Changing

Pollyanna is nearly double the size she was when I brought her home!  Good thing she doesn't need carried much anymore.  I don't think her legs will ever be normal, but she is using them a little more each day the way they are.  A little more walking, a little less scooting.  And she's getting pretty fast too!

I think her ears might stand up eventually.

First 5k

It's late June and I finally ran my first 5k of the year (other than the color "run").  In fact, the only other races I've run this year were a 10k in Feb and the half-marathon in April.  And we didn't run particularly hard in the 10k as we had dogs with us.  So this was really my first "racing" race of the year.  And I wasn't expecting much based on my recent mileage (both quantity and quality).  But running most of those miles on the hilly roads near the house must have counted for something because I managed a 25:28 which was much better than I expected.

The race was the Duck Waddle here in Ozark where they have traditionally given watermelon or candy instead of medals or trophies.  This the first year for trophies, and the first year I didn't win my division. I took second place-just three seconds behind first.  But after a 7:45 last mile I couldn't complain.  That was the best I could do!  But it inspired me to think I can do even better once I start getting in more and better training.  Which may or may not happen-just never know.  All we can do is keep trying.

Summer in Missouri

I took this photo the other day while I was running to show Nadin what summer was like where we live.  I then had to explain hay bales to her.

I used an app on my phone to make it look like this, which according to facebook was the more popular version.  It does look cool. It almost faded out the telephone pole. I really need to take the pole and lines out of the color one, it will look better.

The last lilies

These are the last of my lilies to bloom.  They have been very pretty but don't last long enough.  I do have quite a few things still blooming in my pots so the house looks plenty colorful.

In other news I have a few busy weeks of work and then will be off to Boston for a CE conference and chance to visit with my New England friend who scored us a free room since she now works for a major drug company.

And in just eight short weeks Nadin arrives from Egypt.  We are all very excited.  We have gotten to spend a lot of time online getting to know her and feel really lucky to have picked her.  Hopefully all goes well come August.

Legend continues to plug away at nosework, Lyric is enjoying pet therapy, Zodiac seems happy, but old.  Polly goes up on Petfinder soon.  Wish us luck.  Twix has grown up, but still acts silly.

And Sundae has become even more beautiful now that her coat is long and full and healthy.  But I don't have any good recent pictures of her. She will have to have a turn later.

Summer ponies

Squirt is such a handsome boy

 And Socks is the cutest pony ever.  It's so hard to get a picture of him because he's usually following me around poking me for cookies.

 Pony selfie.

 And most of Squirt's face.  He wanted it to be artistic I guess.

The barn crew

Little Twist spent most of the fall and winter, and a good part of the spring sitting in various windowsills in protest of being booted outside.  It rained, it snowed, it stormed, and still she sat in the windows.  We felt somewhat sorry for her, but she's the one who chose to leave the nice warm barn and sit in the elements.  But finally, with spring and summer and all the rodents that come with it she began to embrace her freedom as an outdoor cat.  She has grown into a sweet, sleek, petite little hunter.  She must not bigger than 5 or 6 pounds but she whoops up on our big old boy cats every day.  We are happy to see that she seems to be enjoying life now.  And while she does still visit the windowsills some she also lounges in the yard and driveway, as well at the barn and the deck.  She frequently explores the yard and hunts in the pasture keeping the local mouse and rabbit population under control.

Barney seems to have accepted the situation

Lefty not so much.

Pollyanna update

In just two weeks Pollyanna has learned to walk, run and go up stairs.  She is still a little weak and wobbly, and will resort to scooting when she gets tired.  She also still occasionally knuckles over on her left foot but is doing much better.  Her biggest issue is that she wants to keep her left leg locked at the knee which makes for an awkward gait.  She always has her leg straight when she sits and lays down which compounds the muscle tightness that helps her keep it locked when in use.  I do a lot of range of motion exercises with her to try and keep it loose and encourage bending in the right direction.  Because she has improved so much already I'm hopeful that this issue will resolve as well.  But I guess even if it doesn't, she is still pretty functional.

She is also getting the idea of crate and house-breaking.  And she rides great in the car because I haul her to work with me everyday!  Which is also good for socialization.  She loves toys, but also shoes.  She is a good eater and likes treats and nylabones to chews on.  She wants to kiss all the other dogs and cats but they don't really appreciate it.

Now she just needs to start finding a home!  I mean really, who can resist this face?  Oh, and she has also gained 5 lbs-so I'm glad she's able to walk more and not need carried everywhere!

GOAL Trial #1

Because we are a bit crazy our NADAC club decided to host two trials this summer, approximately 1 month apart.  This weekend was the first of those two.  By all accounts it seemed to go pretty smoothly and we only had 8 fewer runs than our regular July trial last year.  So if our July trial is as popular this year as it typically is, then the club should do quite well!

Since we decided to do a worker raffle only and just use club money to buy gift cards for prizes, the raffle organization was a snap.  This left me free to pick up the job of chief ring steward.  I must say, between set-up, tear down, keeping three dogs walked and watered, doing 20 runs, socializing the puppy and keeping volunteers rounded up I barely had time to enjoy myself!  Next trial I should have a lighter (slightly) work load.  But I did tell our president and trial chair I could only commit to one trial next year.  I don't  want to be stuck giving up another three day weekend working my butt off for other to people to have fun while I'm wishing i was sleeping in or at a nosework trial!

Anyway, the dogs did pretty well. Lyric ended up 4/8 with an especially killer tunnelers run. And Legend went 6/12 but failed to get a TNG Q which means we will be one, if not two short for champs.  Fortunately you can typically get in without all the points.

Polly was a big hit, but didn't get adopted.  She is doing better and better all the time.  She met lots of new friends and had a really great time.  

Photoshop and flowers

Had fun trying out some different effects.  Endless possibilities...

 And Barney thinks the bird bath has the best water.

Along Came Polly

Actually, along came Cleo, but we'll get to that.

When I got to work Thursday I saw on the treatment board that we had taken in an owner surrender rescue dog.  When I asked about it the girls said it was paralyzed in the hind end and I assumed a Dachshund.  But in reality it was a puppy who had been left for an unknown amount of time in a crate outside in the rain.  With no one to help her she took matters into her own  hands and tried to escape.  But got stuck.  We don't know how long she was trapped but when she arrived at the vet clinic she was pretty much unable to move her hind end at all.

When I went to look at "Cleo" I found it was not just any puppy, but a happy, playful, toy-loving, everything-kissing black and white puppy who was cute as can be.  And partially paralyzed.

We had not really planned on having a foster dog for awhile, with our exchange student Nadin arriving in just a few months we figured we would have a full enough house.  But this pup needed physical therapy and exercise to help her if she was going to recover.  Spending almost 24 hours a day in a cage at the clinic with limited time for people to work with her was a good way to wind up permanently crippled and euthanized.

So I packed her up and took her home.  On  the way home I decided she needed a new name for her new start in life and "Pollyanna" seemed a perfect fit.

She has made a bit of progress since she's been here.  She moves her left leg more than her right but can move both if she wants to.  If there is good traction she will make some walking motions and even try standing although she mostly always still has her feet knuckled over.  But when she sits she is starting to flip them over more often.  Other than that she is a normal, sassy, playful puppy.  Loves toys, soft beds and playing with other dogs.  Also chewing.  On hands, toes, feet, whatever she can reach.  And of course she is ridiculously cute.  Hopefully she continues to make progress, even if it's slow, to a full recovery and finds a great home!

Sniffin

I know Nosework pictures are not as fun as agility pictures, but get used to it!  Here are some from the last trial.

Good girl!!