Time for a Cool Change.....

Music plays an important part in my life.....it always has and it always will. While I love country music now, I also remember a lot of the music I listened to in the 1970s. YIKES...guess that dates me, but....oh well....

One of my favorite groups from that time in college was Little River Band. They had a song entitled Cool Change...and one of the lines is:

Time for a cool change...
I know that it's time for a cool change....

I just returned from a 950-mile round trip to Sioux Falls, SD to show a couple dogs. It was a nice time; the weather was a gorgeous 65-70ish....and that's awesome. But...we had to set the clocks back....as Daylight Savings Time ended.

I often think that we should just LEAVE the clocks alone.....either do Daylight Savings Time all year long, or be like parts of Michigan and Arizona that stay on Standard Time all year long. Perhaps as I age, the idea of the changing the clocks just creates havoc with my Circadian rhythms and I find it takes a good two weeks to adjust. I think it's manmade jet lag.....

Also, on the the topic of a cool change...as we all know, it's time for political elections in many venues. The State of Wisconsin is embroiled in a gubernatorial election as well as some other hotly contested Congressional seats (House and Senate). When I arrived home tonight and turned on the boob tube (a/k/a mudslinging tube lately), I was VERY pleased to have seen that the state Republicans pulled out their "big" gun in former Governor and former Health & Human Services Secretary, Tommy Thompson, speaking positively in favor of Congressman Mark Green who is running for Governor.

Personally, I'm ready for a change. I hope that the rest of the State of Wisconsin is too. I have a personal reason why I'm ready.....as do many of my fellow state employees who found their jobs cut by the current gov.

Time for a change? You betcha.

Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes

I have just returned from a glorious week in sunny and WARM, Myrtle Beach, SC. My friend, Mary and I took a trip to spend with most of my family. My brother, Paul and his wife, Nicki, and daughter, Kate, were not able to come. We did so many fun things, I have no idea where to begin.

One of my favorite outings was to Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville for lunch with Mom, Mary, Scott and Jake, and Mary R and Ruth.

It's always good to be home, but...with all due respect to Jimmy Buffett, I felt the Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes - and Mother Nature pulling a fast one on me and Mary R. SNOW!!!

How could I be walking on the beach at sunrise only to be greeted by this....white stuff.....less than 12 hours later? *sigh*

"It's these changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes
Nothing remains quite the same
With all of our running and all of our cunning
If we couldnt laugh we would all go insane..."

We all laughed and had a great time.

Insanity is living in Wisconsin.......but....it surely is home. I guess that I'll just have to learn how to boogie board in the snow. The Gordons and Irish and my sister's Lab, Joe, were all glad to see me especially when I brought them in out of the rain last night. Joe had fun shredding his bed, but all in all, they survived without me.

It's back to work for me tomorrow and I have bunches of things to do before then.....As time permits, I'll upload more photos from the wonderful time at Myrtle Beach, SC 2006!!

One hundred years ago today......

It's October 7, 2006.

Exactly one hundred years ago today, October 7, 1906, Alice Elizabeth Breining Gero Clark was born. Who was she, you may ask? She was my Nana. Read that as grandmother. She was my dad's mom. He was named after her. Tradition often called for male children to be given their mom's maiden name. So, she is my grandmother and mother to my father, Robert Breining Gero.

Nana was an interesting person. I came to know her quite well when, in 1982, the year that I got married and she moved from Ocean View, NJ to Columbus, WI. My ex-husband did a lot of carpenter work for Nana, plus we all shared many fun times over happy hour at Nana's. She was good for that. A brandy-Manhattan or two....We'd visit from after work until early to mid-evening. We'd share snacks and often a pizza or burger with Nana. Nana shared family history with Greg.

At some time in her life, Nana lived with her aunt, Rose Webster. For those of you that may not know this, the lovely breed of dog that I raise and show (Gordon Setters), were brought into the USA by Daniel Webster in 1842. Nana said that her family was indeed related to THE Websters. So...in many ways, fate perhaps had a way of bringing me to the Gordon Setter.

In 1987, Nana accompanied me to a dog show in Manitowoc, WI. At that show, my first Gordon Setter, "Spice" (Ch. Kilernan's Spice o' My Life), won Winners Bitch, and Best of Winners, but she also earned Best of Breed honors over the #1 Gordon Setter in the country. My Best of Breed Show photo has Nana in the background. That was such a fun win for me in many ways.

On May 20, 1999, Nana died at the age of 92. She left a small amount of money to Greg and me. With that money, we took a trip and I bought a Gordon Setter from Canada. That Gordon Setter ended up being one of the best purchases I made. Ch. Clansmen 'n' Amethyst Hi Ground (Asti) had a very quick and very winning show career. She was the first Gordon that I put points on as a puppy. On May 20, 2000, in Oshkosh, WI, Asti won a Best Puppy in Show. And...now many years later, Nana's gift to me has helped me to grow my line of Gordons and my show career has been quite successful. For those gifts, I will always be grateful.

Happy birthday, Nana!!

Also, I have to say happy birthday to two others also born on this day: Karyssa Bowman turns 18 today and my dog show client, Desiree Hamilton, also has a birthday!

It's a glorious day here in Wisconsin. So time for me to get some work done outside...because before long, the snow will be falling.

Enjoy your day!! I know I already am!!

Something to smile about...

So...let's see it's been a week since my last blog and no one has said "boo" to me about it. Guess if you don't do this regularly enough, they do keep away..... I thought if you build it, they will come....wait...that's a movie....

Yesterday, in the hail and rain, I took a trip to see Terrace Homes. I'm on this mission to sell my house, or sell the land around my house and build a new house where I live. I have lived there 23+ years and I kinda like it there. I don't kinda like the state of the house. It's an old farmhouse. Emphasis on OLD.

When I divorced, I said that by the time I'm 50, I'll build a new house. Well....I still have about a year and a half to accomplish that goal, but it's becoming my M.O. lately to check out possiblities.

The dogs are doing well. Coal and Twister just got their OFA certifications of GOOD!! Elbows are NORMAL. This is great for me as they will be part of my breeding program for years to come. They are the product of a frozen semen breeding to the father of my first Gordon Setter back in 1984.

I'm looking forward to a good and relaxing non-dog-vacation soon. I have a couple new places to check out when in MB, SC. I haven't been there since 2004 (a couple weeks prior to my divorce hearing). It should be a great time visiting with my two sisters, Mary and Ruth and my mom, Anne. It should be a lot of sun and fun and great family times, along with my "sister-like" friend. (Quote: optimistmom)

Today I stopped in at my old job to drop off some photos for my previous boss. I ran into the General Counsel there and he and I had a quick short visit in the hallway. The main comment I get from my former co-workers is how do I like my new job. Hmmmmm....I guess I like it fine. It's been almost 6 months. As everyone in my world knows, it's not my "perfect" job....but it'll do. It pays the bills and keeps my retirement going.

Then he said to me, that I looked great!!

Now that's something to really smile and grin about.

Yes...life is good and maybe it shows.