Shopping for a home

So, the bears have started hibernating for the winter. They are much harder to find which leaves me with a lot more time on my hands. I could be spending that time helping young mongrels learn to read and write, but I figure they can handle that on their own. I mean, in many cultures they would already be parents.

So, instead of teaching and tracking, I have opted for a much more useful and obviously exciting way to use my minutes. I am shopping for a house. It only has one major requirement- it has to float. Well, it also has to sail and fit potentially 4 people and 2 dogs.

So far, I have fallen in love with one potential home. It is a Cal 39. The pictures may portray the home as a fixer upper, but it is truly magnificent. The galley is in the perfect place, the head needs a shower, but the husband can do that on his own. The v-berth can be easily divided to fit two young mongrels, each with their own cubby space. And, the best part is the husband can stand upright in it without hitting his head.

Here are some of the pics.

Above is Rossie looking towards the stern. You have to step on the counter to get in.
Below is looking towards the bow, my living room, dining room, and then to potential young mongrels room.

Below is the lovely galley. No, no, it really is lovely.

Here is the deck. It is huge!! And non-slip which is perfect for hound dog and her arthritis.

Surprising Findings, tracking bear

When tracking bear, it is important to remember that there are hundreds of other wildlife opportunities that may arise. You may find a baby kingfisher, having waddled out of its cave. Or you may come across those sweet little tracks made by a passing fox looking for food.
Sometimes, however, you are lucky to enough to find something that everyone dreams about- (by everyone, I mean me and my assistants.)
Yes, the hound dog, using her exquisite nose and waiting for my command (HA!) left our trail of bear to find the next best thing- a deer carcass.
It was perfect, complete with all 4 legs and those fantastic articulating toes. Yes, deer have toes. The head still included furry ears and a sweet little tongue. Ah, the thrill of the hunt.

My assistants and I of course did the only logical thing- we gathered up our prize and brought it back to our lovely home. I know, this dreamy find may produce some jealousy. As I am sure that everyone wishes that they could have a full deer carcass in their front yard. I mean, who wouldn't want to be greeted by the 600lb dead animal when they get home from work. And, although I apologize for rubbing this in, who would not want one particular leg of the beast in their house when they get up in the morning.

Sea Smoke

There are few images more satisfying to me in the morning than sea smoke.



I wake up and look out the window, welcoming each new 10 degree day. The shore is about 200 yards from my bedroom and as I slowly wake up...HA! Wait a second, you guys all know me already so I will rephrase, as I quickly wake up and stare out the window, I always hope for my favorite treat...sea smoke. It is this glorious, steamy looking smoke that floats off the ocean water and gives the illusion that that sea has become a giant hot tub. It is almost hard to believe that it is absolutely frigid out. For a moment I can imagine being in the west, lying in a hot spring, surrounded by cedar and snow, and immersed in toasty warm water.

As I take the dogs out for the morning stroll, I maneuver over the ice that has formed a permanent layer on my walkway (I find it thrilling to have a death trap greet me each morning.) My illusions of hot springs and steam quickly fade. But.... I am left with the most wonderful view.

Broken Camera

Well, Ross and I have officially broken both of our cameras! Yuck! I have a wealth of beautiful photos on the computer but they all seem obsolete. Sure, they are only from a month or so ago, but this digital age deems everything expired within days. I crave instant renewal- newness for the sake of newness. Ahhhhh!

Wedding Collage

This seems like the easiest way to share the pictures of the wedding, I think you can zoom in and look around. I love you guys!

Stuck in Massachusetts

The snow has taken over the west coast and the coast of Maine. Snow- beautiful, cold, cushy, playful snow. The kind of snow that keeps you inside baking cookies or begs you to come outside and dive head first into the depth of it. The kind of snow that I wait the entire year for- patiently praying in the middle of July, making promises to the snow gods each fall. I even got married outside in the snow, offering up my holy matrimony as a gracious sacrifice for the almighty snow gods.

The snow has taken over the west coast and the coast of Maine. Unfortunately, I am in Massachusetts.

End of "The (pronounced th+ long e, like flea) Week"

As mentioned previously, I find time amid my tracking to train the local mongrels up at the school house. Their kind is infinitely harder than bears... especially on "The Week".

"The Week" refers to that special time in the school house when all sense of academics, routine, or composure go flying out the window for the ever important 'Holiday Season'. Any ring leader will pronounce the phrase The Week with the same muddled disgust usually reserved for unwelcome relatives.

During this week, mature mongrels lose the ability to read and write. Elementary achievements are no longer reached. Basic communication skills are abandoned and replaced by more necessary ones- yelling and demanding; while academics give way to more challenging activities- decorating cookies and painting.

The voices of ring leaders' that could once wrangle the rowdiest of wild things mean nothing at this time. A wave of sugar-high disarray comes flooding through the building, drowning anything in its path.

Even the best intentions cannot save The Week from being over run with gluttony and craze. An experienced ring leader may decide that the mongrels cannot read to themselves at this time, but that does not mean that they cannot place their furry heads on the desk and be lulled into calm by tales of quiet snow and changing light. Experienced ring leaders may even have their own cage under peaceful control, succumbed by a read aloud trance.

It never lasts. Another braver (hmmm, less knowing) ring leader will just come along and open the gate and free the beasts. It happens every time. It is easier to simply give in and wait for the moment I am enjoying right now.

The bell and end of the The Week.