11.07.09

Friday again

Posted in News, Other dogs at 03:54 by nikki

Funny how the weeks seem to fly by and the weekends even faster. I guess I’m getting old, hard to believe it’s already November again. I’ve been trying to deny it but that is not an option anymore everyone around us in getting ready for Christmas.

On the subject of how time flies I was thinking how happy I am that Rúnar finished his schooling at the Karen Pryor Academy this summer, he had thought of waiting. If he had of there is no telling whether he would have actually been able to go. He’s been watching the adds for the Clicker Expo and we so want to go to the next one. Oh well, we can continue to play the Lottery. I’m hopeful we can do some great things with his knowledge and credentials but we can’t find a way to start holding regular classes, we so need a facility to train in. We got a little sad feeling when we drove past his mother’s old house today and someone else was living there. If I was 15 years younger no doubt I’d be holding classes in any nook or cranny we could find even in a parking garage like many traditional trainers here are doing. We have heard of so many people intending to, already started courses in other countries, or asking where to learn dog training abroad so they can teach. Many times these are young people with their first dog and full of enthusiasm. Oh I remember those days!  We’ve steered a few to learn clicker training instead of traditional training methods but it makes me think that before we know it Iceland will be filled with dog trainers of all different methods as well as clicker trainers and while the latter would be a great thing I’m a bit sad that if we don’t get started then the market might be gone. I see so much potential for classes of all kinds today but without a place to teach we’re pretty much stuck. I so wish I still lived in my house in Bessastadahreppur it was huge and had a nice big tiled garage that we trained our hunting dogs in with pigeons.

A bit nostalgic today, must be the weather and the fact that I’m feeling “under the weather”. I have been freezing to the bone all day in the house (it’s usually around 23-25 degrees C in here!), Rúnar said it’s not cold in here. I don’t have a fever thank goodness but just want to snuggle under my comforter. You know when it gets cold like this I really wouldn’t mind snow because it lifts the spirits to see that nice white fluff and how happy the dogs get. Apparently there is ice on the roads all over the place, alot of accidents and cars off the roads last night. But not where we live so there’s a positive note. If you’re gonna have icy roads than at least have snow to make them pretty. Hope the roads are clear for travel on Sunday since we have to drive a bit into the interior of the south. I heard there is snow in Canada at my friend’s house. Lucky dogs.

We haven’t taken any photos of the dogs for cards or anything, JIKES maybe we won’t be sending cards this year either. We ended up not sending any last year, or just one or two were sent to the immediate family and friends. I never realize Christmas is coming until the day or two before when I can’t help but feel it in the air. If I remember correctly though there is only a week or two to get packages out to places like North America from here if you want them there on time. Here I had planned to make socks for my nieces and send them a package for once but typical me I procrastinated until it’s too late to get started on that project.   Unless I just put my mind to it and do nothing else for a few weeks.

Was going to start writing again and was really intent my writer’s block had ended but the days go by so fast that I don’t get anything done. I had lost all interest in my book since July when I had a bit of a breakdown and Skella had taken the wind out of my sails with being a bit difficult to rehabilitate but I was on my own for that first critical time after she came to us but with patience (hard to muster up sometimes) she has been slowly improving since Rúnar is here to help so I know I have to get back to the book and just learn from this summer and this new dog who was obviously sent to me for a reason (like all my dogs).

It’s getting so dark early, by the time Rúnar gets home at 4:30 it’s almost black out. Always puts us in the mood for Christmas when the darkness comes. That and I love to see the Northern Lights so love to keep an eye out for them in the evenings. There were Christmas decorations for sale at the grocery store today, they weren’t there last week so we went window shopping, that’s the most economical way. Hehe  We said before we went in the store that we ONLY needed the bare essentials, milk, toppings for our gluten free pizza a’la Rúnar that we always have on Fridays, cheese, hotdogs, the dogs need their training treats you know, but came out with two bags full. I’m not a good shopper I need to do like I used to and only have cash on me so that if I get to the cash register and don’t have enough then I have to embarrass myself by putting stuff back. It’s not a positive way to correct bad behaviour but it seemed to work back then. LOL  Only problem is though that from week to week here the prices have doubled. I got some organic grape juice because I have read it has cold fighting properties and I want to nip it in the bud if I’m getting a cold. I don’t want to jinx anything but I haven’t actually gotten a cold or flu for years, I try to take natural healing foods when I feel I need them. I think I might count on them a bit too much sometimes you see I’ve been out in the yard with the dogs without my coat on lately. Just gonna be a minute I say to myself but end up playing with them and staying out too long. Silly me.

Oh I must share a couple photos I got from my friend Brynhildur at Reykjadals Kennel. She was out with the dogs and got a couple great photos of Töfra Hólmfrídur Hrifla (which is a difficult thing to do, hehe) so I really want to share. It’s always neat to see her grey undercoat through the black in the wind, her grandmother Hófi also had that. I’ve heard from some Finnish Lapphund breeders that it’s a sign the dog carries the cream gene or the dilution possibly. It would be interesting to investigate that better in our breed (it’s such a rare colour in our dogs!) since I do know that her offspring have given cream and that Hófi Sr was a cream carrier from her father. Frigg also has a greyish red undercoat but what also interests me is that Frigg has lighter eyerims than nose pigment (a slightly lighter shade that almost looks dark brown compared to her black nose) and so does little Hófi who has also given cream. I wonder if there is any research on that?

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