Well, the last month hasn’t been the best month of my life as far as my health is concerned.  After multiple doctor visits, an ER visit and numerous tests I still don’t have any real answers.  I’m hoping that with the next two tests I will finally have some answers and will be able to focus on getting well.

One thing I’ve realized during this past month is that even though it is easy to say “why me” it is best to say “that’s ok, I’ll be fine”…or as Alex likes to say “meh”.  I say “meh” to illness and I’m not going to let it win or get me down!  I think that Henry is a perfect example of not giving up.  I am truly amazed as I watch him as he goes about normal doggie things on a daily basis.  With his peg like leg he can’t always do everything he would like (sometimes this is a good thing) but he always tries and never gives up.  He has more heart than any other dog I’ve known and I think us humans could learn from him.  So from now on I’m going to live like Henry…I just hope I don’t get as many wrinkles and have much saggy skin as him!!!!

Henry and Eve

On a positive note, Eve is finally eating!  Who would have thought that you would have a problem getting a basset to eat?! I guess she has now gained an appetite and was even caught trying to steal some food the other morning.  Hopefully this will help her grow and fill out a little more before our next show!!!

Henry and I are currently in obedience classes and it is going well so far.  With his leg it is a little bit harder for us to do all the commands as they should be done but he at least does them.  I’m just glad that he seems to be liking it and is following commands pretty well.

Alex is currently working on planning out our gardens for the spring.  We have big plans to turn a lot of our front yard into veggie gardens so he has been busy drawing up plans and ordering some seeds.  As soon as the frost leaves the ground we will put in fencing to enclose the front yard.

Balm labels

Another thing that we have been working on is adding to the list of things we make with beeswax.  Last year we started by making soap, which ended up turning out very nicely.  This year Alex decided we should try some balms and salves.  Once again, I think that they have turned out well.  So far my favorites are the Lavender and the Tea Tree balms.

Until next time…

Well, another year has come and gone.  I wouldn’t say 2011 was a bad year and I wouldn’t say it was a spectacular year either.  It was one of those years that was just ok.

Christmas day in Grand Marais 2011

The good…

- We figured out a few health issues and are coping with them.

- Got two new hounds, Henry and Eve.

- Got chickens.

- Helped raise pigs.

- Harvested 5 gallons of honey from our hives.

- Put in more gardens.

- Started to repaint the house…again!

- Bought a BUV, our new to us minivan

- Started my new adventure of showing basset hounds.

The bad…

- Lost both Gerdie and Madelyn

- Lost Beyonce

- Had some health issues

So all in all, I can’t complain.  I have a wonderful family, a house full of hounds, a good job and my health is improving some.  So I welcome 2012 with open arms and I hope it is a great one!

After having a rough day yesterday, a new day begins today.  I spent a lot of yesterday crying and questioning if I was making the right choice with Maddie.  Today, I know that I made the right choice but that doesn’t make the hurt go away any quicker.

All of the hounds seem calmer, more relaxed and not always on alert.  I was able to feed them in half the time and even little Eve ate without any help or encouragement.  I was able to do dishes, dust and check the chickens…all without having to wake Alex up to play watch dog.  It is going to be a huge change to our routine!!!

Through all of the heartbreak yesterday, we were also able to finish a deal on buying a used minivan that we have been looking at.  So now the hounds will be able to ride in comfort.  It has rear air and heat and plenty of room for crates, gear and people.  I guess I never thought I would be an owner of a minivan but I guess that is what happens when you are a dog mom!

The Jokela BUV

So, I’m going to try to not feel sorry for myself today and move on with life…I know that is what Maddie would want.  First thing on the list is to try to find a snowblower before the snow starts!

Oh yeah, and a very very Happy Birthday to my mom today!  I hope that she has a wonderful day and I wish I was there to celebrate with them!

Well, it has been awhile since I last posted a blog entry.  Life just seemed to get busy and I didn’t have time to keep writing.

Here are some fun things that have happened since my last post:

• Henry has grown up – now weighs 51lbs!
• Eve turns 5 months old today!
• Chickens have started laying eggs!
• Eve and I went to our first show!
• Put in a new garden (thanks to the crazy nice November weather)!

Sarge and Henry sun bathing!

Eve playing referee!

Our first eggs!!!

That is about all for now.  Until next time!

Well, everyone in the pack seems to have welcomed Eve with open paws!  They are all getting along wonderfully and it doesn’t really even seem like there is another dog in the house.

Eve with Grandpa Sarge

Eve with one of the nylabones

Eve playing keep away from Henry

Maddie deciding to join in the race for the nyla!

and last but not least…you can’t beat a snoring, sleeping puppy!!!!

Eve snoring away!

Well, it has been a week since getting home from nationals and it was a busy week  trying to catch up from being gone over a week.

Last Sunday I was given the opportunity of a life time (we at least for my life time)…I was asked if I was serious about showing bassets and if so that there was a beautiful show puppy waiting for me.  I feel very very honored that Nancy thought of me to co-own and show this puppy.  I know how much she loved this little girl and how hard it was going to be to let her go.  After some discussion, Alex and I agreed that I should go for it!!

Eve with the rest of the puppies last Sunday

It turns out that I had my cousins Bar Mitzvah in St. Paul the following Saturday so we figured why not drive the extra 2hrs each way and go get little Eveleth (Eve for short).  So that is exactly what we did!!

Eve posing for a pic in our kitchen

So far things have gone really well.  She slept in her crate last night downstairs where all the other hounds sleep.  She went outside to potty on Oliver’s 3:30am potty break but otherwise slept pretty well for having only been in the house about an hour before bed time.  All of the other hounds welcomed her with open paws and Henry seems to be excited to have a younger pup in the house.  It may sound odd but it does not seem like there are five hounds in the house!

I know that this will be a learning experience for me but I am so up for it!!!  I am hoping to make it to Sioux Falls the last weekend in October to take part in a puppy show(3 mo+) and also to help out with all of the other hounds entered.  It is looking like little Eve’s first show, and my debut as well, will be in January at the Land O Lakes show in St. Paul.

I want to thanks all of the basset folks who have let me follow along the last 5 or so years…you guys are such great mentors…and workout trainers (from all the laughing).

So welcome Rabbit Run Eveleth to the Jokela hound family…I know we will have fun, learn lots and be successful in the ring!

Well, it is Friday and the last day of nationals!  Where did this week go?!

Yesterday was conformation for bitches so McKenzie, Pistol, Tilly and Satin were in the ring.  Here is how they did:

McKenzie – 3rd place in 6-9 month puppy bitch

McKenzie and Nancy

Nancy and McKenzie going around the ring

Pistol – 3rd place in 12-18 month bitch

Sue and Pistol

Tilly – didn’t place in 12-18 month bitch

Kim and Tilly

Satin – 4th in open bitch

Dee and Satin in the ring

Here is one of my favorite pics of the day catching both Sue and Kim in the ring with Pistol and Tilly.  Pistol and Tilly are litter mates but everyone keeps asking if they are mother and daughter due to the size difference!

Sue, Pistol, Kim and Tilly in the ring

Last night we quickly ate at the restaurant so some could go to the meeting while the rest of us relaxed a little until the horse racing at 8pm.  The horse racing started out fun (picture dressed up handlers and owners in horse costumes) but it seemed to drag on after nobody could answer the jeopardy questions.

I won a few more things at the raffle yesterday as well.

Today is Best of Breed so Minnie, Rio and Tiny will be in the ring.  I’ll keep everyone posted on what happens!

Yesterday was the conformation day for dogs.  Diego, Brauny and Oakley were entered in their classes.  Here is how they did:

Diego – 4th in 12-18 months

Diego and Nancy

Diego and Nancy take 4th

Brauny – didn’t place in Veteran Dog

Brauny and Sue

Oakley – didn’t place in Veteran Dog

Oakley and Kim after a down and back

Oakley closeup

In the afternoon we went to the Pat Trotter seminar on movement.  It was a very very interesting seminar which taught me a lot about what to look for when watching the show.

After the seminar we all walked over to the Montgomery Inn for some dinner.  Once again there were lots of laughs and good times!  Thanks to Sue for making me almost spit my water out again…you would think by now I would learn to not drink when they are talking!

Today the girls were up…so stay tuned for an update!

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!