We've had a fun filled weekend, complete with several doggie walks and play dates in the park. Today, Mr. K and I took part of the day for ourselves, and each other really, and it was really nice.
We started with a quick bite to eat at the cafe and then headed over to a local shopping centre, or mall as we North Americans call it. Mr. K was due an update with his mobile, or cell phone for those of us from across the pond, and so I stopped off in a coffee shop to wait for him while he went off to the phone store. I knew it would probably be a long and tedious process and thought my time would be better spent consuming coffee and sitting down at a table as opposed to listening to two men go on and on about their love for anything electronic. Thankfully I opted for the coffee as Mr. K's switch over took two hours. I had run out of coffee within the first 45 minutes, but really didn't want to drink more. I had had a cup at the cafe and two cups of coffee is pushing it for me. Not to mention, I had to pee and adding more coffee to that equation was a bad idea.
Even though Nala and I work well together, if I don't know where something is that I need then she can't get me there. Plus, I was worried that if I got up and went off in search of the bathrooms, Mr. K would return and panic because he wouldn't have known where I had gone. So, I sat for two hours listening to the conversations around me and all of the noises of a busy mall on a mid-Monday morning. Have you ever done that? There are some crazy sounds that made me stop and go "what are they doing and why?" Several times I heard someone behind the counter in the coffee shop scooping large amounts of ice out of something and dumping it into something else. I think this is why I ask "why" all of the time. If you think about it, I only ever get half of the story. For example, I heard plenty of women walk by in high heeled shoes. However, I didn't get to know what kind of shoes, what colour, how high, if I liked them Etc. There are a lot of things like that, like the ice scooping, where I only get some information and have to figure out the rest for myself. Sometimes it's fun, but other times I'd just like to know what's going on. And, that is why, I have decided, I ask why all of the time.
When Mr. K did come back, we decided that we were both hungry and went off in search of lunch. We found ourselves two floors up and at the movie theatre. We found out what was playing and decided that an afternoon watching the second Star Trek movie and eating hot dogs was in order. I'm not much of a Star Trek fan, but I think the movies are fabulous. I enjoyed the second movie so much that I would be willing to go see it in theatres again. There was just enough explosions mixed in with dialogue and humour to keep it interesting.
After our very relaxing afternoon which Nala behaved beautifully through, we stopped in at Boots, a sort of Drug Martesk store, so I could buy a new brush. Then, it was home again, home again jiggedy jig as Hermione and Otis definitely needed out by that point.
Back on the farm, it was feeding time for all four fuzzy creatures and then Carmen and I took all four beasties for a nice romp in the park to make up for the puppies being crated all afternoon. All four dogs were quite happy to get out and stretch their legs. Nala didn't necessarily need to go as she went yesterday and worked all day today, but I couldn't leave her at home while everyone else got to go for a run.
Our spontaneous afternoon out was just what I needed. Losing myself in the world of Hollywood for a few hours and just relaxing with Mr. K was re-energising in many ways. It made coming home to feed four hungry beasts and walk four wild and crazy beasts enjoyable and something I was looking forward to. Not that I don't enjoy spending time with my dogs, but there are definitely days when I need more Mr. K time than furry creature. :)
Monday, May 13, 2013
Thursday, May 09, 2013
A Little Perspective
Most days things kind of run at hurricane speed around here. Poor Mr. K is always telling me to slow down or sit down. He says I'm going to give myself a heart attack. The man's got a point. Going through guide dog school for this third time, with a new school and obviously a new dog who needs different things from me in order to do her job, is also driving this lesson home.
Yesterday a friend of mine sent me a link to her blog. She kept a daily account of her experiences when in training for, what I think, is her fourth dog. She was attending a new school that she had done a lot of research into and she and her new set of eyeballs graduated last August. Despite my new guide dog coming into my life nearly seven months later, a lot of what she wrote about rang true with me and also gave me a new perspective on the whole working with a dog thing. She also was able to put a lot of things into words that I've never been able to. Her writing was actually quite candid and I give her props for that. When I attempted to keep track of my training days with Nala, I think most of my posts focused primarily on the technical side of things and kind of omitted much of the emotional turmoil that getting a new guide dog causes. I took a lot of things from reading her experiences, but the two things that really struck a chord with me were her thank you letter to her dog's puppy raiser and how she struggled to switch from one handling style to another.
The first thing I did when I was finished reading her blog was send my instructor a heart felt thank you email. I can't remember really telling him exactly how grateful I was to him and the work he did. He hasn't responded, so I may have made him feel awkward, but it was really important for me to tell him thank you.
Secondly, I really thought hard about how the handling of guide dogs has changed since I was first matched with Jetta in 2002. I realised that some of the issues Nala and I are having are because I haven't let go of these more assertive handling tendencies. I mentally swore to myself, and in writing now I guess, that I would work harder to really think about my handling style and really try to implement the changes that the trainer here had taught me. I had learned some of these new techniques when I went back for retraining with Glacier, but I didn't realise just how much I had held on to from my Jetta days that is probably standing in the way of Nala and I becoming a well oiled machine.
In some regards, I have to give us both a break in that we have only been a working team for two months. It's difficult to remember that sometimes and I get frustrated wen we make mistakes. Those little errors will work themselves out with time as long as I stick to the ways that the trainer taught me to work with Nala. I'm not saying that Nala and I are having any sort of big problems, because we're not, but I think I'm a bit over sensitive to a missed cue or a wrong turn because of the issues I had with Glacier. I'm so worried that Nala and I are going to turn into that mess that I don't give either of us enough credit.
What's also difficult is that Nala and I did not go through hardly any growing pains in class. I am used to that happening and have been basically holding my breath since we got home, waiting for the wheels to fall off. I didn't realise I was doing this and since recognising my thought process, thanks to my read last night, I've been trying to alter my thinking patterns.
Today when we walked to the gym, I made a conscious effort to stay plugged in, so to speak, and pay attention to what was going on. I also monitored my voice inflection and response to things that Nala did and realised that I had been using a louder speaking voice before and praising her way too excitedly. I had to be Glacier's cheerleader for four years which was something we talked about in class. The trainer had to keep reminding me to watch my voice and since he's not around anymore, I think my voice was slowly increasing in pitch. On the way to the gym, I kept my voice calm and praised appropriately. Of course I said "good job" in a happy voice, but it's sort of a quiet "I've got a secret that I'm only sharing with you" voice. It's so different from what I had been used to before. I also made a conscious decision to pay close attention to my body position when approaching curbs and to focus really hard on my foot positions.
With both of my previous dogs, when they stopped at the curb you did too. It's the same with Nala, but because of the style of the harness being different here, you have to move up beside her shoulder yourself, whereas, my previous harnesses kept you at the dog's shoulder. So, the extra maneuver by you wasn't necessary. I thought I had been doing this, but I don't think I was doing it soon enough for Nala. She really takes a cue from you moving up to her shoulder and all of her crossings were spot on. In fact, the trip to the gym was amazing. I would say it was flawless. I literally was fighting back tears as I headed into the building. Her speed was fantastic-she didn't need any encouragement from me. Her crossings were exactly right and she was very confident. It was so reassuring to do that route correctly and at her high walking speed as well. The trip back wasn't as magical, but it was still good.
Nala's never been a fan of return trips. I think she enjoys working so much that she just tries to do everything she can to keep going. Most return trips from the gym she tries to take me to a pub that we go to sometimes, Asda and the cafe by our flat. She also walks at a snail's pace and is very unfocused. Today though, I focused really hard on my voice on the way back, even though I was exhausted from running six kilometres, and tried to position myself correctly at curbs as well. I've gone, as they say, back to the basics. Most of our trip home was fine, but at one point, somehow we ended up diagonally crossing. Diagonal crosses always freak me out because it means you have put yourself into the intersection. I think this crossing may have been my mistake as I think I angled us the wrong way to cross the street. None of the crossings on the way to the gym are straight and so it's not surprising that we crossed wrong. I knew the mistake as soon as it happened and in hindsight, I should have directed her back to the side of the street we should have been on, but my brain panicked and I just kept walking to the wrong corner, thinking I was closer to that curb than the one on the other side. Once there, we picked up our line of travel again and reached a crossing where, on the way to the gym, I would have Nala find the pole so I could push the button. She went to find the pole, but I didn't want to reward her for finding it this time since we approached it wrong. I didn't want her to think that crossing diagonally was a short cut and that she still got treated for finding the pole on the way home. So, I kind of steered her left without realising that the sidewalk opens up right there and we were on our way to Asda.
I knew where we were, but I didn't know how to get us out. There are a bunch of little criss crossing roads/driveways/parking lots and I wasn't sure how to direct her to get us home. Not to mention, there were three giant dogs barking at each other over by the entrance and she was definitely distracted by the commotion. Instead of flailing about and confusing us both more, and frustrating us both more, I had her sit so that I could collect my thoughts. I also hoped that someone would come by so I could ask them to direct us out. Fortunately, someone did come along and the funny thing is that they were actually two Canadians on holiday. It made me miss home so much just talking to them.. Anyway, long story short, my time out helped me calm down and push the ridiculous panic back down that was starting to take over and the nice Canadian couple helped me get back on track.
After we returned to our correct line of travel, everything was smooth sailing. She found the pole I needed to cross the street and turned nicely on to our street. Her pace was still a bit slow, but quicker than it has been on previous trips home. I kept reminding myself to use my calm quiet voice and it seemed to help. Now that I'm aware that one spot is an issue for us, I can be aware of it next time and make sure we don't go wandering down the wrong path.
Despite there being a glitch on the way back, I am still really glad we went to to the gym this afternoon. We had one magic walk and one good walk that taught us a few things. It gave me a chance to practice being calm and collected when I was stressed out and I think it helped mine and Nala's working relationship in the long run. I know the day will come when neither of us will have to think so much when just trying to get to the gym and those magic walks will be nearly every single one. However, sometimes if you don't have the mistake walks, or the learning ones as I like to call them, you never really get the full impact of the true beauty in the ones that go oh so perfectly. I'm still on a bit of a high from our trip to the gym.
So, basically, what I'm trying to say in a very long and round about way is that, I really do need to slow down a bit, exercise some patience and embrace the newness of this whole experience. Nala really needs a handler who has her head on straight and when I'm rushing about, usually panicking and thinking about everything else except for what I'm actually doing, then she doesn't get that, and really that's not fair to her. We will be a better working team int the long run if I cut us both a bit of slack now and then and really focus on working together.
Thanks to Nala, Mr. K and my friend for putting things a little more into perspective.
Yesterday a friend of mine sent me a link to her blog. She kept a daily account of her experiences when in training for, what I think, is her fourth dog. She was attending a new school that she had done a lot of research into and she and her new set of eyeballs graduated last August. Despite my new guide dog coming into my life nearly seven months later, a lot of what she wrote about rang true with me and also gave me a new perspective on the whole working with a dog thing. She also was able to put a lot of things into words that I've never been able to. Her writing was actually quite candid and I give her props for that. When I attempted to keep track of my training days with Nala, I think most of my posts focused primarily on the technical side of things and kind of omitted much of the emotional turmoil that getting a new guide dog causes. I took a lot of things from reading her experiences, but the two things that really struck a chord with me were her thank you letter to her dog's puppy raiser and how she struggled to switch from one handling style to another.
The first thing I did when I was finished reading her blog was send my instructor a heart felt thank you email. I can't remember really telling him exactly how grateful I was to him and the work he did. He hasn't responded, so I may have made him feel awkward, but it was really important for me to tell him thank you.
Secondly, I really thought hard about how the handling of guide dogs has changed since I was first matched with Jetta in 2002. I realised that some of the issues Nala and I are having are because I haven't let go of these more assertive handling tendencies. I mentally swore to myself, and in writing now I guess, that I would work harder to really think about my handling style and really try to implement the changes that the trainer here had taught me. I had learned some of these new techniques when I went back for retraining with Glacier, but I didn't realise just how much I had held on to from my Jetta days that is probably standing in the way of Nala and I becoming a well oiled machine.
In some regards, I have to give us both a break in that we have only been a working team for two months. It's difficult to remember that sometimes and I get frustrated wen we make mistakes. Those little errors will work themselves out with time as long as I stick to the ways that the trainer taught me to work with Nala. I'm not saying that Nala and I are having any sort of big problems, because we're not, but I think I'm a bit over sensitive to a missed cue or a wrong turn because of the issues I had with Glacier. I'm so worried that Nala and I are going to turn into that mess that I don't give either of us enough credit.
What's also difficult is that Nala and I did not go through hardly any growing pains in class. I am used to that happening and have been basically holding my breath since we got home, waiting for the wheels to fall off. I didn't realise I was doing this and since recognising my thought process, thanks to my read last night, I've been trying to alter my thinking patterns.
Today when we walked to the gym, I made a conscious effort to stay plugged in, so to speak, and pay attention to what was going on. I also monitored my voice inflection and response to things that Nala did and realised that I had been using a louder speaking voice before and praising her way too excitedly. I had to be Glacier's cheerleader for four years which was something we talked about in class. The trainer had to keep reminding me to watch my voice and since he's not around anymore, I think my voice was slowly increasing in pitch. On the way to the gym, I kept my voice calm and praised appropriately. Of course I said "good job" in a happy voice, but it's sort of a quiet "I've got a secret that I'm only sharing with you" voice. It's so different from what I had been used to before. I also made a conscious decision to pay close attention to my body position when approaching curbs and to focus really hard on my foot positions.
With both of my previous dogs, when they stopped at the curb you did too. It's the same with Nala, but because of the style of the harness being different here, you have to move up beside her shoulder yourself, whereas, my previous harnesses kept you at the dog's shoulder. So, the extra maneuver by you wasn't necessary. I thought I had been doing this, but I don't think I was doing it soon enough for Nala. She really takes a cue from you moving up to her shoulder and all of her crossings were spot on. In fact, the trip to the gym was amazing. I would say it was flawless. I literally was fighting back tears as I headed into the building. Her speed was fantastic-she didn't need any encouragement from me. Her crossings were exactly right and she was very confident. It was so reassuring to do that route correctly and at her high walking speed as well. The trip back wasn't as magical, but it was still good.
Nala's never been a fan of return trips. I think she enjoys working so much that she just tries to do everything she can to keep going. Most return trips from the gym she tries to take me to a pub that we go to sometimes, Asda and the cafe by our flat. She also walks at a snail's pace and is very unfocused. Today though, I focused really hard on my voice on the way back, even though I was exhausted from running six kilometres, and tried to position myself correctly at curbs as well. I've gone, as they say, back to the basics. Most of our trip home was fine, but at one point, somehow we ended up diagonally crossing. Diagonal crosses always freak me out because it means you have put yourself into the intersection. I think this crossing may have been my mistake as I think I angled us the wrong way to cross the street. None of the crossings on the way to the gym are straight and so it's not surprising that we crossed wrong. I knew the mistake as soon as it happened and in hindsight, I should have directed her back to the side of the street we should have been on, but my brain panicked and I just kept walking to the wrong corner, thinking I was closer to that curb than the one on the other side. Once there, we picked up our line of travel again and reached a crossing where, on the way to the gym, I would have Nala find the pole so I could push the button. She went to find the pole, but I didn't want to reward her for finding it this time since we approached it wrong. I didn't want her to think that crossing diagonally was a short cut and that she still got treated for finding the pole on the way home. So, I kind of steered her left without realising that the sidewalk opens up right there and we were on our way to Asda.
I knew where we were, but I didn't know how to get us out. There are a bunch of little criss crossing roads/driveways/parking lots and I wasn't sure how to direct her to get us home. Not to mention, there were three giant dogs barking at each other over by the entrance and she was definitely distracted by the commotion. Instead of flailing about and confusing us both more, and frustrating us both more, I had her sit so that I could collect my thoughts. I also hoped that someone would come by so I could ask them to direct us out. Fortunately, someone did come along and the funny thing is that they were actually two Canadians on holiday. It made me miss home so much just talking to them.. Anyway, long story short, my time out helped me calm down and push the ridiculous panic back down that was starting to take over and the nice Canadian couple helped me get back on track.
After we returned to our correct line of travel, everything was smooth sailing. She found the pole I needed to cross the street and turned nicely on to our street. Her pace was still a bit slow, but quicker than it has been on previous trips home. I kept reminding myself to use my calm quiet voice and it seemed to help. Now that I'm aware that one spot is an issue for us, I can be aware of it next time and make sure we don't go wandering down the wrong path.
Despite there being a glitch on the way back, I am still really glad we went to to the gym this afternoon. We had one magic walk and one good walk that taught us a few things. It gave me a chance to practice being calm and collected when I was stressed out and I think it helped mine and Nala's working relationship in the long run. I know the day will come when neither of us will have to think so much when just trying to get to the gym and those magic walks will be nearly every single one. However, sometimes if you don't have the mistake walks, or the learning ones as I like to call them, you never really get the full impact of the true beauty in the ones that go oh so perfectly. I'm still on a bit of a high from our trip to the gym.
So, basically, what I'm trying to say in a very long and round about way is that, I really do need to slow down a bit, exercise some patience and embrace the newness of this whole experience. Nala really needs a handler who has her head on straight and when I'm rushing about, usually panicking and thinking about everything else except for what I'm actually doing, then she doesn't get that, and really that's not fair to her. We will be a better working team int the long run if I cut us both a bit of slack now and then and really focus on working together.
Thanks to Nala, Mr. K and my friend for putting things a little more into perspective.
Wednesday, May 08, 2013
Dog Lover (Maybe) Turned Cat Fancier
We got the email. It's really happening now. On Thursday May 16th we will be taking the train to go and pick up our newest family member. I feel like I type that a lot: our family always seems to be growing. This time, however, it's not a dog. Nope. We're getting our Siberian kitten. His official name is Witchfyre Rudolph Valentino, but I think we may just call him Rudolph, or perhaps something a bit shorter. There are photos of him and the rest of his litter on the Witchfyre website which I would link to, but ever since Blogger changed its format I can't post photos or links when using a screen reader. He was born February 14, 2013 in a litter with two other boys. He had been under observation by the breeder for showing and/or breeding and she's decided to let us have him to start up our showing, and if he's good enough, breeding program. I am so excited and a bit nervous too. As Mango Mama aptly pointed out in her comment yesterday, having so many dogs is almost a full time job and now we're adding in a kitten. However, cats aren't quite as much work as dogs.
Well, let me re-phrase that: they are work, but it's a different kind.
Since he's going to be a show kitty, we are going to have to socialise him the same way you would a new puppy. Judges like sociable cats and so the more we introduce him to, the better. Mr. K bought a little sling carrier that goes across your body that we can carry him around in for socialisation purposes. His head can stick out and he will wear a harness which attaches to the inside of the carrier so that he can't escape. This style of carrier will leave our hands free to work with the dogs while carrying the cat around. I can just imagine the looks we're going to get. People must think I'm completely off my rocker. We'll have to take trains and such to shows so we'll have to get him used to public transportation as well. So, the train ride home will be his first introduction.
The breeder has already picked out a show for us to "get our feet wet" at in August. Thankfully it's not too far from our new house and we'll be able to take the train straight there. He's had all of his standard vaccinations, but there is one more he'll have to have around mid-July. This vaccine is not given at the same time as the other two because the triple dose can cause bad reactions in kittens. We just have to make sure that it's given at least 15 days before the show as per the show's criteria.
I'm a little stunned to be honest. We had planned on doing this eventually, but we didn't think it would happen so quickly. It's all a lot to take in, but thankfully the breeder is more than willing to help us with all of it. She's ben really great about answering the millions of questions I've fired her way. Just last night she answered about ten questions that I had sent via email.
If all goes as planned, we'll bring our first breeding "queen" (that is what a breeding female cat is called) home in October or so. The cat's breeding season ends around that time and doesn't start back up until January or February. It all depends on lighting and temperature. Some experienced breeders can apparently keep and/or bring their queens into heat by adjusting indoor temperatures and lighting, but I don't think we'll ever do that. If we decide breeding is for us, I think a few month break will be good. Anyway, my point was that since she'll be "out of season" until February or so, our first litter will be born in the spring of 2014. After that, if we decide this is something we want to continue doing, we'll consult with our mentor and figure out where to go from there with regards to getting another queen or two.
But for now, we'll enjoy having a little, fluffy baby in the family.
How will the dogs react?
Honestly, not sure.
Roscoe will be fine. That dog is bomb proof. He takes life in stride and is so unassuming. He's such a great dog.
Otis might not know what to make of the kitten at first, but eventually, I could see him wanting to be friends with Kitten. He's another laid back dog who takes life in stride. I have a funny feeling we may have to start a youtube channel dedicated to Otis the French Bulldog and Rudolph the Siberian kitten.
As for my girls...well, Hermione will probably be wary of him at first. I think she'll warm up to him though and probably tolerate him. I don't know that she'll ever play with him like Otis will, but they'll be able to live happily together.
Nala will also be fine, but I can see her being very curious. She doesn't have very good body awareness so we'll have to make sure she doesn't accidentally stomp on him. I think she'll be interested in him until she figures out what he is and then she'll be indifferent.
These are only guesses, so it'll be interesting to see if I was right or not. The first couple of days the kitten will be kept in his own room so that he can settle in without being disturbed by the dogs. Once he's ready to come out on his own, he will be allowed to roam about. I think he'll have to wear a bell so that he doesn't squeak past me out the door, the way Otis has done on at least one occasion.
So, now that we know when we're going to get him, all we have to do is book train tickets, set up the secondary bedroom as a "kitty Heaven" and wait until next Thursday.
Well, let me re-phrase that: they are work, but it's a different kind.
Since he's going to be a show kitty, we are going to have to socialise him the same way you would a new puppy. Judges like sociable cats and so the more we introduce him to, the better. Mr. K bought a little sling carrier that goes across your body that we can carry him around in for socialisation purposes. His head can stick out and he will wear a harness which attaches to the inside of the carrier so that he can't escape. This style of carrier will leave our hands free to work with the dogs while carrying the cat around. I can just imagine the looks we're going to get. People must think I'm completely off my rocker. We'll have to take trains and such to shows so we'll have to get him used to public transportation as well. So, the train ride home will be his first introduction.
The breeder has already picked out a show for us to "get our feet wet" at in August. Thankfully it's not too far from our new house and we'll be able to take the train straight there. He's had all of his standard vaccinations, but there is one more he'll have to have around mid-July. This vaccine is not given at the same time as the other two because the triple dose can cause bad reactions in kittens. We just have to make sure that it's given at least 15 days before the show as per the show's criteria.
I'm a little stunned to be honest. We had planned on doing this eventually, but we didn't think it would happen so quickly. It's all a lot to take in, but thankfully the breeder is more than willing to help us with all of it. She's ben really great about answering the millions of questions I've fired her way. Just last night she answered about ten questions that I had sent via email.
If all goes as planned, we'll bring our first breeding "queen" (that is what a breeding female cat is called) home in October or so. The cat's breeding season ends around that time and doesn't start back up until January or February. It all depends on lighting and temperature. Some experienced breeders can apparently keep and/or bring their queens into heat by adjusting indoor temperatures and lighting, but I don't think we'll ever do that. If we decide breeding is for us, I think a few month break will be good. Anyway, my point was that since she'll be "out of season" until February or so, our first litter will be born in the spring of 2014. After that, if we decide this is something we want to continue doing, we'll consult with our mentor and figure out where to go from there with regards to getting another queen or two.
But for now, we'll enjoy having a little, fluffy baby in the family.
How will the dogs react?
Honestly, not sure.
Roscoe will be fine. That dog is bomb proof. He takes life in stride and is so unassuming. He's such a great dog.
Otis might not know what to make of the kitten at first, but eventually, I could see him wanting to be friends with Kitten. He's another laid back dog who takes life in stride. I have a funny feeling we may have to start a youtube channel dedicated to Otis the French Bulldog and Rudolph the Siberian kitten.
As for my girls...well, Hermione will probably be wary of him at first. I think she'll warm up to him though and probably tolerate him. I don't know that she'll ever play with him like Otis will, but they'll be able to live happily together.
Nala will also be fine, but I can see her being very curious. She doesn't have very good body awareness so we'll have to make sure she doesn't accidentally stomp on him. I think she'll be interested in him until she figures out what he is and then she'll be indifferent.
These are only guesses, so it'll be interesting to see if I was right or not. The first couple of days the kitten will be kept in his own room so that he can settle in without being disturbed by the dogs. Once he's ready to come out on his own, he will be allowed to roam about. I think he'll have to wear a bell so that he doesn't squeak past me out the door, the way Otis has done on at least one occasion.
So, now that we know when we're going to get him, all we have to do is book train tickets, set up the secondary bedroom as a "kitty Heaven" and wait until next Thursday.
Tuesday, May 07, 2013
Chugging Along
I haven't written in a while because, I guess, I kind of felt like nothing really has gone on. However, when I think about it, there's a lot going on and I probably should have written sooner. In a nut shell:
I have one essay left to finish the diploma part of my MSc. Then, the dissertation researching/writing begins. I'm very excited about this portion of the course. I've already had four people express interest in being interviewed which is good since I only need between ten and twelve.
Mr. K is in his last week of classes before he is off for the summer. After that he has just eight short months before his under Grad is complete and then he'll be off to London to complete a Master's degree in some kind of computer/robotics/Psychology degree. We'll be separated for those eight months which stinks, but you gotta do what you gotta do to advance your lives together. I tease him that he'll take over the world with his robotic army, but seriously, it sounds really interesting and is definitely right up his alley. I'm excited for him.
The dogs are all good, of course. Nala continues to amaze me with her working. We had a visit from the guide dog organisation to make sure we are okay and the instructor seemed happy with our progress. I think he might be a bit annoyed that she's not really sitting at curbs any longer, but there were a few things going on that day. Usually she sits at curbs and so I'm not entirely sure why she was picking and choosing which ones to sit at when the instructor was here. Also, she doesn't blow curbs and so I don't really reinforce the curb sitting. It makes me nervous when we are in the city centre and there are hundreds of people milling around; especially women with pointy high heels on. When she's sitting at the curb it is so easy for someone to stomp her tail. Then who knows if she'll stop at curbs at all after something like that. Also, that constant sitting and getting up on concrete is not good for her joints. So, her not sitting consistently at curbs is my fault, but her working hasn't suffered for it. Plus, if we work new routes, I have her sit at the curbs the first couple of times we do it to keep her focused and thinking about what she's doing. I suppose I can justify it all I want, but at the end of the day, as long as she's still working then that's all that matters.
The little ones are good too. Hermione and Otis went for two walks yesterday and are both pretty worn out today. Hermione, who is probably the most mischievous in the house, is the best behaved outside. The whole time we were out walking, we only had to call her back to us once. She sticks by you and never really strays; even when the other dogs are venturing off. I appreciate that about her. Otis, on the other hand, must visit everyone and investigate everything. Yesterday, he went off to eat mud out of his favourite mud hole in the park, but his efforts were thwarted because the weather has actually been beautiful here and the hole was dried up. Nala had gone with him to roll in it, but she came back clean, for that moment anyway. Roscoe was so tired from his outing yesterday that he didn't even want to get off the couch at bed time to go outside for his last bathroom break. He's the old man of the group at six years young.
It's so funny seeing the difference between Roscoe and the others. He can run hard with the rest of them, but that one run is good for him, whereas, the other three could keep going until they dropped. You can see a bit of an energy level difference between Nala and Hermione as well. Nala is about eight months older and I'm not sure if the breed difference or the age difference mellows her out faster. However, both girls are high energy and always ready to go. That said, I've seen Hermione's energy levels settle a bit as of late. She calms down faster and doesn't seem to need as much constant stimulation. She's still a nut though. Just this morning she brought a stick into the flat which I missed because I was half asleep. She chewed it apart on the couch and left a giant mess. Cleaning up stick before coffee is a problem. :P
I also bathed three out of the four dogs this week. We really should invest in doggie shampoo companies. Hermione was showered on Friday because I took her jogging with me and it was drizzling out. Not only was she wet, but she was covered in mud. I planned on that bath as I knew what the weather was like before we left the flat, but the other two were not planned.
We were nearly home from the park yesterday when Nala went face first into a stagnant puddle that resides under one of the over passes we walk under. She was covered and smelled horrible. Roscoe followed suit and although he did not nose dive in like Nala, he was wet and stinky from the belly down. Both dogs were subjected to showers when we got back home. Mr. K and I had dinner plans and so that meant Nala stayed home since she was still soaking wet when we left.
One good thing from that experience was that it made me realise how bonded to me Nala is already. When we got back from dinner I fed and relieved everyone and then sat on the couch. Nala was stuck to me like glue and wouldn't leave my side for the rest of the night. I wouldn't say leaving your guide dog all of the time is good, but there are some benefits to leaving them every once in a while.
As for kitty breeding, I've been doing more research and have been chatting away with a really great breeder. She focuses on a different breed, but the general information she has to share is great. She's even offered for Mr. K and I to come along and show one of her cats at a show for practice before we get our own. It's such a thoughtful offer. The breeder we've talked to about being our mentor had back surgery last Monday and so I'm waiting for her to heal up before having any long winded conversations with her. It's something Mr. K and I are both excited about though. So, hopefully it all works out. We've also been pushing through the paper work to move in June.
Other than that, I've been enjoying the sunshine that we've been getting. It's kind of a miracle how mild it's been. Last night when I took the dogs out for bed time bathroom break, I was wearing just a hoodie over a t-shirt. I don't remember ever being able to go out at night here without a coat. I don't know if it will last, but I sure hope it does. On that note, more coffee and then walkies for the babies. I'm also off to the pool today for a good workout.
I have one essay left to finish the diploma part of my MSc. Then, the dissertation researching/writing begins. I'm very excited about this portion of the course. I've already had four people express interest in being interviewed which is good since I only need between ten and twelve.
Mr. K is in his last week of classes before he is off for the summer. After that he has just eight short months before his under Grad is complete and then he'll be off to London to complete a Master's degree in some kind of computer/robotics/Psychology degree. We'll be separated for those eight months which stinks, but you gotta do what you gotta do to advance your lives together. I tease him that he'll take over the world with his robotic army, but seriously, it sounds really interesting and is definitely right up his alley. I'm excited for him.
The dogs are all good, of course. Nala continues to amaze me with her working. We had a visit from the guide dog organisation to make sure we are okay and the instructor seemed happy with our progress. I think he might be a bit annoyed that she's not really sitting at curbs any longer, but there were a few things going on that day. Usually she sits at curbs and so I'm not entirely sure why she was picking and choosing which ones to sit at when the instructor was here. Also, she doesn't blow curbs and so I don't really reinforce the curb sitting. It makes me nervous when we are in the city centre and there are hundreds of people milling around; especially women with pointy high heels on. When she's sitting at the curb it is so easy for someone to stomp her tail. Then who knows if she'll stop at curbs at all after something like that. Also, that constant sitting and getting up on concrete is not good for her joints. So, her not sitting consistently at curbs is my fault, but her working hasn't suffered for it. Plus, if we work new routes, I have her sit at the curbs the first couple of times we do it to keep her focused and thinking about what she's doing. I suppose I can justify it all I want, but at the end of the day, as long as she's still working then that's all that matters.
The little ones are good too. Hermione and Otis went for two walks yesterday and are both pretty worn out today. Hermione, who is probably the most mischievous in the house, is the best behaved outside. The whole time we were out walking, we only had to call her back to us once. She sticks by you and never really strays; even when the other dogs are venturing off. I appreciate that about her. Otis, on the other hand, must visit everyone and investigate everything. Yesterday, he went off to eat mud out of his favourite mud hole in the park, but his efforts were thwarted because the weather has actually been beautiful here and the hole was dried up. Nala had gone with him to roll in it, but she came back clean, for that moment anyway. Roscoe was so tired from his outing yesterday that he didn't even want to get off the couch at bed time to go outside for his last bathroom break. He's the old man of the group at six years young.
It's so funny seeing the difference between Roscoe and the others. He can run hard with the rest of them, but that one run is good for him, whereas, the other three could keep going until they dropped. You can see a bit of an energy level difference between Nala and Hermione as well. Nala is about eight months older and I'm not sure if the breed difference or the age difference mellows her out faster. However, both girls are high energy and always ready to go. That said, I've seen Hermione's energy levels settle a bit as of late. She calms down faster and doesn't seem to need as much constant stimulation. She's still a nut though. Just this morning she brought a stick into the flat which I missed because I was half asleep. She chewed it apart on the couch and left a giant mess. Cleaning up stick before coffee is a problem. :P
I also bathed three out of the four dogs this week. We really should invest in doggie shampoo companies. Hermione was showered on Friday because I took her jogging with me and it was drizzling out. Not only was she wet, but she was covered in mud. I planned on that bath as I knew what the weather was like before we left the flat, but the other two were not planned.
We were nearly home from the park yesterday when Nala went face first into a stagnant puddle that resides under one of the over passes we walk under. She was covered and smelled horrible. Roscoe followed suit and although he did not nose dive in like Nala, he was wet and stinky from the belly down. Both dogs were subjected to showers when we got back home. Mr. K and I had dinner plans and so that meant Nala stayed home since she was still soaking wet when we left.
One good thing from that experience was that it made me realise how bonded to me Nala is already. When we got back from dinner I fed and relieved everyone and then sat on the couch. Nala was stuck to me like glue and wouldn't leave my side for the rest of the night. I wouldn't say leaving your guide dog all of the time is good, but there are some benefits to leaving them every once in a while.
As for kitty breeding, I've been doing more research and have been chatting away with a really great breeder. She focuses on a different breed, but the general information she has to share is great. She's even offered for Mr. K and I to come along and show one of her cats at a show for practice before we get our own. It's such a thoughtful offer. The breeder we've talked to about being our mentor had back surgery last Monday and so I'm waiting for her to heal up before having any long winded conversations with her. It's something Mr. K and I are both excited about though. So, hopefully it all works out. We've also been pushing through the paper work to move in June.
Other than that, I've been enjoying the sunshine that we've been getting. It's kind of a miracle how mild it's been. Last night when I took the dogs out for bed time bathroom break, I was wearing just a hoodie over a t-shirt. I don't remember ever being able to go out at night here without a coat. I don't know if it will last, but I sure hope it does. On that note, more coffee and then walkies for the babies. I'm also off to the pool today for a good workout.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Surprises
Yesterday, Mr. K and I took a train out to see a potential new living space. It's a semi-detached house in a really nice residential neighbourhood. It has a fenced in patio off of the back as well as a fully enclosed yard. Mr. K is excited by the patio because that means he can barbecue. I think that excites me too. I can always get down on some grilled steak. The yard has a fairly steep slope down, but that won't really be an issue. It is over two stories and has a recently renovated kitchen with a normal sized fridge/freezer. The fridge we have now is what we North Americans call a bar fridge. It's about the size of a mini bar fridge in a hotel room. It's been a bit ridiculous to fit all of our food into it. The area is very quiet and there were quite a few people out gardening. Everyone we passed seemed friendly as well which was nice. We both really liked the place so we'll call tomorrow to see if we can put a deposit on it. I think my nesting instincts are kicking in because I put a dishes set, garden decorations and bathroom set on Mr. K's Amazon wish list.
When we first arrived, I was a bit hesitant. I didn't realise just how residential the area was and I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get out of the house and just grab a cup of coffee. We did find one restaurant with a nice bar and there is apparently another pub down the road. There are also two grocery stores and a sport/leisure centre. So, that would be good. It takes about 25 minutes on the train to get into the city centre, but it's a pleasant trip and I wouldn't mind having to do that to get into town. I didn't see any off leash places for the dogs to run, but I've been told there are places so I'll have to investigate that further.
For me, I was surprised that I was so hesitant about the place. I was the one who found it and I'm the one who has been saying I want to move further out of the city into a more residential area. Mr. K likes the city and so I was surprised that he was the one who was all about it. I guess I was a bit concerned that I would lose my independence after just getting it back again. What I mean is: Nala and I would have to learn a new place again and we would be limited in getting around for a while until our new routes solidified with both of us. I had been six months without a guide dog and was incredibly restricted in the places I could go on my own. I didn't want to feel like that again. That said, I think we'd learn the new routes quite quickly and be fine.
Our other surprise has nothing to do with the house move-well, in a sort of unrelated way they sort of go together, but you'll see what I mean once I explain.
I've always wanted to get into dog breeding. It's not an easy thing to get into as you need a mentor and it takes years to build up relationships, customer bases and good litters. You have to do a lot of leg work to meet the right people and it was something Mr. K and I had talked about doing in the future once my MSc was finished. That way, I could focus on school. We also discussed showing our chosen breed as well and that also takes time. In the mean time, we've been looking into a low allergen cat breed. We settled on the Siberian, since they are supposedly one of the best breeds for this, and started contacting breeders. We made a lot of enquiries and finally settled on one breeder who had three litters planned for 2013. One litter was born by the time we had contacted her, so we went on the waiting list for the next litter. Me being the person I am, read her website from start to finish and saw somewhere along the way that she may be interested in mentoring the right person who wanted to show/breed the Siberian. I thought this was interesting and told Mr. K about it who said I should get more information. To make a very long story short, after a whole ton of questions on my part and a whole ton more emails back and forth, she has become my mentor. I thought that I could start with the cats and take the knowledge I learn from that to dog breeding.
Initially, we had planned on buying a pet cat from her first in order to get to know the breed. We also thought this would give me time to ask a million more questions, attend some cat shows and finish my degree. When we got home from our house viewing yesterday afternoon though, plans began to change.
The breeder had sent me an email asking if I wanted one of her kittens from the earlier litter who is show quality. She also said she has a proven breeding female (or queen as they are called) that we could bring home around October of this year. Come early 2014, we could breed the pair and have our first litter. There are so many reasons why this is an amazing offer. I feel incredibly honoured that she would consider us to take two of her high quality cats. Starting with such a strong foundational pair is beyond my expectations. I thought we would have to wait years to really have our feet under us with this project and wouldn't have a litter until at least 2015, but this offer has changed everything.
Of course there are a few things Mr. K and I have to take into consideration, but the pros far outweigh the cons. And with the possibility of having larger living accommodations with a direct train line into the town, we would be in a good position to start our own, small, cattery
I just have to say that we have had a few surprises in the last 24 hours, but I feel incredibly lucky. So, basically, watch this space: we may be entering our first cat show in mid-August. I may be dog lover converted to cat fancier. :)
When we first arrived, I was a bit hesitant. I didn't realise just how residential the area was and I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get out of the house and just grab a cup of coffee. We did find one restaurant with a nice bar and there is apparently another pub down the road. There are also two grocery stores and a sport/leisure centre. So, that would be good. It takes about 25 minutes on the train to get into the city centre, but it's a pleasant trip and I wouldn't mind having to do that to get into town. I didn't see any off leash places for the dogs to run, but I've been told there are places so I'll have to investigate that further.
For me, I was surprised that I was so hesitant about the place. I was the one who found it and I'm the one who has been saying I want to move further out of the city into a more residential area. Mr. K likes the city and so I was surprised that he was the one who was all about it. I guess I was a bit concerned that I would lose my independence after just getting it back again. What I mean is: Nala and I would have to learn a new place again and we would be limited in getting around for a while until our new routes solidified with both of us. I had been six months without a guide dog and was incredibly restricted in the places I could go on my own. I didn't want to feel like that again. That said, I think we'd learn the new routes quite quickly and be fine.
Our other surprise has nothing to do with the house move-well, in a sort of unrelated way they sort of go together, but you'll see what I mean once I explain.
I've always wanted to get into dog breeding. It's not an easy thing to get into as you need a mentor and it takes years to build up relationships, customer bases and good litters. You have to do a lot of leg work to meet the right people and it was something Mr. K and I had talked about doing in the future once my MSc was finished. That way, I could focus on school. We also discussed showing our chosen breed as well and that also takes time. In the mean time, we've been looking into a low allergen cat breed. We settled on the Siberian, since they are supposedly one of the best breeds for this, and started contacting breeders. We made a lot of enquiries and finally settled on one breeder who had three litters planned for 2013. One litter was born by the time we had contacted her, so we went on the waiting list for the next litter. Me being the person I am, read her website from start to finish and saw somewhere along the way that she may be interested in mentoring the right person who wanted to show/breed the Siberian. I thought this was interesting and told Mr. K about it who said I should get more information. To make a very long story short, after a whole ton of questions on my part and a whole ton more emails back and forth, she has become my mentor. I thought that I could start with the cats and take the knowledge I learn from that to dog breeding.
Initially, we had planned on buying a pet cat from her first in order to get to know the breed. We also thought this would give me time to ask a million more questions, attend some cat shows and finish my degree. When we got home from our house viewing yesterday afternoon though, plans began to change.
The breeder had sent me an email asking if I wanted one of her kittens from the earlier litter who is show quality. She also said she has a proven breeding female (or queen as they are called) that we could bring home around October of this year. Come early 2014, we could breed the pair and have our first litter. There are so many reasons why this is an amazing offer. I feel incredibly honoured that she would consider us to take two of her high quality cats. Starting with such a strong foundational pair is beyond my expectations. I thought we would have to wait years to really have our feet under us with this project and wouldn't have a litter until at least 2015, but this offer has changed everything.
Of course there are a few things Mr. K and I have to take into consideration, but the pros far outweigh the cons. And with the possibility of having larger living accommodations with a direct train line into the town, we would be in a good position to start our own, small, cattery
I just have to say that we have had a few surprises in the last 24 hours, but I feel incredibly lucky. So, basically, watch this space: we may be entering our first cat show in mid-August. I may be dog lover converted to cat fancier. :)
Friday, April 26, 2013
A Full House
We've always had a full house. In fact, when we lived in SC we had five dogs, but the difference was that we had room for five dogs. Not to mention, three of the five were technically classified as "miniatures." So, we had more like 3 and a half. Now, we have one less dog, but are struggling with the space and it's not just that: taking four dogs out to the bathroom each morning takes me half an hour. We don't have a yard so I go down to the cycling trail every morning and relieve everyone. Thankfully, I can take Hermione and Otis together which cuts down on the time, but this has become a bit much. I love my dogs and love spending time with them, but it makes it difficult to get anything done when I'm taking dogs out four to five times a day at half an hour every time. That adds up. That doesn't even include the walks that I take them on.
Solution?
Moving.
I actually don't really want to move. It seems like that's all I've done in the last four years. I can't seem to stay in one place for longer than a year; it's a bit ridiculous to be honest, but we need a bigger place with a yard. It's not just the going out that is a problem. The dogs like to have puppy battle time and our place just isn't big enough. It would be different if I could just take them out into a yard to have their royal rumble time, but I can't even do that. I certainly take them down to the trail, but the cyclists don't care if they run you or your dogs over and so I am worried that someone is going to get hurt. People have also made a habit of dumping every kind of garbage you can think of down there and half of the time I don't know if they are eating things. You should see what's down there-couch cushions, burned out scooters, rappers, alcohol containers, rotten food. Once, there was even a garbage bag full of wet, gross clothes.
Our lease is up at the end of June as well as our gym membership and so it seems like the perfect time to look for a new place.
And we've found somewhere.
Tomorrow we will be hopping a train to a little outlying area to look at a two bedroom house with a yard. Despite it being outside of the city limits, getting into the city centre will be at least the same level of difficulty or perhaps even easier. I'll know better tomorrow, but from what I can tell it will actually be easier. The place we are looking at is less than half a mile from the train station which is totally walkable. The train goes directly into the city centre which means that I am only a ten minute walk from the university campus. Since the bus takes me about half an hour and I never know if the drivers are going to let me know when my stop is, the train may be a better mode of transportation anyway. Trains always stop at the same stops which means I will always know where I am. Also, the train trip seems to be shorter than the bus ride, even though it is further out.
There are grocery stores, leisure facilities, shopping venues Etc in the new area as well. It is also a coastal town and so there are plenty of beaches for the dogs to go play on. I've talked briefly with someone who lives there and she says that it has great walks and most people are friendly and responsible dog owners. It seems like an all around good idea, but I guess we'll see tomorrow when we get there. In some ways I guess we're moving because we're crazy animal people and have quite a few, but in another I think we're moving for ourselves too.
I think it's hard moving from a place where you used to live in houses all of your life with big yards and green space that was yours to squishy tenement buildings where most people aren't very friendly. I had always thought that living in apartment style housing would be good because you would meet people, but not so much. We're also having problem where someone in the building smokes and tends to do it out in the hallway. The smell filters into our flat and makes both Mr. K and I very congested.
With all of that in mind, if this house doesn't work out, I think we're prepared to stay here if we have to, but we both hope that come July we'll have our own patio and yard. I also wouldn't mind getting this house because it has a fireplace which would be nice on those cold, damp Scottish evenings, but of course we wouldn't take it just because of that. :) Are we crazy? Yeah, pretty much, but if I do end up doing a PhD, living in a house with a yard, in a quieter neighbourhood wouldn't be such a bad idea. Mr. K is going to London in a year to complete his Master's degree and if I do my PhD, I'm staying here. This means that I'd like to be in a bit more of a residential area. The building we're in now has been broken into three times since we moved in and although I think we're safe, I would feel more comfortable in a more community oriented area. but, as it's all up in the air, I will leave it at that for now and fill you in on the details of our trip tomorrow.
Solution?
Moving.
I actually don't really want to move. It seems like that's all I've done in the last four years. I can't seem to stay in one place for longer than a year; it's a bit ridiculous to be honest, but we need a bigger place with a yard. It's not just the going out that is a problem. The dogs like to have puppy battle time and our place just isn't big enough. It would be different if I could just take them out into a yard to have their royal rumble time, but I can't even do that. I certainly take them down to the trail, but the cyclists don't care if they run you or your dogs over and so I am worried that someone is going to get hurt. People have also made a habit of dumping every kind of garbage you can think of down there and half of the time I don't know if they are eating things. You should see what's down there-couch cushions, burned out scooters, rappers, alcohol containers, rotten food. Once, there was even a garbage bag full of wet, gross clothes.
Our lease is up at the end of June as well as our gym membership and so it seems like the perfect time to look for a new place.
And we've found somewhere.
Tomorrow we will be hopping a train to a little outlying area to look at a two bedroom house with a yard. Despite it being outside of the city limits, getting into the city centre will be at least the same level of difficulty or perhaps even easier. I'll know better tomorrow, but from what I can tell it will actually be easier. The place we are looking at is less than half a mile from the train station which is totally walkable. The train goes directly into the city centre which means that I am only a ten minute walk from the university campus. Since the bus takes me about half an hour and I never know if the drivers are going to let me know when my stop is, the train may be a better mode of transportation anyway. Trains always stop at the same stops which means I will always know where I am. Also, the train trip seems to be shorter than the bus ride, even though it is further out.
There are grocery stores, leisure facilities, shopping venues Etc in the new area as well. It is also a coastal town and so there are plenty of beaches for the dogs to go play on. I've talked briefly with someone who lives there and she says that it has great walks and most people are friendly and responsible dog owners. It seems like an all around good idea, but I guess we'll see tomorrow when we get there. In some ways I guess we're moving because we're crazy animal people and have quite a few, but in another I think we're moving for ourselves too.
I think it's hard moving from a place where you used to live in houses all of your life with big yards and green space that was yours to squishy tenement buildings where most people aren't very friendly. I had always thought that living in apartment style housing would be good because you would meet people, but not so much. We're also having problem where someone in the building smokes and tends to do it out in the hallway. The smell filters into our flat and makes both Mr. K and I very congested.
With all of that in mind, if this house doesn't work out, I think we're prepared to stay here if we have to, but we both hope that come July we'll have our own patio and yard. I also wouldn't mind getting this house because it has a fireplace which would be nice on those cold, damp Scottish evenings, but of course we wouldn't take it just because of that. :) Are we crazy? Yeah, pretty much, but if I do end up doing a PhD, living in a house with a yard, in a quieter neighbourhood wouldn't be such a bad idea. Mr. K is going to London in a year to complete his Master's degree and if I do my PhD, I'm staying here. This means that I'd like to be in a bit more of a residential area. The building we're in now has been broken into three times since we moved in and although I think we're safe, I would feel more comfortable in a more community oriented area. but, as it's all up in the air, I will leave it at that for now and fill you in on the details of our trip tomorrow.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Sunshine and Puppy Dogs
Today was actually a really nice day in Scotland. Well, at least in the part I'm in. The sun made some very strong appearances with a bit of cloud cover, but it was absolutely gorgeous out. Aside from the much needed sunshine, the temperature has definitely risen as well. It was the perfect day for breakfast out with Carmen, a quick run to the mall to pick up Mr. K's birthday present-more about that to come-and then a much needed walk with the pooches.
After spending two hours in the cafe enjoying breakfast and downing our weight in coffee, a ramble outside was definitely in order. Nala did some great work today and so she came along for a free run as well. Tomorrow is supposed to be showers all day and so I thought it was best to get everyone's beans out today just in case I can't get them out tomorrow. Some people think it's horrible that I don't walk my dogs in the rain. I try to explain to them that my dogs won't walk in the rain, but they won't listen. If it's just drizzling or lightly sprinkling we are good to go. I put on my Wellies and just have the dog towel ready for our return home, but if it's a heavy rain you can forget going anywhere. Hermione will just prance along beside you, whacking you with her paws, squawking until you take her home. Otis either attempts to drink himself out of the rain or sits down, refusing to move. I'm also struggling through my final few essays and so a walk today was good for all of us.
We were gone for a good two hours. Hermione was off leash the whole time since her recall is probably the best. Otis's is non-existent, but we're working on it. Nala's is good with the whistle, but sometimes I can't get the whistle going fast enough if I need to move her out of the way of a cyclist. Cyclists on this path will run dogs over, and people too, so I would rather not risk my new guide dog being hit by a bike. Not to mention, Nala's strong affinity for stinky, stagnant water meant that she had to be on leash on certain sections of the path. I usually don't mind bathing her, but today I just didn't have the time with having to write my papers. However, on the parts where she was freed, her and Hermione tore around like their butts were on fire.
We took an extended route to the park where Otis was finally let off leash and Carmen and I sat on a bench and shared cookies she had brought along. We made sure to seat ourselves on the opposite end of the park from the gigantic sink hole that Nala likes to roll in and Otis likes to turn into a buffet. It was so nice to be able to sit still with my coat open and not have to immediately start moving again because I was freezing.
The dogs were really good about sticking close to us despite there being crowds of other people with kids and dogs. Hermione and Otis took the opportunity to chase one another and then Nala started chasing both of them. It was also good to see hermione running with Nala and the two of them getting along. If one girl would go running by, you would be sure that the other would be right on her heels. Both girls wear a bell since they are the ones who are mostly off leash. The bells both sound different and I always knew, not only by the sound of the paws running by, but also by the jingling which girl was racing away. We always get comments like, "sleigh bells" or "jingle bells" or "noisy dogs" or "musical dogs." Today was no exception. They took turns leading even though Hermione is slower than Nala-only because her legs are shorter. I think that if Hermione's legs were the same length as Nala's, Hermione would be faster. She can also jump crazy high.
After cookies, we continued on our way home. I could tell the dogs were pretty worn out because Nala walked on a very nice loose leash. Otis was still all over the place, trying to catch the still leaping/prancing/galloping Hermione, but he's still a puppy. He doesn't wear out quite the same as the girls do. He plays hard and then sleeps hard. That said, I guess Hermione didn't really slow down until we got home either. She had some water and then promptly hopped on the couch and had a nap. In fact, all of them did which meant I had about an hour and a half of peace and quiet where I attempted to get some more writing done. Then, everyone was up again, harassing me to feed them.
I'm a little worn out now, but in a good way. There's nothing like the feeling of sleepiness that comes from being in the fresh air. It's the kind of sleepiness that guarantees a good, long night's sleep. In fact, that's what I'm off to do now.
Good night, all.
After spending two hours in the cafe enjoying breakfast and downing our weight in coffee, a ramble outside was definitely in order. Nala did some great work today and so she came along for a free run as well. Tomorrow is supposed to be showers all day and so I thought it was best to get everyone's beans out today just in case I can't get them out tomorrow. Some people think it's horrible that I don't walk my dogs in the rain. I try to explain to them that my dogs won't walk in the rain, but they won't listen. If it's just drizzling or lightly sprinkling we are good to go. I put on my Wellies and just have the dog towel ready for our return home, but if it's a heavy rain you can forget going anywhere. Hermione will just prance along beside you, whacking you with her paws, squawking until you take her home. Otis either attempts to drink himself out of the rain or sits down, refusing to move. I'm also struggling through my final few essays and so a walk today was good for all of us.
We were gone for a good two hours. Hermione was off leash the whole time since her recall is probably the best. Otis's is non-existent, but we're working on it. Nala's is good with the whistle, but sometimes I can't get the whistle going fast enough if I need to move her out of the way of a cyclist. Cyclists on this path will run dogs over, and people too, so I would rather not risk my new guide dog being hit by a bike. Not to mention, Nala's strong affinity for stinky, stagnant water meant that she had to be on leash on certain sections of the path. I usually don't mind bathing her, but today I just didn't have the time with having to write my papers. However, on the parts where she was freed, her and Hermione tore around like their butts were on fire.
We took an extended route to the park where Otis was finally let off leash and Carmen and I sat on a bench and shared cookies she had brought along. We made sure to seat ourselves on the opposite end of the park from the gigantic sink hole that Nala likes to roll in and Otis likes to turn into a buffet. It was so nice to be able to sit still with my coat open and not have to immediately start moving again because I was freezing.
The dogs were really good about sticking close to us despite there being crowds of other people with kids and dogs. Hermione and Otis took the opportunity to chase one another and then Nala started chasing both of them. It was also good to see hermione running with Nala and the two of them getting along. If one girl would go running by, you would be sure that the other would be right on her heels. Both girls wear a bell since they are the ones who are mostly off leash. The bells both sound different and I always knew, not only by the sound of the paws running by, but also by the jingling which girl was racing away. We always get comments like, "sleigh bells" or "jingle bells" or "noisy dogs" or "musical dogs." Today was no exception. They took turns leading even though Hermione is slower than Nala-only because her legs are shorter. I think that if Hermione's legs were the same length as Nala's, Hermione would be faster. She can also jump crazy high.
After cookies, we continued on our way home. I could tell the dogs were pretty worn out because Nala walked on a very nice loose leash. Otis was still all over the place, trying to catch the still leaping/prancing/galloping Hermione, but he's still a puppy. He doesn't wear out quite the same as the girls do. He plays hard and then sleeps hard. That said, I guess Hermione didn't really slow down until we got home either. She had some water and then promptly hopped on the couch and had a nap. In fact, all of them did which meant I had about an hour and a half of peace and quiet where I attempted to get some more writing done. Then, everyone was up again, harassing me to feed them.
I'm a little worn out now, but in a good way. There's nothing like the feeling of sleepiness that comes from being in the fresh air. It's the kind of sleepiness that guarantees a good, long night's sleep. In fact, that's what I'm off to do now.
Good night, all.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Back to the Basics
*****WARNING: Long ramble ahead!
This morning was one of those mornings where I realised just why I love the mornings. It was one of those mornings that reminded me that I need to slow down and "smell the roses," so to speak and that yes, school deadlines are important, but so is enjoying life. It was one of those mornings that grounded me somehow and I'm not really sure why. It really wasn't much different than the last few mornings, but something clicked in my brain that made me literally stand still for about five minutes just letting Hermione and Otis sniff about. With having my dissertation proposal due and a lot of other school related assignments, I've been in this whirlwind that may be, in part, self inflicted. It's like I saw deadlines and everything else around me ceased to exist. I was just going through the motions of taking the dogs out, feeding them, cleaning the flat, eating my own meals, without even really noticing I was even doing those things. I would time myself outside with the puppies an as soon as it hit fifteen minutes, I'd usher them back inside only to sink into the couch, Laptop on my knees, headphones on and completely deaf and blind to the world around me. Perhaps it wasn't quite that exaggerated, but something about this morning flicked a switch. I think I even enjoyed my coffee this morning, something that hasn't really been happening recently.
This morning I made my coffee, enjoying its aroma and dumped some cinnamon into the mug for some added flavor. I sat and sipped it while I slowly worked away at an assignment, but actually tasted it today. The last couple of mornings I think I've just opened my mouth and poured.
I was up early this morning, not having a full night's sleep because of my brain being on over drive. I'd sleep, but I think I was writing essays in my dreams. I woke up and laid in bed for over an hour, but realised that it was no use-I wasn't going to turn my brain off which meant I certainly wasn't going back to sleep. I roused the dogs from their sleeping positions, threw some clothes on over my jammies and leashed up Hermione and Otis. I always take them out together. It's a habit from when I was trying to house train Otis. If he watched Hermione do her business outside, then he'd get the hint. I think it worked because he's probably been the easiest puppy to house train that we've had.
I wandered outside, still groggy and not really paying complete attention to my surroundings. It's a state I've been in for about a week now-just paying attention enough to make sure I'm safe, but my brain is hashing out plans and figuring out problems. For some reason though, as Otis stopped to pee on the sidewalk (he must have really had to go), I sort of came out of my university paper writing induced haze and started smelling the air and actually listening to the birds singing. It was just after six so the street was absolutely quiet except for the birds and the very far off hum of traffic. When Otis had finished, instead of rushing down to the cycling trail and timing how long I was outside, I meandered slowly down the sidewalk, down the hill and on to the trail. At the bottom of the hill I stopped and extended the dogs' leashes and just stood still. A bike past me, but instead of the usual irritation that has filled me at the passing of cyclists in the last week, I hardly noticed. It was a bit cool out, but the air was fresh and clean smelling. I'm not sure if the sun was coming up, or shining, but at that moment it didn't really matter.
The birds really have been chirping away for about two weeks now, letting us know spring is here, but I've hardly noticed. This morning though, I was amazed to hear so many different songs in such a small radius. How had I missed this? I've always been a big proponent of "enjoy the small things in life," but somewhere in the last couple of weeks I have completely been oblivious.
I've been so worried about my upcoming and past deadlines, what's going to happen if the university doesn't accept my proposal, what I'm going to do with myself after graduation from the program, that I've sort of forgotten to live in the "now" of things.
Mr. K and I have had a lot of conversations as of late with regards to what my future plans are. I've been all over the place trying to figure out what I'm going to do. He keeps telling me to do what will make me happy; a very sweet and admirable thing for him to say. But, I've been torn between these two sides of myself. I have this vision of myself from when I first started university back in 2002. I was going to be some kind of successful career woman, who could support herself-I was going to make it on my own. I was going to have some kind of job where I wore professional clothes and most likely trotted around in high heels every day. (We all know about my affinity for pretty shoes right)? That was part of the reason why I never wanted children.
Then, there's the other side of me who wears destroyed sneakers and muddy jeans to walk her dogs. The side of me who loves the country side and the outdoors. This side of me has suddenly found enjoyment in baking dog treats and now even human cakes/cookies. Don't get me wrong, I'm still definitely not good at being a "stay at home" anything-I get itchy feet too easily-but it's the side of me who doesn't need glitz and glamor This is the side of me who thinks I want to be a dog breeder. I've known for a long time, and probably everyone else who reads this blog, that I love animals; especially dogs. As a part of my dissertation proposal I wrote an introduction based on the domesticated dog's history and its connection to humans. It was probably the easiest 1,000 words I've ever written. I've also, somehow, kept up this blog-for the most part-I love writing. I've tried to figure out some way to combine the two, but I'm stuck. Mr. K says I should write a book. I could, but about what? My life with dogs? My life as a blind swimmer/person/with dogs? Not my life at all? Life in general? And, would anyone read it?!
Mr. K says he doesn't care what I do as long as we break even and I'm happy. I think I'm a pretty lucky woman in that respect-actually, an incredibly lucky woman. But, the slightly radical, Sociology major who has a minor in Women's Studies, comes back out and I want to be a financially contributing member to my family; however small it may be. However, the birds brought me back to my "now" and I found some comfort in knowing that even if I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off, breaking glasses and cutting my hand because I'm in too much of a hurry, the birds will keep singing and my husband will keep telling me to slow down. With all of these doubts and confusion there is one thing I know for sure: in today's society, I don't need to make it on my own. I have the support of a loving person who wants to see me happy and successful in whatever I choose to do, and for the "now" moment, that is enough.
This morning was one of those mornings where I realised just why I love the mornings. It was one of those mornings that reminded me that I need to slow down and "smell the roses," so to speak and that yes, school deadlines are important, but so is enjoying life. It was one of those mornings that grounded me somehow and I'm not really sure why. It really wasn't much different than the last few mornings, but something clicked in my brain that made me literally stand still for about five minutes just letting Hermione and Otis sniff about. With having my dissertation proposal due and a lot of other school related assignments, I've been in this whirlwind that may be, in part, self inflicted. It's like I saw deadlines and everything else around me ceased to exist. I was just going through the motions of taking the dogs out, feeding them, cleaning the flat, eating my own meals, without even really noticing I was even doing those things. I would time myself outside with the puppies an as soon as it hit fifteen minutes, I'd usher them back inside only to sink into the couch, Laptop on my knees, headphones on and completely deaf and blind to the world around me. Perhaps it wasn't quite that exaggerated, but something about this morning flicked a switch. I think I even enjoyed my coffee this morning, something that hasn't really been happening recently.
This morning I made my coffee, enjoying its aroma and dumped some cinnamon into the mug for some added flavor. I sat and sipped it while I slowly worked away at an assignment, but actually tasted it today. The last couple of mornings I think I've just opened my mouth and poured.
I was up early this morning, not having a full night's sleep because of my brain being on over drive. I'd sleep, but I think I was writing essays in my dreams. I woke up and laid in bed for over an hour, but realised that it was no use-I wasn't going to turn my brain off which meant I certainly wasn't going back to sleep. I roused the dogs from their sleeping positions, threw some clothes on over my jammies and leashed up Hermione and Otis. I always take them out together. It's a habit from when I was trying to house train Otis. If he watched Hermione do her business outside, then he'd get the hint. I think it worked because he's probably been the easiest puppy to house train that we've had.
I wandered outside, still groggy and not really paying complete attention to my surroundings. It's a state I've been in for about a week now-just paying attention enough to make sure I'm safe, but my brain is hashing out plans and figuring out problems. For some reason though, as Otis stopped to pee on the sidewalk (he must have really had to go), I sort of came out of my university paper writing induced haze and started smelling the air and actually listening to the birds singing. It was just after six so the street was absolutely quiet except for the birds and the very far off hum of traffic. When Otis had finished, instead of rushing down to the cycling trail and timing how long I was outside, I meandered slowly down the sidewalk, down the hill and on to the trail. At the bottom of the hill I stopped and extended the dogs' leashes and just stood still. A bike past me, but instead of the usual irritation that has filled me at the passing of cyclists in the last week, I hardly noticed. It was a bit cool out, but the air was fresh and clean smelling. I'm not sure if the sun was coming up, or shining, but at that moment it didn't really matter.
The birds really have been chirping away for about two weeks now, letting us know spring is here, but I've hardly noticed. This morning though, I was amazed to hear so many different songs in such a small radius. How had I missed this? I've always been a big proponent of "enjoy the small things in life," but somewhere in the last couple of weeks I have completely been oblivious.
I've been so worried about my upcoming and past deadlines, what's going to happen if the university doesn't accept my proposal, what I'm going to do with myself after graduation from the program, that I've sort of forgotten to live in the "now" of things.
Mr. K and I have had a lot of conversations as of late with regards to what my future plans are. I've been all over the place trying to figure out what I'm going to do. He keeps telling me to do what will make me happy; a very sweet and admirable thing for him to say. But, I've been torn between these two sides of myself. I have this vision of myself from when I first started university back in 2002. I was going to be some kind of successful career woman, who could support herself-I was going to make it on my own. I was going to have some kind of job where I wore professional clothes and most likely trotted around in high heels every day. (We all know about my affinity for pretty shoes right)? That was part of the reason why I never wanted children.
Then, there's the other side of me who wears destroyed sneakers and muddy jeans to walk her dogs. The side of me who loves the country side and the outdoors. This side of me has suddenly found enjoyment in baking dog treats and now even human cakes/cookies. Don't get me wrong, I'm still definitely not good at being a "stay at home" anything-I get itchy feet too easily-but it's the side of me who doesn't need glitz and glamor This is the side of me who thinks I want to be a dog breeder. I've known for a long time, and probably everyone else who reads this blog, that I love animals; especially dogs. As a part of my dissertation proposal I wrote an introduction based on the domesticated dog's history and its connection to humans. It was probably the easiest 1,000 words I've ever written. I've also, somehow, kept up this blog-for the most part-I love writing. I've tried to figure out some way to combine the two, but I'm stuck. Mr. K says I should write a book. I could, but about what? My life with dogs? My life as a blind swimmer/person/with dogs? Not my life at all? Life in general? And, would anyone read it?!
Mr. K says he doesn't care what I do as long as we break even and I'm happy. I think I'm a pretty lucky woman in that respect-actually, an incredibly lucky woman. But, the slightly radical, Sociology major who has a minor in Women's Studies, comes back out and I want to be a financially contributing member to my family; however small it may be. However, the birds brought me back to my "now" and I found some comfort in knowing that even if I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off, breaking glasses and cutting my hand because I'm in too much of a hurry, the birds will keep singing and my husband will keep telling me to slow down. With all of these doubts and confusion there is one thing I know for sure: in today's society, I don't need to make it on my own. I have the support of a loving person who wants to see me happy and successful in whatever I choose to do, and for the "now" moment, that is enough.
Wednesday, April 03, 2013
Feasibility?
Ever since I announced my dissertation topic to my MSc instructors back in October everyone has been commenting on feasibility. The funny thing is no one really could tell me why my idea wasn't feasible, but now I'm starting to understand. However, just because they don't think it's feasible does not mean that I'm ready to give up that easily.
I won't go into the specifics of my idea here since it's supposed to be proposed all official like in the next week or so, but I have definitely run into some problems. The first having nothing to do with my idea at all.
When I originally applied to the university, I did so already knowing what I wanted to write my dissertation on. I was so excited that I even started asking the instructors about it months before we were even supposed to be thinking about it. When January rolled around we received the description for our dissertation topic selection and I was so disappointed to see that we were assigned broad topic areas that we were supposed to fit our ideas into. To me, that is not researching. Why would we research something that has already been done over and over again and on topics that we discussed in class? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of researching? Anyway, somehow I managed to reformulate my idea and squeeze it into the prescribed topics. That said, the instructor heading the dissertation portion of the program was still skeptical.
We scheduled a meeting and two weeks later we met. I started explaining what I had discovered and where I wanted to go with my chosen topic. She cut me off about three sentences in to ask me what my topic was again.
Whoa. What?
I thought that perhaps she asked for clarification, to make sure I was on track, but turns out she really didn't know. Why hadn't she even just checked our email correspondence we had been having before the meeting? At least pretend to know what I'm there for. I kind of felt like it was a huge waste of time since she had no idea what I was talking about. As I outlined some of my thoughts, some research I had found Etc, she asked me a few questions and then said,
"I guess we both have a lot more reading to do."
What had she been doing in the two weeks between our initial conversation and our actual meeting? If we were in a business meeting and she was supposed to be in charge and she said, "Oh, I need to do some reading," she'd be at risk for losing her job. If I came to an exam or a presentation I was supposed to give and was like, "I need to read more" they'd give me a failing grade. As dissertation advisors they are expected to be able to assist their students. Not be like, I don't know anything so I'll just read later. So, there lies my first feasibility problem: am I going to be able to write a dissertation when my advisor doesn't put forth an effort? She keeps talking about how she's part time-works two days of the week at the university-and so can't give me more time than those two days. Fair enough, but shouldn't the university provide advisors who are actually available? The dissertation guideline states that each student should receive eight hours a week from their advisor: I don't know about anyone else, but I'm certainly not getting eight hours.
The second problem contributing to the feasibility of my project actually has to do with the project design itself. I am struggling to get participants. Basically, my project is needing military personnel who work with military defense dogs to be interviewed.
Any takers?
Distance doesn't matter because wonderful things like Skype an the phone can easily fix that issue, but it is proving difficult to get a hold of anyone. I've emailed the division of the UK military who deals primarily with the dogs, but have not heard back. I have also been emailing every State individually to see if anyone in the United States military would be interested in participating. The problem I'm running into there is that half of the email addresses don't work, some of the military bases don't have contact information for their Public Affairs people at all and some only have phone numbers. I'm going to have to start calling. Contacting each base individually is incredibly time consuming and that is the biggest concern with the feasibility of the project. There is not a single point of contact for the division that deals with the dogs. It's just not set up that way. So, I have been slowly moving through the alphabetical list of the States since yesterday. I haven't decided what to do with the States where the emails haven't gone through because the addresses on the sites are wrong. Hopefully, I'll get participants from the other States and won't have to worry about those I can't get a hold of.
I basically have a week to get this proposal completed so I guess that will be my first concern. I have to make sure that it's convincing so that I'm allowed to continue on with it. I just have to convince Madam "I need to read more" that it is feasible.
I won't go into the specifics of my idea here since it's supposed to be proposed all official like in the next week or so, but I have definitely run into some problems. The first having nothing to do with my idea at all.
When I originally applied to the university, I did so already knowing what I wanted to write my dissertation on. I was so excited that I even started asking the instructors about it months before we were even supposed to be thinking about it. When January rolled around we received the description for our dissertation topic selection and I was so disappointed to see that we were assigned broad topic areas that we were supposed to fit our ideas into. To me, that is not researching. Why would we research something that has already been done over and over again and on topics that we discussed in class? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of researching? Anyway, somehow I managed to reformulate my idea and squeeze it into the prescribed topics. That said, the instructor heading the dissertation portion of the program was still skeptical.
We scheduled a meeting and two weeks later we met. I started explaining what I had discovered and where I wanted to go with my chosen topic. She cut me off about three sentences in to ask me what my topic was again.
Whoa. What?
I thought that perhaps she asked for clarification, to make sure I was on track, but turns out she really didn't know. Why hadn't she even just checked our email correspondence we had been having before the meeting? At least pretend to know what I'm there for. I kind of felt like it was a huge waste of time since she had no idea what I was talking about. As I outlined some of my thoughts, some research I had found Etc, she asked me a few questions and then said,
"I guess we both have a lot more reading to do."
What had she been doing in the two weeks between our initial conversation and our actual meeting? If we were in a business meeting and she was supposed to be in charge and she said, "Oh, I need to do some reading," she'd be at risk for losing her job. If I came to an exam or a presentation I was supposed to give and was like, "I need to read more" they'd give me a failing grade. As dissertation advisors they are expected to be able to assist their students. Not be like, I don't know anything so I'll just read later. So, there lies my first feasibility problem: am I going to be able to write a dissertation when my advisor doesn't put forth an effort? She keeps talking about how she's part time-works two days of the week at the university-and so can't give me more time than those two days. Fair enough, but shouldn't the university provide advisors who are actually available? The dissertation guideline states that each student should receive eight hours a week from their advisor: I don't know about anyone else, but I'm certainly not getting eight hours.
The second problem contributing to the feasibility of my project actually has to do with the project design itself. I am struggling to get participants. Basically, my project is needing military personnel who work with military defense dogs to be interviewed.
Any takers?
Distance doesn't matter because wonderful things like Skype an the phone can easily fix that issue, but it is proving difficult to get a hold of anyone. I've emailed the division of the UK military who deals primarily with the dogs, but have not heard back. I have also been emailing every State individually to see if anyone in the United States military would be interested in participating. The problem I'm running into there is that half of the email addresses don't work, some of the military bases don't have contact information for their Public Affairs people at all and some only have phone numbers. I'm going to have to start calling. Contacting each base individually is incredibly time consuming and that is the biggest concern with the feasibility of the project. There is not a single point of contact for the division that deals with the dogs. It's just not set up that way. So, I have been slowly moving through the alphabetical list of the States since yesterday. I haven't decided what to do with the States where the emails haven't gone through because the addresses on the sites are wrong. Hopefully, I'll get participants from the other States and won't have to worry about those I can't get a hold of.
I basically have a week to get this proposal completed so I guess that will be my first concern. I have to make sure that it's convincing so that I'm allowed to continue on with it. I just have to convince Madam "I need to read more" that it is feasible.
Tuesday, April 02, 2013
Essay Writing: Blarg
I hope everyone had an enjoyable Easter. To be honest, we really didn't do much in the way of Easter things. In fact, we had chicken nachos for supper instead of any kind of traditional Easter dish. With it just being the two of us, we really didn't see the point of making a gigantic meal. I suppose we could have invited Carmen over, but we all had been out the night before for her birthday and so the thought really never crossed my mind until Easter was over. Besides, as the title of this post would indicate, I'm up to my eyeballs in essays. It's the end of the term and that means everything is due. I have two 4,000 word papers from this term, my 2500 word dissertation proposal and a 3,000 word essay left over from last term all due in the next couple of weeks. I haven't been sleeping well which is counter productive. This also means that my creative juices for blog writing are all dried up.
Not only is my blogging lacking, I also feel like I'm not working Nala enough. We're so new that, for me, it's really important to get work in every day in order to solidify our working relationship. Truthfully, though, we haven't been working every day; most days, but not every day. Some days we only have short trips to the cafe down the street which I feel is kind of insufficient. However, I'm not sure what to do about it. Last night I took her out to work a circular route I made up as we went just to get us out and working. I had her find a few curbs, a pole that we use to cross the street, the entrance to the cycling path, a set of stairs, more curbs and then our door to the flat. She did some obstacle work as well because there were so many cars parked on the sidewalk. This last part was unplanned, but it threw another element of complexity into the route that I thought was good. I think she was a bit confused by the time we got home, but I really just wanted her to be taking cues from me and listening to what I had to say. So, it was all good. Today we're off to the gym and that is a good long route that really makes her work. Sitting on my couch for hours on end writing/researching for essays usually leaves me with itchy feet and so I scheduled a run in for this afternoon. That way, I kill two birds with one stone: Nala and I work together and I get the ants out of my pants. :P
Anyway, lunch time and back to essay fun.
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