Today was one of those super busy days. I had dropped my nightly pain meds to half to see if I could deal with it. I woke up late in the night and had to take a ½ perco which isn’t bad considering I have taking a ½ perco all along. My goal is to take only one pain med every twelve hours than two every twelve hours. Pain meds can be addicting and I certainly don’t want that to be my addiction. I prefer my addiction to be coffee and trialing dogs. That is much more fun!!
Nancy and Courtney got here and I went down to see them. Then Ben arrived. He is the other half of Deborah and Indy. Courtney gave him a lesson with Tess and then later he worked Tess in the upper pasture. He was doing well and I saw Tess was working well for him. I think I saw him slip her some bread and we all know she loves to eat. Ben and Deborah brought me some absolutely delicious Italian Chocolate. I brought it into the house and later my mom, Kimiko, Kathy, Jeff and I ate some of it. It was so good and just melted in our mouths!! Thanks very much to Ben and Deborah for that.
I figure by the time Deborah gets back from her internship, her husband Ben will a dandy little handler!! Tess and Scott will sure help him on this path.
Courtney and Nancy moved the lambs from the pond pasture to the back lawn pasture. The foolish lambs ran several directions and after a bit, they got it all settled and everyone was moved. This was a good hard chore as the lambs and two grown sheep had no idea where they were supposed to go and teamwork was required by the handlers and dogs. In the end, it was done and by a pair of 20 month old pups. Yes, we could have used Tess but how are the young ones going to learn? I remember when I first moved here eight years ago, Tess was just 2 years ago and we had to learn all of this the hard way.
We set up several chairs and watched everyone work their dogs. Nancy and Courtney worked their dogs and each week I see progress. Meg was working light sheep and then a nice size slow flock. She did a bit of driving. She and Courtney are going to be a team to be reckoned with. Nancy did well today and she has a tough dog to work. Blaze is a lot of dog and he requires a firm hand. Nancy is getting there and soon I think she will have him well in hand.
Logan and Jack did well. Each week they learn something new and they retain it. It is a real pleasure to watch them.
Tony and Lori (and Gillian) came over. The have been puppy sitting Sava for me. Tony has been working her for me. She is a handful. She is different than Faye so it was a challenge for Tony to work her. Having horse experience makes a big difference and he did a good job with her. He worked her in the big field on over 20 sheep. Prior to that, Sava had only worked in the round pen with five sheep. He did great working her in a big field with a large flock. Tony also worked Faye using his whistles and they did right on. Nice, smooth and good flow. I even could understand his whistles.
It was good chatting with Lori. She is very nice and loves her dogs. She had a tremendous Aussie named Luke that she was working with. He was very talented and worked hard for her. He passed away but prior to that, he was doing well and was almost ready for an ASCA started course. She has two young Aussies now, Tessa and Kate. They will be the future herding stars.
I think Gillian had a blast. She is a very cute and adorable girl. She LOVES to feed the ducks, chickens, geese and sheep. She is very good and I enjoy her company. Not to mention, she is very cute (like her mother, Lori).
Kathy had arrived earlier and worked Jill. Jill is the same age as Tess and they (Tess and Jill) have been fast friends since they were two. They spent most of their lives working sheep, going to trials and hanging out. Since Kathy moved to Medford, over 2.5 years ago, Tess and Jill have not seen each other as much. But you could tell the tight friendship was still there.
Jill worked quite well. Kathy worked her several times and they had a blast. Jill was so excited to work the sheep. I know she will sleep well tonight.
All this time, I was making sure that I would not overdo myself. It was good seeing everyone. Sitting in the chair was a good idea. It made it so I could stay out longer. It was nice to talk to people and not be so drugged up.
Everyone worked well and I was pleased to see their progress. It’s amazing when you are dedicated and do the work, the results will show it.
Tony dropped off sheep that they sheep-sat for me. They went to the other field to get fresh sheep and Nancy and Courtney went to help. By this time, I had been out in the barn for a bit and needed to go and rest. Everyone left and Kathy and I went up to the house.
By this time, my mom and Kimiko had shown up. They were in the house and we all hung out. We watched the Olympics but mainly chatted. Mom and Kimiko adore Kathy. It was a good visit.
After a bit, I had to do my walk so Kathy and I went down to the barn. She worked Jill and we ambled about. It was relaxing. Jill was having a blast. She thought she was in heaven. She got to work sheep again!!
Later, we had our family dinner. Mom and Kimiko made Tempura and sushi. Jeff had green bean with bacon (fresh green beans from the garden) and his special potatoes and onion fry. He grilled some steaks and by the time it was all done, we were stuffed. I ate ¾ of my steak, quite a bit of tempura (just as much as everyone else), a good amount of green beans and a serving of potatoes. I ate just as much as everyone else. I was also trying to stuff myself so my stomach would expand. I was happy to be able to eat as much as I did.
After dinner, Mom and Kimiko had to go. They want to get home before dark. I was happy they came over and made such a delicious meal.
Kathy and I waddled, yes, waddled and not walked down to the barn. I was so full. It was a good feeling.
I had the bright idea that since the ducks needed to be put away that Jill could do it. Apparently I forgot to coordinate this with the ducks. Normally, when they get put away at night, Jeff and Tess do it. They have a routine. Well, Kathy and Jill are not Jeff and Tess. The ducks refused to get out of the ponds and certainly were not going to work with Kathy and Jill. After all, it was not part of the “Duck Unions Contract”.
Kathy had to work Jill back and forth and around the pond to get them out. She got Jill to go into the water and finally the ducks decided they had put enough overtime in and wanted to go to their coop. So will Jill working them and Kathy handling the coop door, the ducks were put away for the night. Not bad and a lot harder than any ASCA course.
We thought we were done and I was feeding the sheep at the barn when I saw some sheep were on the far side of the lower pasture. Those were the sheep that Tony and Lori had brought back and not yet flocked up with the main group. I didn’t want them to stay on the far part since it was getting dark and I didn’t want them to be coyote bait. The heifer was over there too.
Kathy took Jill and sent her. That part of the pasture is chest high in some places and the sheep were hidden. Jill adjusted quite well and cast far out to cover the deep pasture and got all the sheep. That was good thinking on her part as it was hard to see the sheep. She got them all and it was good honest work. Kathy was very proud of Jill and rightly so!!
Today was a busy day and it felt good. There was a lot of good stockdog work. Students are doing well with their dogs. There was good camaraderie.
My chest didn’t hurt as much. I am healing and enjoying life again.
Oh yea, did I mention it rained. So much, it was almost an inch so far. I don’t have to worry about watering my lawn!!
Later, Jeff and I watched the last of the Olympics. For some reason, a few hours after my huge meal, I was hungry again. Jeff made me a double ice cream bowl and I covered it with hot fudge. I gobbled it down. It must be from the entire arm chair herding that I did today.
Who knows but I am hungry AGAIN. Its two hours since Jeff fed me the ice cream but I am going to rummage in the kitchen and see what I can find. Tess, the ever loyal dog is next to me, ready for this feeding expedition.
Nancy and Courtney got here and I went down to see them. Then Ben arrived. He is the other half of Deborah and Indy. Courtney gave him a lesson with Tess and then later he worked Tess in the upper pasture. He was doing well and I saw Tess was working well for him. I think I saw him slip her some bread and we all know she loves to eat. Ben and Deborah brought me some absolutely delicious Italian Chocolate. I brought it into the house and later my mom, Kimiko, Kathy, Jeff and I ate some of it. It was so good and just melted in our mouths!! Thanks very much to Ben and Deborah for that.
I figure by the time Deborah gets back from her internship, her husband Ben will a dandy little handler!! Tess and Scott will sure help him on this path.
Courtney and Nancy moved the lambs from the pond pasture to the back lawn pasture. The foolish lambs ran several directions and after a bit, they got it all settled and everyone was moved. This was a good hard chore as the lambs and two grown sheep had no idea where they were supposed to go and teamwork was required by the handlers and dogs. In the end, it was done and by a pair of 20 month old pups. Yes, we could have used Tess but how are the young ones going to learn? I remember when I first moved here eight years ago, Tess was just 2 years ago and we had to learn all of this the hard way.
We set up several chairs and watched everyone work their dogs. Nancy and Courtney worked their dogs and each week I see progress. Meg was working light sheep and then a nice size slow flock. She did a bit of driving. She and Courtney are going to be a team to be reckoned with. Nancy did well today and she has a tough dog to work. Blaze is a lot of dog and he requires a firm hand. Nancy is getting there and soon I think she will have him well in hand.
Logan and Jack did well. Each week they learn something new and they retain it. It is a real pleasure to watch them.
Tony and Lori (and Gillian) came over. The have been puppy sitting Sava for me. Tony has been working her for me. She is a handful. She is different than Faye so it was a challenge for Tony to work her. Having horse experience makes a big difference and he did a good job with her. He worked her in the big field on over 20 sheep. Prior to that, Sava had only worked in the round pen with five sheep. He did great working her in a big field with a large flock. Tony also worked Faye using his whistles and they did right on. Nice, smooth and good flow. I even could understand his whistles.
It was good chatting with Lori. She is very nice and loves her dogs. She had a tremendous Aussie named Luke that she was working with. He was very talented and worked hard for her. He passed away but prior to that, he was doing well and was almost ready for an ASCA started course. She has two young Aussies now, Tessa and Kate. They will be the future herding stars.
I think Gillian had a blast. She is a very cute and adorable girl. She LOVES to feed the ducks, chickens, geese and sheep. She is very good and I enjoy her company. Not to mention, she is very cute (like her mother, Lori).
Kathy had arrived earlier and worked Jill. Jill is the same age as Tess and they (Tess and Jill) have been fast friends since they were two. They spent most of their lives working sheep, going to trials and hanging out. Since Kathy moved to Medford, over 2.5 years ago, Tess and Jill have not seen each other as much. But you could tell the tight friendship was still there.
Jill worked quite well. Kathy worked her several times and they had a blast. Jill was so excited to work the sheep. I know she will sleep well tonight.
All this time, I was making sure that I would not overdo myself. It was good seeing everyone. Sitting in the chair was a good idea. It made it so I could stay out longer. It was nice to talk to people and not be so drugged up.
Everyone worked well and I was pleased to see their progress. It’s amazing when you are dedicated and do the work, the results will show it.
Tony dropped off sheep that they sheep-sat for me. They went to the other field to get fresh sheep and Nancy and Courtney went to help. By this time, I had been out in the barn for a bit and needed to go and rest. Everyone left and Kathy and I went up to the house.
By this time, my mom and Kimiko had shown up. They were in the house and we all hung out. We watched the Olympics but mainly chatted. Mom and Kimiko adore Kathy. It was a good visit.
After a bit, I had to do my walk so Kathy and I went down to the barn. She worked Jill and we ambled about. It was relaxing. Jill was having a blast. She thought she was in heaven. She got to work sheep again!!
Later, we had our family dinner. Mom and Kimiko made Tempura and sushi. Jeff had green bean with bacon (fresh green beans from the garden) and his special potatoes and onion fry. He grilled some steaks and by the time it was all done, we were stuffed. I ate ¾ of my steak, quite a bit of tempura (just as much as everyone else), a good amount of green beans and a serving of potatoes. I ate just as much as everyone else. I was also trying to stuff myself so my stomach would expand. I was happy to be able to eat as much as I did.
After dinner, Mom and Kimiko had to go. They want to get home before dark. I was happy they came over and made such a delicious meal.
Kathy and I waddled, yes, waddled and not walked down to the barn. I was so full. It was a good feeling.
I had the bright idea that since the ducks needed to be put away that Jill could do it. Apparently I forgot to coordinate this with the ducks. Normally, when they get put away at night, Jeff and Tess do it. They have a routine. Well, Kathy and Jill are not Jeff and Tess. The ducks refused to get out of the ponds and certainly were not going to work with Kathy and Jill. After all, it was not part of the “Duck Unions Contract”.
Kathy had to work Jill back and forth and around the pond to get them out. She got Jill to go into the water and finally the ducks decided they had put enough overtime in and wanted to go to their coop. So will Jill working them and Kathy handling the coop door, the ducks were put away for the night. Not bad and a lot harder than any ASCA course.
We thought we were done and I was feeding the sheep at the barn when I saw some sheep were on the far side of the lower pasture. Those were the sheep that Tony and Lori had brought back and not yet flocked up with the main group. I didn’t want them to stay on the far part since it was getting dark and I didn’t want them to be coyote bait. The heifer was over there too.
Kathy took Jill and sent her. That part of the pasture is chest high in some places and the sheep were hidden. Jill adjusted quite well and cast far out to cover the deep pasture and got all the sheep. That was good thinking on her part as it was hard to see the sheep. She got them all and it was good honest work. Kathy was very proud of Jill and rightly so!!
Today was a busy day and it felt good. There was a lot of good stockdog work. Students are doing well with their dogs. There was good camaraderie.
My chest didn’t hurt as much. I am healing and enjoying life again.
Oh yea, did I mention it rained. So much, it was almost an inch so far. I don’t have to worry about watering my lawn!!
Later, Jeff and I watched the last of the Olympics. For some reason, a few hours after my huge meal, I was hungry again. Jeff made me a double ice cream bowl and I covered it with hot fudge. I gobbled it down. It must be from the entire arm chair herding that I did today.
Who knows but I am hungry AGAIN. Its two hours since Jeff fed me the ice cream but I am going to rummage in the kitchen and see what I can find. Tess, the ever loyal dog is next to me, ready for this feeding expedition.
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