Christmas Present(s)

Christmas Time Is Here
Written by Vince Guaraldi, Lee Mendelson



Christmas time is here
Happiness and cheer
Fun for all that children call
Their favorite time of the year

Snowflakes in the air
Carols everywhere
Olden times and ancient rhymes
Of love and dreams to share

Sleigh bells in the air
Beauty everywhere
Yuletide by the fireside
And joyful memories there

Christmas time is here
We'll be drawing near
Oh, that we could always see
Such spirit through the year
Oh, that we could always see
Such spirit through the year...

It was 19 years ago today, that my first Gordon Setter, Ch. Kilernan’s Spice o’ My Life (Spice) whelped her second litter of puppies out of Ch. Kilernan Current Pursuit (Chase). There were 12 lovely puppers (to coincide with the 12 days of Christmas). One of them grew up to be Ch. Lord McKiggan of Amethyst, CGC (Kiggan). Kiggan’s family was tragically killed in a school bus, car and semi accident in 1996. Kiggan came back to live at Amethyst until he died in April of 2004. Another brother, McDougal who also earned his championship was a loving and handsome boy, too.

Today, I had taken my Twister (Ch. Amethyst’s Stormin’ Back ‘n Time) into the vet to see if she was pregnant by ultrasound. She had exhibited all the “signs” of being pregnant, but alas, she is not. No one is more disappointed than I am. She was bred to a NZ import who would fit perfectly into my breeding program. I am very hopeful that a repeat breeding can be done at the next heat cycle. Laurie Carlson (Flame’s owner) and I went up to Lomira for the not so successful ultrasound.

Last Thursday, I was diagnosed with pneumonia. The last few days have not been a lot of fun. I usually tend to go to the slew of new movies with my friend, Anne Schilling. However, Anne acknowledged that I was too sick to go…and she was correct. So being blessed with good friends and adequate sick leave, I rested. After a bad bout with the cough medicine I was given (it gave me the craziest, wildest dreams including being visited by the Ghost of Christmas present, blue goo running through the ceiling of the house indicating that the roof was leaking... and a wicked headache), I just tried to focus on the “present” and get some rest. The dogs knew I was sick and have been just wonderful and let me sleep. I am finally feeling much better.

The weather also gave us “presents” of lots of rain, ice, snow and blowing snow and drifts. Perhaps, I should quit naming puppies after weather elements!! Today I was able to do a little more shoveling to get into the kennels so that tomorrow on Christmas Day, I’ll be able to put them outside while I go to Mary and Scott’s for Christmas dinner.

For all of my friends who called me to acknowledge their “presence” in my life, I want to thank you. Anne, Gail, Laurie, Marte, Lou Ann, and Kristi did call checking up on me to make sure I was okay. Anne was so kind to have gotten me 80 pounds of dog food on Saturday morning before the bad weather hit. That was excellent.

I took Drifter and Asti out into the small kennel area to “find” the kennels. Asti and Drifter had so much fun trying to get my mittens off me….and Asti just wanted to kiss me and sniff me because I think she knew I had been sick and is my empath. Drifter managed to consume and have fun with the “poopsicles” that he’d bring me for “presents.” While shoveling, I reflected on the past few days and realized that while what I wanted for Christmas didn’t happen, but I have all of the dogs in good health and it was a successful show year as I have shared with you during 2007.

So as you all settle in for your Christmas Eve activities as we await for Christmas Day, 2007 I wish you all happiness and presents (whether they be physical, spiritual, emotional or practical).

As Linus Van Pelt said in his famous soliloquy in “Charlie Brown Christmas -1965” (without benefit of his blanket) the following timely words....a present unto all of us who will listen....

"Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Luke 2:8-14 (New King James Version)
New King James Version (NKJV)
Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Divorce-ary 2007

I had heard a friend mention that she referred to the anniversary of her divorce as a "divorce-ary."

Today, for me, is divorce-ary #3. It was 3 years ago today that I ended a 22+ year marriage. While the past three years have been exciting, challenging, sad, lonely and different, this marks a milestone in my life that means something to me.

I have most recently been reading a book entitled, "The Power of Now," by Eckhart Tolle. It's a book on spiritual enlightenment that was suggested to me by the person I had the most recent date with. I'll provide more info on that....but..it's nothing to write home about..I so want to write a book on, "How Not to Date...at 48."

Eckhart Tolle's book tells the reader how there only is the "now." The past and the future are the mind's way of causing us pain. While the book is actually very good and interesting to read; it took me back to college days and some of my philosophy courses and religion classes. While those are the "past" I do believe that to get to the "now" we have to have the past to make us who we are or who we have become. I'm not sure that it's truly Tolle's take on life and spiritual enlightenment.

2007 was a highly successful year for me with my dogs. The photos shown here were taken by my friend, Carol Ervin, Kalamazoo, Michigan with a Canon E0S20. The running shot (one of my faves) is River making his final "go-round" before the judge selected him as the Best in Show Speciality winner. The other photo that Carol captured shows that "ribbon" that I won and how truly exciting a moment this was for me as a dog show owner, handler and breeder (I did not breed River, but I do breed other Gordons...)





River had such a list of accolades....I may make that a different post...but this speciality was one of those highlights.

What was accomplished in 2007 is truly something to be proud of.

To all of my canine and emotional support people along the way, thank you all!!

Could this be it?

It's been a long time since I have posted. Work and the dogs have kept me occupied. I'll try to write more about those things in the next several days. I actually had a "date" last week. More on that later, too. Don't hold your breath. It was a bust.

Down the street from my office in Madison, someone is building a new home. The home is a manufactured home (similar to the Dickinson Homes, Inc. that I love). The company putting up this home is called Extreme Structures. It's a panelized type home and looks cool. Tall cathedral type walls that would look perfect with a stained glass window or two in it. I decided to look up the company online and was looking through their home designs and found this one.

I LOVE this home. It keeps the "uniqueness" of what I have here....it's got the master bedroom and bath on the first floor. The two decks and a second story....for resale value. The only thing is that I may need to cut a little square footage out...but I am loving this place.

I have been thinking so much about building now. I know the economy sucks. I know that I will have to sell my land. I also know that it will cost a lot of money to do. But I'm really wanting to build and I need to get the plans in order now.

Could this be it?

Time will tell.

BBGOTL - December 2007

My sister, Mary and I have had this little saying from awhile ago....I thought I was being cute and said to her:

Blog, Blog get off the log.

I'm off....tag...you're it.