Well, the day of sweepstakes was an up and down day.  First off was the show where everyone did well.

McKenzie – 1st in Junior Bitches 6-9 months and took Best of Opposite Sex to Best Junior

Diego – 3rd in Senior Dogs 15-18 months

Pistol – 2nd in Senior Bitches 15-18 months

Brauny – 2nd in Veteran Dogs 7-9 years

Oakley – 3rd in Veteran Dogs 7-9 years

After McKenzie’s pictures we grabbed a bite to eat at the restaurant and headed back to possibly watch some rally.  We never made it to rally but were able to hit the raffles.  I won a picture, plate and candle in the raffle…YIPPEE!!  After our long tiring and emotionally exhausting day we all decided to just order pizza and then go play bingo with everyone.  I kept my loosing streak at bingo by not winning anything but I did have fun.

Today is dogs, so Diego, Oakley and Brauny are all groomed and ready to go!

All of the bassets and owner, handlers, breeders seem to be here…so it has totally gone to the hounds!  To me it seems much like heaven seeing all these gorgeous bassets all around me!

Yesterday was the Kentuckiana Basset Hound Club dog show.  We got up early to get the hounds ready as the show started at 9am.  Here is a break down of how the hounds did yesterday:

Diego – 1st in Dogs 12-18 months (I was cheering Go Diego Go)

Diego and Nancy

Brauny – 3rd in Veteran Dogs

Brauny and Sue

Oakley – didn’t place in Veteran Dogs

Rio – didn’t make the cut in BOB but looked very nice

Rio and Kim in BOB cuts

McKenzie – 3rd in Puppy Bitches 6-9 months (go Henry’s sister!)

Tilly – 2nd in Bitches 12-18 months (she almost got a 1st after almost being pulled for the day)

Pistol – didn’t place in Bitches 12-18 months (she helped her sister, though)

Minnie – made the first cut in BOB but didn’t make it past the 2nd cut

So that was our show yesterday!  Today we have sweeps in the morning and then I hope to go watch some rally in the afternoon.

As promised, I had a lot of fun last night at the welcome party!  There we talked, played raffles, got our welcome totes and had some snacks.  Did I mention that we laughed?!  Some how I think I’m getting a work out from all the laughing we are doing here!  Then it was off to Dairy Queen for dessert since we still hadn’t walked next door to get ice cream since getting here and saying we were going to.

Well, off to the show!

I’ll post more later since I don’t have much time this am before heading over to help with the hounds and to cheer them on in the ring.

Until later…

After a week of being sick I was starting to think I wasn’t going to be able to make it to Basset Hound Nationals like I had planned.  At the last minute the dr said I should be fine to go and I decided to go for it!!

Sunset on the way to Racine, MN

Thursday afternoon Alex drove me to Nancy’s house in Racine, MN.  We had an uneventful drive with a quick stop at my mom and dad’s to pick up a what-a-chair to bring with.  Rebekah enjoyed the surprise visit and even gave us a leaf as our going away gift!  Of course that was after getting her jacket and shoes on to come see Auntie Mim’s green bug!

Once at Nancy’s we unpacked my stuff from the car and Alex headed for home, since it would be a 4-4.5hr drive back home for him.  Nancy and I headed out to the kennel to see the puppies and also give baths.  All I can say is there is nothing like a pack of hounds and puppies to help you feel better!

We left early Friday morning for Kentucky and arrived at the hotel a little after 7pm.  After getting checked in and settled we decided to head down to the restaurant to get some dinner.  Then it was bed time as we had had a long day.

Are we there yet?!

Saturday we had hoped to go see the Kentucky Horse Track but they said that they don’t allow any dogs in vehicles in their parking lot so we had to go with plan b.  Plan b included a trip to Walmart, lunch at Bob Evans, checking out the venue, walking hounds and then dinner at the restaurant.  I was able to go say hi to Sandi and meet all of the Red Bay hounds.  I’ve also been introduced to many many other new basset hound folks during the past two days.

Today is a day of education with seminars this morning and this afternoon.  Should be a very informational day for me and I’m excited to be able to attend them.

So far there have been many laughs and I’m sure there will be many many more to come!

Bobby with the chickens

Well, after doing a little more research on our quail, we have realized that Bobbie is really a Bobby!  For bobwhite quail you can tell the males by the white on their head.  Hens will have more of a brownish color where the white is on the males.

Bobby is still hanging with the flock here and was even the first one in the coop last night.  He seemed to like roosting in the windows of the coops while the chickens roosted on the roosts.  All was fine this morning as I went to let them out.  Little Bobby just waited for all but one hen to go out (Goose doesn’t go out until I leave the coop, she has to say hi to me first) and then he walked up the ramp, out the door and down the other ramp.

For now as long as Bobby and the chickens are getting along fine we’ll just call him part of the flock.  So welcome to the flock Bobby!

Well, another heart walk is under my belt.  Todays walk seems to have been successful, even in this horrible economy.  I want to thank everyone who helped support me in raising funds, I was able to reach my goal of $500 again this year.  I also want to thank Alex, my mom and dad, Annie and Lisa F for coming out and joining me for the walk!  Here are a few memories from today:

Bayfront Festival Park

It was cold but people were still coming out to support the cause!

Large ship leaving the port

We got to see a large ship leave the port and announce it’s exit to the lift bridge!

Henry hanging out

Henry was very popular and was saying hi to anyone and everyone that would stop to say hi!  At this point he was joining some UMD folks for some snuggle time!

Henry and Champ nose to nose

Henry even was popular with Champ, UMD’s mascot!

Henry getting a pet from Champ

Henry posing with Champ

And finally…

"Kisses"

Henry gave and received many many kisses today!

So we have named the little gal, Bobbie, since she seems to be a Bobwhite quail.  She wanted to join the chickens in the coop last night but flying at wired off windows wasn’t working for her to get in.  So we closed up the coop and she took shelter on the green roof of the coop instead.  This morning she was on the garage roof just watching and came flying down as soon a the chickens were let out.

Bobbie on the fence

Bobbie with the chickens

As you can see she is much smaller than the chickens but she chases the chickens around.  We are keeping a close eye on her to make sure she doesn’t hurt the chickens in anyway.  So we’ll have to see what the future brings for little Bobbie and if she decides to stick around or not.

Love…this week has really taught me what true love is and how love works.  I think too many people just carelessly throw the word around without even thinking about its meaning.  For me, when I say I love something or someone, I really mean it with all of my heart!

Our wedding day

This week I haven’t felt very well health wise, which obviously puts added stress on my entire household, as they take care of me and make sure I’m cared for.  It was eight years ago on September 14th that I married my best friend and soul mate, Alex!  There have been many times in the past eight years where he could have said “I give up” or “This is too hard” or “I can’t help you” but instead I get “I love you” and “Are you doing ok” and “Do you need me to do anything”.  Now that is what the true meaning of marriage is and I am forever grateful for it every day!

I’ve also learned to look at things from the other side, as the care taker.  It isn’t an easy task and even harder when you yourself don’t feel well.  I am in the process of learning how to fill this role to be as supportive as possible.  It is really hard to watch someone you love not feel well!

Maddie, Oliver and Henry

I have also found that even when you think you don’t have any more love to give another hound, one seems to find their way into your heart!  My heart was crushed when Homer passed away.  I thought that there was no way another dog would ever wiggle their way into my heart as much as he did.  Well, I’m learning that they all wiggle their way into your heart, just in different ways.  For me, all of the hounds seem to have a different role in our lives here at Chez Jokela.  Homer was truly my heart dog and could sense when my NCS was acting up.  Sarge is the gentle laid back hound that just makes you smile and helps snuggle away the sorrow and pain.  Oliver is the the new sensor of NCS flare ups and is known as the house clown, who needed us as much as we needed him.  Maddie is the girl who keeps you going, is very loyal and is eager to learn.  Gerdie was my girl.  She was my shadow, the one who watched over me, the first one to greet me and the alpha female of the house.  She kept everyone in line with an iron but gentle paw.  When she left us in July I was devastated and didn’t know if my heart would ever heal.

Henry playing nurse

Once again I was feeling that emptiness that I had felt when Homer left.  Well, of course along came Henry and now my heart is a little less broken…ok a lot less broken!  This boy makes you smile everyday and is the best behaved puppy I have ever had.  Yes, I probably just jinxed it now and yes I know I said puppy when I said after Homer I would never get another puppy and yes it isn’t hard to not be a better behaved puppy than Homer was.  As the 6.5 month old Henry slept and snuggled on the bed with me for 6 hours on Tuesday, while Alex was at work, I knew I was well cared for and that I loved him even more than I thought I ever could.

So there you have it…I am very blessed and glad that I am able to love and be loved!

That was the first thing out of Alex’s mouth this morning as we let the chickens out heading out for work.  After the skunk episode the other night I was worried to look at what Alex saw in the yard with us and the chickens.  I finally worked up the courage to look and this is what I saw…

Bobbie the Quail

Yup, there was a quail in the chicken yard, just hanging out eating some of the chicken food and scratch.  We left for work wondering if we would ever see her again.  Well, when we got home she was still hanging out with the flock!  We’ll see what she does tonight when the other chickens go in the coop to roost.

To be continued…