Ann’s Weblog

Millard came over with the mirror on Tuesday night. It is our “old” bathroom mirror which was purchased from Canadian Tire about 15 years ago when I bought this house. Some of the silvering was deteriorating on the edges, so we asked Millard to add a frame which would coordinate with the cabinetry:

Now we’ll wait until the new window arrives and Art will install that. We’re hoping that some wood can be found to finish the frame of the window to look nice with what Millard used, though I think I understood Millard to say that he had used every bit of the material he had there (for this project).

Gary was in Jasper skiing yesterday and Tuesday, and I took over the ploughing of snow in the driveway. It’s a bit of a learning curve… at the farm I used a John Deere with a blade on the back and so far, at this place, we have a tractor with only the bucket for snow removal. I used a lot of diesel and quite a few hours pushing snow around, sometimes very inefficiently, but it felt like fun. The temperature has not been too low.

I’m waiting for a dog whose toenails I’ll trim, and then a little shih tzu who needs a haircut. Today is our 8th wedding anniversary, so later we’ll go to the local Pub for dinner.

There has been some interest in adoption for the little dog I took in on New Year’s Day, including friends of the family who left him behind. I hope for a better life for the animal. There is some potential for conflict… how long do I keep such a dog before I can adopt it out? On whose authority do I go ahead with this proceeding? In this case and a few others in my years of business, there has been no opportunity for official “surrender” of an animal.

I just got a note through Facebook that one of my “old” favourite customers had to be euthanized in December. She had a great, long life with loving family. Rest well, Maggie, dear gal.

I received an email about some other dogs needing adoption*, and included in the message was a link to continuing updates about the abandoned horses which I wrote about in December:

Horse Rescue

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*If anyone wants to know about the other dogs which need homes:

3.5 year spayed female lab/ boxer/ pit cross

3 Month old Chesapeake Bay Ret. Female. Vet checked, vaccines up to date, needs to be spayed

the phone number for these adoptions: 250-566-0166 (leave msg)
or email mountain-me@hotmail.com
contact: Chris

Normally my blog wouldn’t be a forum for pet adoptions, but that’s the way it is today.
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Here’s a picture of my lovely daughters, and me of course. I’m not aging well, but then I’ve whined about that before. This is from November ‘08, when they were in the Valley for the occasion of their paternal grandmother’s birthday.

Gary was wanting to upload a photo to Facebook this morning, and it occurred to me that I have never put even one picture except a profile pic, onto Facebook. THEN it occurred to me that our “iPhoto” Application on our Mac computer is a morass of uncategorized photographs which even includes pictures that have been downloaded from other peoples’ cameras (which is fine, but adds to the great numbers). And then it also came to my attention that the file handling on our Mac is in an appalling state… files and pictures and even applications “saved” in the most unlikely albums and folders and even in NO folders.

Sometimes it doesn’t seem like the winter (hibernation time) is even long enough to catch up to the bookwork, deskwork, website upgrading, file handling, sewing, crafting, reading and all other indoor projects. We have “weathered” more winter this year than usual, or maybe I don’t remember well, but I still appreciate the time to rest and regroup. Gary does almost all the work of the actual heating of the house and also snow removal, making life a lot easier in the last winters.

I’m going to go back to sorting on this computer. Take care everyone! ~ Ann

Pictured are Chico (affectionately nicknamed “Doodles”), and Maggie, both of whom are freshly groomed.

Chico was really just here for “daycare” and toenail clipping, but because Gary and I are close friends with her owners, I decided to give her the full meal deal (no extra charge!). She didn’t seem too stressed or upset, but as I took the photo, she seemed suspicious that she was going to get MORE beauty treatment.

Maggie has been a regular guest for both spa treatment and boarding. She is a pleasant little dog, happy and confident, but when the camera comes out, Maggie can put on the most dejected look! She has been the only Pet Hostel guest in recent years who leaps into the bathtub upon a simple request from me. Maggie and her owners are leaving our community, and I’m very sad about that.

I haven’t accomplished very much else today! I created something like Pad Thai Noodles for lunch and have Indian Butter Chicken (again!) in the crockpot, which we’ll have for dinner with basmati rice and naan (a bread). That link is for a sample recipe for Indian Butter Chicken; I find it simpler to buy the spice paste or powder for it, and follow the directions on the package! Here is MY Cooking Links page, on my site, for your entertainment.

Again today I didn’t get out the sewing maching to create something for a certain loved one. Now I am going to MISS her birthday and am chastising myself. I just feel so uninspired to sew, and wonder when the desire will come back.

In the mail today came two movies from our DVD rental club: ‘In the Heat of the Night’, and “The Defiant Ones’. The first one I saw decades ago, and the second I’ve never heard of. Both are Sidney Poitier movies. As our TV reception has failed this afternoon, I’m glad we have received new movies!

It’s time to go mix up the naan, and look after the boarders who stay mostly outdoors.

Thanks for stopping by! ~Ann

This sweet little girl, who has the coat of a “cockapoo”, is actually a fairly BIG girly, probably at least 40 pounds. She’s built rather like a basset hound. Maggie handles her time at the “dog spa” with aplomb; she seems to enjoy Gary, me, and Lady, our dog. This is the only guest who will jump into the bathtub upon a simple request from me.

Little Rambo (see post from Jan. went home this morning. His owner is out of the hospital pending some more tests and further treatment. Our friend is in good spirits. She and her youngest son brought me a gift: a FIVE kilogram bucket of doggy treats! The most upsetting aspect about coming HOME, was that her little car was completely buried in snow! I forgot to ask whether someone had cleared a path to her house, in her absence, but I imagine a friend or son had done so.

Made Gary a banana cream pie while I was waiting for Maggie to be picked up.

Wish you were here.

Love, Ann