Once again my sister faces having more radiation as her tumor in her lung has grown. They are stopping the chemo for now while they plan the radiation treatments.
Recently Joanne and Jane heard of a new way of treating lung cancer metastasis, it is called Cyberknife, It basically can radiate the area at higher does and leave the surrounding tissue alone. I have posted a link below if you wish to read about it. I just wish she didn't have to go through any of this, that she could have her life back , but I guess God has other plans for Joanne , fingers crossed she can get an appointment to see someone in Hamilton. I am not sure if there is much of a waiting list but I bet there is.
www.cyberknife.com
Monday, September 28, 2015
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Field Training
Yesterday Judy and I headed out to Keho Lake for a walk and some field training with our dogs. We had 7 dogs in total and they had a blast! We have been so lucky that the weather has been very warm for our first few days of fall !
I decided it was time to begin the off leash portion of our training. The next level Lync will be competing at is the WCI , or Working Certificate Intermediate. It is done all off leash and you need to have total control over your dog while he is off leash. This means walking up to the start and the dog cannot break and go for the birds until told to do so, easier said then done!! Flatcoats are so exuberant, and they love doing the fetching of the birds, so you really have to work at having them not break as it would be a failure in a test.
I took Lync from the van, asked him to heel and he heeled with me to the start and sat when I stopped, when the first bumper was thrown it was too close to Judy so she had to re throw it, Lync broke and started off for the bumper, I gave him firm NO! and he stopped dead in his tracks and sat back down, good boy!! After that he was right on, only going when he was told, I am so loving the field training!
Heres a short clip , it is a bit shaky as I was videoing and giving commands at the same time lol
I decided it was time to begin the off leash portion of our training. The next level Lync will be competing at is the WCI , or Working Certificate Intermediate. It is done all off leash and you need to have total control over your dog while he is off leash. This means walking up to the start and the dog cannot break and go for the birds until told to do so, easier said then done!! Flatcoats are so exuberant, and they love doing the fetching of the birds, so you really have to work at having them not break as it would be a failure in a test.
I took Lync from the van, asked him to heel and he heeled with me to the start and sat when I stopped, when the first bumper was thrown it was too close to Judy so she had to re throw it, Lync broke and started off for the bumper, I gave him firm NO! and he stopped dead in his tracks and sat back down, good boy!! After that he was right on, only going when he was told, I am so loving the field training!
Heres a short clip , it is a bit shaky as I was videoing and giving commands at the same time lol
Sunday, September 20, 2015
Happy Birthday to Me
Well it's arrived, my 55th birthday, even though I feel like 30 in my head, my body feels 55. Maybe I can get senior discounts now!
I spent the day alone except for the dogs, , I opened the 2 cards I had and read my birthday wishes on Facebook. It just isnt the same , its like no big deal anymore.
I took the dogs out to Keho Lake for a run , video follows the post, I had to add music as the wind was horrible sounding. Bought a bottle of wine as requested by my sister in law who tucked 20 dollars into my card, then came home and poured myself a glass. Brad woke up ready for work at about 3, we chatted a bit and then he left, I ate my birthday pie for supper with my wine ., the wine was good, the pie was gross, that'll teach me, anyway I figured I could eat anything I wanted on my Birthday so I did.
So that's about it, one more Birthday come and gone.
I spent the day alone except for the dogs, , I opened the 2 cards I had and read my birthday wishes on Facebook. It just isnt the same , its like no big deal anymore.
I took the dogs out to Keho Lake for a run , video follows the post, I had to add music as the wind was horrible sounding. Bought a bottle of wine as requested by my sister in law who tucked 20 dollars into my card, then came home and poured myself a glass. Brad woke up ready for work at about 3, we chatted a bit and then he left, I ate my birthday pie for supper with my wine ., the wine was good, the pie was gross, that'll teach me, anyway I figured I could eat anything I wanted on my Birthday so I did.
So that's about it, one more Birthday come and gone.
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Pre Birthday
Tomorrow is my birthday, I'll be 55, my husband is working so I'll have the day to myself.
I don't want my birthday to come, it reminds me of the fact that there will be no card from my mom, no phone call from her really early in the morning, waking me up with her voice saying, " I always forget you're 2 hours behind" It's a reminder that my cousin Judy died at the age of 42 on my Birthday .
I will try to do smething nice for myself, I've been thinking of going to the church around the corner from me , it scares me to go alone though, I shouldnt be scared, its just Church, but lately I have been feeling a pull to attend, to go back to my Faith.
I was on Facebook this morning and a random " game " came up, it was "what message does Jesus have for you", not even kidding, So I thought what the heck and clicked on it
Heres the message....
What you have lost -he has found
In him you find what you love and that which is eternally connected to you,
what his hand revels.
Maybe I will go to Church.,..
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
First Track
This morning Kort and I went out and tracked, well he tracked a straight line of 50 paces lol. We haven't been out for close to 2 years as I just couldn't get myself committed to going.
Recently a friend asked if anyone was interested in tracking with her and I jumped at the chance to have someone to go out with once again. The next thing we knew many others said they wanted to get involved and learn how to track their dogs, so we formed a little group .
Last night was our club meeting so we thought it would be a great time to get together before the meeting, seeing as it was at the College that's where we went. It was pouring rain so I left Kort at home thinking I would help those that needed help to get their dogs started. By the time we got to the College the rain had stopped, perfect weather for tracking!!
This morning the grass was still nice and moist so the conditions were ideal again. As soon as I put Kort's harness on he started whining, he knew we were going tracking. I let him follow my steps to the scent pad, once he got there he didn't even notice the food on the pad, he just stared straight ahead, he knew there was a track there. I put my hand down to show him the pad and a light bulb went off, he carried on going from step to step .
I had food in every step for about half way, then every 2nd or third, before the end of the track I didn't put any food down at all so he had to track about the last 4 steps to find the jackpot. I was very pleased with how he pulled into the harness never once raising his head up from the task at hand.
Now hopefully I will go at least twice a week, I will eventually be aging the tracks and adding distance and turns but today was all about building up his confidence again and I think I achieved that!
Here's our track from this morning......
Recently a friend asked if anyone was interested in tracking with her and I jumped at the chance to have someone to go out with once again. The next thing we knew many others said they wanted to get involved and learn how to track their dogs, so we formed a little group .
Last night was our club meeting so we thought it would be a great time to get together before the meeting, seeing as it was at the College that's where we went. It was pouring rain so I left Kort at home thinking I would help those that needed help to get their dogs started. By the time we got to the College the rain had stopped, perfect weather for tracking!!
This morning the grass was still nice and moist so the conditions were ideal again. As soon as I put Kort's harness on he started whining, he knew we were going tracking. I let him follow my steps to the scent pad, once he got there he didn't even notice the food on the pad, he just stared straight ahead, he knew there was a track there. I put my hand down to show him the pad and a light bulb went off, he carried on going from step to step .
I had food in every step for about half way, then every 2nd or third, before the end of the track I didn't put any food down at all so he had to track about the last 4 steps to find the jackpot. I was very pleased with how he pulled into the harness never once raising his head up from the task at hand.
Now hopefully I will go at least twice a week, I will eventually be aging the tracks and adding distance and turns but today was all about building up his confidence again and I think I achieved that!
Here's our track from this morning......
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Holiday Monday
Yesterday Judy and I met up with Nicole and Lloyd who drove up from Medicine Hat to visit. They are doing research on their next dog and the Flatcoat is on their list. They have always had Springers and English Cockers so a Flatcoat would be quite a change, for one they are much bigger, and 2 they have a tail, and the tail never stops wagging!
We went for a nice walk in the coulees , Kort and Ash came along as well, then we did some training .
When the walk was over we went to a little field to show our training, we did singles first, that is where the thrower just throws one bumper and we send our dog immediately to pick it up, pretty easy, they have to bring it in and sit at our side while holding the bumper
After everyone had a chance to do a single we tried a double, Lync is just learning the double. The thrower throws one bumper, the dog has to mark where it lands and remember as then the thrower turns and throws a second bumper. The second bumper is picked up first, then we send for the second bumper that hopefully the dog has marked and remembered where it has fallen, Lync aced it, such a good boy!
I never thought I would enjoy field work as much as I do but I just love it, it is fun and challenging and Lync loves it as well!!
A good way to spend the holiday !
We went for a nice walk in the coulees , Kort and Ash came along as well, then we did some training .
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| Lloyd with Lync |
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| The whole gang |
When the walk was over we went to a little field to show our training, we did singles first, that is where the thrower just throws one bumper and we send our dog immediately to pick it up, pretty easy, they have to bring it in and sit at our side while holding the bumper
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| Marking the bumper |
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| The send |
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| And we're off! |
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| Returning with the memory bumper, good boy!! |
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| My boy and I :) |
Sunday, September 6, 2015
Ash is 8 months!
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| 8 months watching birds |
Yesterday Ash turned 8 months old! Hard to believe isn't it!! I find I don't write much about him as he isn't in any classes or anything. I did take him to one puppy class and he was doing pretty well, but I am doing most of his training at home.
Having 3 dogs that are active and demanding of your attention is hard, with 2 dogs everything is easier from walking to putting crates in the van. It is hard to configure 3 crates in the van and even harder to walk 3 dogs that vary in speed while walking, as well as having different needs while walking. Ash is a zig zagger, he runs and dashes left and right all over the place, Lync pulls unless he is walking alone , then he is an angel, and Kort is perfect until he gets tired then he walks behind me , that presents its own challenges.
Even though I find it difficult with the 3 dogs rather then 2 I wouldn't change a thing, Ash is a kissy sweetheart and I am blessed to have him .
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| 8 months, not groomed |
Thursday, September 3, 2015
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