Time is Flying By!

Holy smokes it has been a while since I last fired up the old Live Writer program. Thought I better get at it before Microsoft shuts down Live Writer and I disappear into the ozone. Well it might not happen that quickly as Rick over there in Cowichan Bay tells us it might be a while and with these computers who knows how long a while might be.

When I last wrote Lacey and Alle Kitten were up in Edmonton in the Royal Alexandria hospital but since then they have moved a 120 miles closer to home and are in the Red Deer Regional Hospital. She is growing like a bad weed now and is up to 5 1/2 pounds. And is eating full bottles as of the last four feedings. Till now she has been only drinking part of a bottle and they have had to feed the rest of her quota to her through a feeding tube. Maybe now she has gotten enough strength together to consume the whole meal now.

Sleeping peacefully in Grandpa’s hat.

It is not only closer for Clayton and Ella to go visit now it is a lot closer for Grandma and I and we have been by a few times in the last couple of weeks. Lacey is staying at the Ronald McDonald House just across from the hospital. I guess I knew these places were around somewhere but never realized what a great place they are. The one in Red Deer is brand new and can house 11 families whose children are seriously ill and have no place close to stay. Each family has their own room, Lacey’s has two queen sized beds, and there are playrooms, reading rooms, and a central kitchen facility. Each family has a shelf in the fridge and a dry goods storage area to keep their own foodstuffs, and a few nights a week a group of volunteers come by and cook up some pretty scrumptious meals Lacey tells me. I noticed that there is no shortage of baking there for folks to munch on between meals. Each family has some chores to help keep the place neat and tidy and are responsible for a through cleaning of their private quarters when they leave. All in all a wonderful place and it sure gave me another perspective on the McDonalds corporation.

Other than visiting with Alle and Lacey we have been not doing much here but last weekend did head up to Kingman, Alberta to attend a clinic with Terry McKinney of the Wild Deuce Retreats and Outfitting organisation. Terri was showing us a few things she has observed over the years and we spent two days working with our horses in the round pen. Blue and I have a funny relationship where at times he thinks he is in charge. It became apparent the first day that he allows me a lot of latitude that he is not willing to extend to other mere mortals. He has a pretty dominant personality and appears to consider me as his equal, sometimes, but is not so considerate of other folks. That is changing. He was in the remedial class for much of the weekend and certainly gave us a look at a different kind of horse than some of the other better behaved and trained horses that were there. I left the weekend with a lot of homework to do and we have begun that here down the road from Dogpound.

Here Terri is initiating a chat with Blue.

I would be remiss if I didn’t bring you up to date on Meg’s progress also. She had a couple of weeks of bed rest and we are just now starting to let her move around herself although we still try to limit her to less athletic activities but those who know Meg know that is not an easy sell. Up at Kingman this weekend she was giving a clinic of her own to the McKinney’s border collies on the finer points of teaching humans to throw sticks, grass or almost anything she can bring to you. As you can see in the shot below she had an attentive audience.

We had hoped to get out to the Yaha Tinda for a few days of riding over the upcoming weekend but it looks like that will have to wait for a little while, but that will give us time to get some things done around Dogpound North like dragging the pastures and doing that homework that Blue and I have.

Here is a picture of Ella and her friend Laine at his birthday party last weekend.