Built by, Snow in Willis and Other Stuff

I was suppose to post a blog on Monday, at least that is what I told my mother. As you can see it is now Friday and finally I am getting something up on the blog. I got sick. What ever is going around I got it. When you work in a school of 700 boys, you are going to get something from them. I went to work feeling sick on Monday and was out sick from work both Tuesday and Wednesday. Dragged my self back to work on Thursday and today I sort of feel okay, not totally well, but better. Thank god tomorrow is Saturday and I can get some more rest.

My dad made a dresser to fit in my closet, just like the one he had made for Ken's closet. They are really great because the master bedroom looks less cluttered with the dressers in the closets. Below is the dresser dad made for me, Dad signed it and this time his talented assistant, Joan Burgess aka Mom signed her own name! My lunatic brother was nice enough to bring the dresser over to the house this past Saturday. Thanks Jimmy, hope those shock treatments in the ice baths kick in! lol

My Dresser

Assisted by Joan N Burgess

Thanks Dad and Mom!!!!

Below are some photos from our "snow storm" that came through Willis on Tuesday the 23rd. Back in early December when Houston had all that snow, we had next to none in Willis even though we are an hour north of Houston. This time we got nice snow fall even though it did not stick very much. Yes, I realize that I was sick and should not have been out in the snow, but I just had to get some pictures of what is probably the only time we will ever have snow.

This photo was taken from our front porch.

This is Ch Seuss (left) and Ikon (almost a Ch) watching me take pictures of the snow.

Snow falling in our woods

Magic walking ahead of me. He has snow on his coat.

A not so happy Magic, not a snow fan.

Evil Evie with snow on her coat.

Another picture of the Evil One.

The birds did not care that it was snowing. They wanted food!

Ch Kane is a yankee dog. He came from Michigan so he felt right at home with the snow.

As you can see for all the snow fall, not much stuck on the ground

You can see a little snow in our woods

It snowed until around 2am on Wednesday the 24th and then it moved on out. Wednesday was 50 degrees and beautiful sun. No place but Texas!

Sunday

Ken and I invited over his daughter and Ken's BFF for a early Dinner on Sunday. Amy's birthday was Friday the 12th and we wanted fix her dinner and a birthday cake. She is now 24 years old! Gary, Ken's friend and partner in crime, was by himself on Valentine's day since his wife Jane was in New York for the Westminster Dog Show, so it was only right that he come over also. At least through the Westminster show Gary and Ken co own a German Shepherd bitch, Stormy, who took an award of merit on Monday. Best of Breed went to Jimmy Moses like it does year after year after year after year after year and so on. I think there was only 1 or two times he show a shepherd where he did not win. Not sour grapes folks, just facts. Ken made spaghetti and garlic bread while I made the salad with spinach, two types of lettuce, red cabbage, tomatoes, carrots and radishes. Onions are to strong to use this time of year. I got Danish Blue Cheese crumbles and croutons to add to the salad. The whole meal was great. As it turned out Gary had unexpected company and had to arrive several hours late, so Ken, Amy and I ate and then fixed a plate for Gary when he got there later. I think this was kind of like our first sort of dinner party. :-)


Table being set.
Birthday girl, Amy.

My husband Ken with that deer in the head lights look!

Amy and Ken with her cute little chocolate ganache cake.

And last but not least, hereeeeeees Gary!

Greatest Show on Earth

I think it is time to meet the German Shepherds! Off and on I will be blogging about our wonderful dogs, those we have now and those who have left us. I think we will start with Behrens formally known as Greatest Show on Earth of Edan OFA Hips and Elbows. Behrens is the oldest of my dogs. He will turn 11 in March of this year. Ken drove to Michigan to pick him up from our friend Ann (www.edangsd.com )......I think it was in 2002. His sire was Yeah Right of Edan (a son of the 1993 Grand Victor Ch Bethesda's Earth of Jada-Edan) out of Covy Tucker Hill's Ms Morgan OFA, ROM. Behrens is the sire of the 2003 BOS NE Futurity CH Walk the Walk of Edan and UKC CH Witch N Famous of Riata Edan. He is also the sire of our Moka, Witch Witch Witch of Riata Edan, who we lost the day after Christmas to cancer. Moka was an International Puppy Champion and had points towards her AKC championship when she decided that being in the show ring was not what she wanted! :-) Anyway, back to Behrens. He is such a funny, funny dog, always happy and always ready for a good meal and his treats! He loves the new place and wants to explore on his own, which I will let him do as soon as we get the fence up on the one side of the property that needs it. That will be started in March. Below are photos of our Behrens.


This is Behrens about a month ago. He was laying in Magic's bed and as you can see he was starting to fall asleep!

This is a custom Caricature of Behrens by Mike McCartney. Ann and I always said that if Behrens was human, he would be a surfer dude. Food and girls are what he likes in that order!! You can check out some of McCartney's great stuff at: www.mccartneydogs.com

This is a teenage Behrens at his Futurity (Breeders Showcase of upcoming dogs)

A more mature Behrens going Reserve Winners at a major show. Such a handsome boy.

Another show picture of Behrens going Winner's Dog and Best of Winners. Look at that smile!

This photo is from Glen Rose when we first got Behrens. That's JD Baker who was stacking him for this photo. Another great smile from my boy.

This is Behrens at our old house in Houston, he gets lazy and cocks that right ear over, but it gives him character.

My goofy boy chasing a ball. He chases them but he does not retrieve them.

Another photo of Behrens at our old house.

The next two photos are Behrens in the old Suburban. I was getting dog food out of the truck and when I came back there was Behrens inside the vehicle. He wanted to make sure I got all the food out.

Behrens and his dad at the old house. He can be such a lover boy.

We just love this guy so much. Thank you Behrens for sharing your life with us.

More of This and That

Sorry its been so long since I last blogged. Life sometimes gets in the way of blogging. :-) Everything is going pretty okay here. My husband called me this past Wednesday (I was at work) and said that there were 15 does where we put out the corn outside our dining room windows. We have never had that many does eating at our house. Our herd has always consisted of 7. When I got home, Ken was putting out more food and we could see the does waiting in our woods for him to get finished. As soon as we went into the house, here they came again, but this time there was only 9. Still what a wonderful sight, they are very beautiful and it is so much fun to watch them. Can't wait until the spring when this crop of babies arrive.

My husband is off in East Texas today, his great aunt died this past Thursday and the funeral was today at 3 pm. He said she had taught him fishing when he was a child and he wanted to be there. He will be home tomorrow about mid day.

Mom had to have another hernia surgery this past Tuesday. I think that is the 3rd or 4th she has had to have in the past 3 or 4 years. This time they put in some mesh, so hopefully she won't be dealing with another hernia in that location.

I got our taxes done today and we are not going to have to pay a pot load of money to the IRS like we thought we would. When Ken retired we took out money from a Drop Fund (a supplemental retirement fund that firefighters have) to buy this house. He also got money for all of his sick and vacation time, which we used to build the kennel building for our German Shepherds. Even though taxes were taken out of those moneys, we just knew that we were going to owe big time. But we don't and we are so thrilled. After we take out money to pay about 4500 in taxes we will be able to take out a little more to put up the fencing we need on 2 sides of our 4 and a half acres along with a solar controled gate. My deck off my dining room will have to be postponed for a few years. :-( We will need to rebuild the interest in that account for at least 3 years.

Knock on wood, the dogs are doing well. Ikon just needs a major show (3 point show or better) to finish her championship. She is now blowing coat and will come in season. As soon as she finishes and comes back in coat, we will be entering her in some shows that will hopefully turn out to be majors. Evie (Trouble in Paradise v Riata) is coming back in coat after blowing hers even though she has not come in season yet. She has 6 points with 1 major show win , so she need another major win along with filling out her points to 15. Evie picked up her first major at 12 months of age and will turn 2 on March 17th. We are very proud of both of these girls.

I am sure there is more news that I should post, but it almost 7pm and I need to go and bring in my Behrens who will be 11 years old at the end of March. He is the sire of champions and my Moka who I lost the day after christmas(2009) at the age of 5. Moka will be the mother of champions as soon as her evil daugher, Evie and her two brothers, Trouble and Angelus finish their championships.

Have a safe and wonderful weekend, everyone!