!

Hazel

For once I've done something non-doggie....well...OK so there are some dogs in it but whatcha expect in this household!!!  This is what I slaved away at last night at Tracy's and finished this morning cos its too hot to go out in the garden.
  Hazel is Gavin's daughter and she came to live with us at the age of 9 or 10, and went back to her mother at 13 years (at the ratbag stage!) .  Haze is off to University this year !!! Seems like it was just yesterday she was a stroppy toddler terrorizing our weekends .....
 

Chester

Just heard last night that a friend's golden retriever died yesterday, put to sleep in his favourite spot out on the lawn with his buddies around him.  Poor Chester also had cancer.
You know how hard it is to do a sympathy card without going over the top? Still not happy with it but.....
Found a nice poem to go inside:

Losing a True Friend

I know how it feels to lose someone,
Someone who has been there for you for so long;
I know it seems like tears are all you have,
And that you may never enjoy another song;
But remember the good times that you shared,
And know that he really knew you cared.
There is really no greater bond
Than dog and man (or woman,) Fond
is the person of such a joy
A true and warm pal, be it girl or boy
And if someone says "it was just a dog"
Just walk away---tact like a frog!
Remember when you are really blue
Your dog's in heaven, he's there for you
And when in time you climb those stairs
He'll be there so you say your prayers!
And do not fret and do not stew
You've One True Friend Waiting FOR YOU!
Poem by M.J.M. 1999

Snowflakes

Gav has been working on the house, I've been clipping poodles and the goldies have been lying around doing nothing!!  Very warm again here.
Haven't been inclined to make any cards etc, tho I have cut some snowflakes with spellbinders diecutters ( think this might be my favourite at the moment ) for Trace to use on her snowy scrapbook page. She likes them but can't be bothered trying to use them!!!!
 Bruno is lying at my feet squeaking a toy....today is obviously a good day for him. 

Swimming

Another day and we're still plodding along, no worse that we can see . Have been to the river swimming hole this morning before I go to work, so Bruno could have a paddle. He and Abbie spent a good 20 minutes sniffing, swimming( only a short swim for Bruno, about all he could handle) and more sniffing. Think he's enjoying all these trips to his favourite places. ( The Hawera cemetery yesterday to sniff rabbits!) The poodles are indignant cos they get left behind to eat breakfast....
 Thanks Trace for the visit and the blog candy, and thanks Bailee for brushing the dogs, Bruno and Abbie just love the attention. Just hope you didn't take too much hair home with you!