Finn's First Show

Finn's show career officially started this past Saturday at the West Volusia Kennel Club in Deland, Florida.

What a start. On Saturday, he won his class in the Bred By Exhibitor. He won again on Sunday. 2 blue ribbons. Once he won his class, he then gets "put up" in to the Open Dogs. No win there, but a great start anyhow. He did well and he seemed to have fun in the ring. And that's what matters most.

On to Ocala in November

Front Yard Destruction

We bought this house 2 years ago. It was the biggest piece of crap in the ridiculously priced Colonialtown neighborhood here in Orlando. It was also the only one we could afford. My husband promised to fix it up and may have over extended his ability to get the job done simply because he wanted the house. Let's just say: Lesson learned. Never again will I buy a house that needs this much work. Heck. I may never buy a house that needs ANY work. In fact... I may never buy another house - EVER!!

We have done some major work in the house - total tear out of the kitchen and the bathroom. We still have a lot of work to do. To be absolutely honest, I don't ever see the projects being completed unless we hire someone to do them. But that's a whole 'nother story as to why they are not getting done.

In any event, we started a pretty major project. The front yard. Here it is before the work

We actually hired someone to come in and tear out the yard and driveway and install the new driveway. Matt is going to install the irrigation system... but he just worked all night so it's doubtful that it will get done. And that is just one reason that things don't get done. Just one.

On Monday, when I came home for lunch, the yard looked like this:

Big HUGE difference. I had hopes!!

At the end of the 3rd day, it was this:

It is completed at this point - well. At least the pavers are complete. The rest lies in my husband's hands so who knows when that will get done. He has people pulling him in 10 different directions and it seems the pulling gets harder everytime a project is started.

I am hoping to add completed pictures next week. The sod is supposed to go in and then the rose garden. Finally, we will landscape the front of the house and add a hedge and some plants. I am very excited about this and I just hope I don't get my hopes up. I am confident that this will get done.

Working on my action shots

I bought this new camera in the beginning of summer - it is a Nikon D60 SLR. No more lag time between pressing the button and the actual shutter being released. Plus I wanted to have crisper, clearer photos and be able to change lenses. I have all that and then some... but I need to work on my action shots. I was out in the yard yesterday and took a few of the dog running around. A little blurry and I think I figured out the problem - of course after the fact.

I think one problem is not shooting in the correct mode. The other problem is I move, too,
when in fact, I should stand still and let the subject move.

I have a dog show and then another dog event coming up in the near future that I want to make sure I get really great action shots from. I guess practice and more practice is what I need for now.

The Happy Go Lucky One

Finn. Kengali's Leap of Faith. He was born in the month of February in a Leap Year... but sometimes I wonder if his breeder took a "leap of faith" entrusting a show pup to relative newbies to the breed and someone that has never shown a dog before !! I guess only time will tell.

Finn. My paper shredder. My 5:00 am alarm clock. My very typical Ridgeback in that he eats all of his food and then looks up at me as if to say "that is not enough..." At 7 months, he has already passed up Beau in the weight department and he is edging him out on the height, too. He loves to chew. I have so many Nylabones laying around. He'll chew on one and then move to another. I have to replace them every few weeks. Oh. He is already sleeping in the bed. We vowed that we would never have a dog sleep in the bed with us... now we have 2! We never heard Beau bark until he was 5 months old. It was such a momentous occasion, I called my husband who was on vacation. Finn has barked since the day we brought him home. It has evolved in to this very deep, very hound-like bark. I think it's enough to keep any prospective no-do-gooders away from the house. Little do they know he is just a pup.

He is a joyful, happy go lucky puppy. Runs thru the yard and the house - but raise your voice and he looks devastated and immediately tries to make amends. Dog Parks tend to overwhelm him at first and to be honest, I have only seen him romp and play and wrestle with other Ridgebacks. Here he is on the beach with his half brother, Jack.

As a pup, he was hard to potty train. We were told a few cracks on his ass would do the trick. And lo and behold, it was one crack and it did the trick!! I worried constantly about him playing with Beau - they just played so rough and... what if he got hurt and I had to make the phone call to the breeder to tell her his potential show days were over? Not a phone call I wanted to make. Now that he is bigger... I worry about Beau!! He is also not a very good leash walker. Why? Because of his joy for life and his natural curiosity. He walks at the very end of his 16 foot Flexi leash and he goes from side to side sniffing, looking, leaping off curbs and just having a grand time. He has been known to tangle me up in his leash as well as himself.

He is an absolute joy to have around the house. He keeps us entertained with his antics and his personality. The one thing I do know... as different as they are, Beau and Finn love each other and that is a good thing. I was worried bringing in another male to the house and how that would affect Beau. So far it's been a good thing.

Where were you?

In my parents era, everyone can remember where they were when John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

My era's question is that of "Where were you on September 11, 2001?

It has been 7 years since the terrorist attacks on New York City, Washington D.C. and a small farming community in Pennsylvania. But I can remember vividly where I was at 8:43 a.m. I was at work in my office in Southfield, Michigan when a friend and co-worker came in to tell me that a plane had hit on of the World Trade Center Towers. I could not log on to any of the news channels as they were bogged down by others trying to get information. So. I called my mother. At that time, no one knew exactly what was happening. All anyone knew was that a jetliner had crashed.

And then the second plane hit the South Tower. And then the Pentagon and then, Shanksville, PA. We wondered where the next place was going to be. September 11, 2001 made every American very aware that war can happen anywhere.

My office allowed us to leave and go home that day. I can remember watching the news feeds over and over of the planes and the towers going down. You couldn't help but watch because it was all so unbelievable.

So. Where were you?

The Anal One

Beau. Crestridge Ujamaa Beauregard. My first Rhodesian Ridgeback. He is 18 months old right now.

He was the runt of the litter of 12 - but I will admit,he had the nicest coat and the sweetest face and a nice long ridge. Who can resist a sweet puppy face like this one?


When we picked him, we wanted a pet and not a show dog. Boy did we get a great pet. At 18 months, I have yet to see any act of aggression, hear a growl or see him snap at anything. His temperament is outstanding. He is great with kids - especially little ones that carry yummy treats in their hands and have sticky sweet mouths.



Both my husband and I vowed that we would NEVER have a dog sleeping in the same bed as us. That lasted 9 months. He now sleeps right between us and he really has the most room on the bed. On cold nights - rare here in Florida - he snuggles close. AND, if I get up to move to another bed - because he is usually hogging MY side of the bed - Beau is sure to follow.



He has never been a big eater. I have tried many formulas of food and he is enthusiastic for about 2 weeks and then he turns up his nose. Every one says "He won't starve... take the food up after 10 minutes..." My poor boy can not afford to lose even one pound of weight. Tall he is, but fat he is not. The Ridgeback standard for a male is 25-27 inches (Beau is 26) and 85 pounds on average. Beau is just 70 pounds. So you see. I can't let him miss a meal. He has gotten better with Finn's arrival. Competition is a wonderful motivator.



Ridgebacks are known as thinking dogs that evaluate the situation and then decide what they want to do - and it's usually in their benefit. They are also known to be sensitive and have loooong memories. I can attest to all of that. We once had a possum in the back yard. Beau saw it, chased it, cornered it and the possum hissed at Beau. He came back to the house and refused to go in the back yard for almost 2 weeks. I had to take him out in the front yard where he would do his business at.



And rain? Forget about him going out in the back if there is one rain drop on the steps. Oh no. That requires me getting wet, too.



About 2 weeks ago, we are not sure, but he got bit by something on his foot. Red ants? A spider? Just not sure. His toe was red and a little swollen and there were bites in between white nails toe and his other toe. We have successfully treated it at home, but now, he hates going off the patio and he needs to be forced in to the yard to go potty. Slowly, we have gotten him to come out in to the yard to play with Finn and to spend time with us out there... but it never lasts for long. Even now, we have to make him go out in the back yard after he eats in the morning. He has been known to poop in the house while I am drying my hair right in the next room.

But. We love him unconditionally. No matter his quirks and his issues, he is like our child to us. Sometimes I get so frustrated with him, but then I look at that sweet face and I melt.

He is my gentle soul and I would not have it any other way.

Lovely Labor Day Week-end

To many, Labor Day signals the end of the summer. The end of relaxing week-ends in the sun, spent in pools or on lakes. It means back to school and the start of the season heading toward the cold weather. Hewre in Florida, it means all that as well - but we relish Labor day. It signals the nearing end of the scorching heat and the humidity so thick it makes you sweat just looking out the window.

Matt, the dogs and I headed to Melbourne Shores for the Labor Day week-end, to the Surfcaster - a little motel right on the beach that accepts dogs. Nothing fancy, but just enough... and an Italian restaurant on site as well. We decided to save 10 dollars a night and stay in one of the older rooms as opposed to the newer "suite" we stayed in last year. Needless to say, we will be in the suit next year.

Our first night there, we headed to the beach. Now. Brevard county does not allow dogs on the beach; however, this is a deserted, not used much section of the beach and dogs go to the beach all the time. As we walked down the shore, an amazing, once in a lifetime sight awaited us.

Loggerhead hatchlings leaving the nest and heading to the Atlantic Ocean. Too cool. I RAN back to the room to get my camera - sore heel and all. this was an opportunity I could not let pass without some memory of it. Of course the dogs did not realize these were protected sea creatures. All they saw were little toys scurrying over the sand. Needless to say, we kept them on a short leash.




After taking several photos, we walked a bit more and then headed back. I am glad to report that the nest was empty and there was not a baby turtle to be seen. I sure hope they all made it to the water.

Of course the sunrises were spectacular every day. And I would know. I saw every single one of them since Finn insists on beating the sun up every morning. He does not care that he and we are on vacation. But wait. Beau, my lazy 18 month old, got up every day and ate breakfast and went outside with us.

Luck was with us in the weather department. No rain, but we did have some clouds in the afternoon. The surf was pounding as Gustav, a Gulf storm, affected even the Atlantic. On Sunday moring, to the south, we could see the very outer bands of that terrible storm as it made its way toward New Orleans.

Here are some of my favorite photos from the week-end.




Finn's flying ears











The boys relaxing

















And all good things come to an end. Matt and the dogs taking a last look at the ocean.

The dogs loved the beach. They chased crabs, sea foam and shore birds. We loved the beach because we could sit and relax and listen to the sound of the waves and just enjoy being away.

Til next year...

Ticked off!!

You know what ticks me off? People that complain that you never send them photos of what you do, where you go, etc. THEN, when you do? They bitch about the pictures you take.

Easy remedy? Don't send pictures to them anymore.

Ahh. That makes me feel a little better.

More on our wonderful trip to the beach for the holiday in a later post.