LORE??? A Nanny Nap?? Am I in the right place
Pouring down here this morning, popped out and did early brekkie and pooh clear, got myself sorted inside and had my own brekkie, put Lona and Mabs in the car and off we went, called in at the wholesalers for shavings, chicken and tripe and lamb then went over to the vets, which is just up the road. We actually got there early, which is highly unusual for me!!! Vet was well impressed with Mabs, I explained I just wanted to acclimatise her for vets as she will be starting her health tests this year and don't want her to freak in there. Soo he was checking Lona out and getting the vax ready and Mabs was getting nearer and nearer, eventually she stuck her nose out for a sniff and then let him stroke her, after that he couldn't get rid of her!!! So she is quite happy and chilled now, Lona is A1, which I knew already, so will be back there in 5 weeks for a scan and we will see if Cruz has left any babies for us.
On the way home, all of a sudden, horrid smell, I had seen Mabs digging up the plastic sheeting in the back and shouted at her, so she stopped, but I just knew she had done something. Got home, put them back outside, went back and checked the car, and yes she had dug the sheet, blanket and plastic up, been sick and covered it all over again!!!! Eugh.... everything cleared and washed down. Back in and I have a missed call, YESSSSS, had a nice chat with them and she is ringing me tonight as she was on her way somewhere, so everyone purleese cross everything for Ash, and hope that she will raw feed, everything else about her sounds positive up till now.
Helena, how astute, no one else picked up I had put the ironing back without actually putting my iron near it, so kind of them to thank me
Have had babies out for a run now, I took Lona and Mabs out for a run on the way to the vets, so everyone sorted, babies had lunch, everyone got bones and yard and kennels clean, most of the day gone by now!!!!
It keeps raining, then stopping, the suns out at the moment, but it could all change at anytime!!!

June - everything crossed for Ash . So you'll know soon if you're expecting another litter .... or have I got the wrong end of the stick?

Helena - If I kick my shoes off at the party I'd disappear being only just over 5'

Probably won't log on again tonight as my brother has arrived now so it would be a trifle rude to spend the time on here I hope you all have a lovely evening and keep warm.

See you tomorrow.
ps. I didn't get a nap

Afternoon all been out for my afternoon stroll with Dillon while Gorden replaced a small piece of laminate flooring that had needed replacing not exactly the same shade but near as dammit. I feel people are more likely to notice something missing than something a slightly different shade on colour. Its been so long now since we bought his they don't make that shade anymore but we sure as eggs ain't buying all new.
The sun was shining when I was out and it was very pleasant and warm. Its gone in now though and looks like it might rain again.

Bev I hope Lily's paw is ok now and that she enjoyed her tea and biscuits out.
Lorraine nanny nap.
Fingers crossed here June for Ash.

Hope you get good news with this latest phone call June. More babies If it is I hope you have an easier time with it all this time round.
Been out for walkies. I went up to my daughters for 1/2 hour but she's getting ready to go out to watch a Take That tribute band - no doubt going early to have a drink first.
She is a teacher & she was telling me she had her appraisal last week. The person that does it usually gives 3 points that need improving. He told her he couldn't think of anything - even trivial points that she needed to work on. ( she's perfect like her mother )
Nice sunshine here today & quite warm for a change.

Evening all. Just had a Skype call with back op son and he sounds SOOOO much brighter and better. Is being realistic about how long he will be off work now and doing as he is told too.

Was a glorious morning but then the gale force wind came up. So strong I could hardly open the downstairs door against it to get out of the block!

Went to the market and have spent about hundred euro on lovely plants and dried leafy things and odds and sodds and of course home made fudge!

Wanted to get a coat of paint round the spare room windows but I ain't painting in a closed room and it is too windy to have them open.

A first for Bella - it was SO windy and she was not impressed when I took her down to pee - she always waits until we are off the block and the pavement. But she got as far as the back of my car (about 10 feet from the door) peed behind it and ran back to the door!

Yes, this will be Lona's last litter and I could have done without her coming into season now, I was hoping Easter time to give me a break, but no she has been her usual difficult self and come in dead on 6 months after her last, which is a first, my dogs go between 9 months and a year, in fact Cariad went 1 year and 2 weeks between seasons.
It was a now or never thing, and up till the day before I had decided against it, but if I didn't do it then we had bought Cruz, health tested him (with great results) and kept him till he was 2 years old, all for nothing. Because Lona is now the last of her line, there were 4 sisters, one has passed away, one never took when mated so has been spayed, Cariad is now spayed, and after this Lona will be spayed, and the reason we got him was to put him with Lona. However I then took Zillar back, and she was in such a state (overweight-nearly double what she should have been) and totally untrained in every respect, so took me a year to rehabilitate her and home her in a pet home, so I am a year behind really on The Plan. These puppies are part of the Breeding Programme to bring in new lines to our breed as it is a very tiny gene pool, and one of the big problems is the amount of in-breeding that has gone on, and still is to some extent. Cruz is from a KC reg GSD and a KC reg Alaskan Malamute, his breeder is aware of what we are doing and is quite happy about it, he has been hip and elbow scored (5;5 and 0;0) has a clear eye test and is DM free, so his and Lona's progeny will, I hope, go on to improve the Utonagan breed long term along with a couple of others who are also involved in this with dogs from the founder breeds. We have also got a blue gsd KC reg girl to put into the lines, she is just 13 months old this month so another year before all her health tests are finalised, she comes from very low scoring lines of 1's and 2's so we are hopeful of excellent results when she is hip and elbow scored. Again, I was totally open and honest with Midnight's breeder as to why I was buying her and what I hoped to do, and she is with me all the way.
After this litter it will be 2 years at least before I breed again, that is subject to Mabs's satisfactory health results, and also how I am in myself of course.
I am extremely tired after the past few months, as you can all imagine and look forward to uninterrupted time with my girls

Exiting times again for you then June. You could have done with a few months to recupriate (sp) though after the last few months. Never mind I'm sure you will cope & you've got a while before all the fun starts again.

I really could have done with a break, once this next litter (if there is one) is done then I have done my bit for the breed, I have put 4 litters out there all with extremely low COE's (percentage inbreeding) by dogs that would not have been put together without me doing it, as breed politics is a minefield to say the least, and now this one will be completely unique bloodlines, combining the very new with the longest standing genuine Utonagan lines which go right back to the founder dogs 30 odd years ago.
It is by no means certain there will be a litter anyway, Cruz is unproven and it doesn't always work that way when it is the male's first time at stud. I think they'll have stunning progeny if it does work.

Hi Taffsmum I bet that made your morning seeing those 4 greyhounds.

Hi Lorraine, I'm not surprised you're feeling shattered, but knowing you as we do, I'm sure that plan of a nanny nap didn't materialise somehow. I hope it did, but I very much doubt it lol

Hi June, Glad the vet's visit went well and it was lovely to read how well behaved Mabs was for the vet, I'd love to say that about Zena, but I can't, sadly. Re that ironing, lol, yes I don't miss a trick ya know Oh wow, this one sounds promising for Ash, I will have everything crossed that raw won't put her off, but once she's through that door, I'm sure she'd move heaven and earth to get it right with you so that she can take him home.

Hi Jenny, Have a good time tonight at the party, you're a real party girl aren't you!!!

Hi Lynn, I'm sure they won't notice the difference in colour in that flooring, and hopefully, everything is done now and you can get it on the market and sell it.

Hi again Taffsmum,. well that must have made your day more than those greyhounds, the news there from your daughter. Like mother like daughter as you say

Hi Pat, so pleased to hear your son is now over the worst and deciding to be sensible about things. That is one serious op, he needs to listen to what they say about his aftercare. I'm sure it's taken a huge weight off your mind there and now you can get on with the refurb of the new flat. I just remembered, when my mum and dad had their pool table in their villa in spain, they had a big piece of wood which went over the top of it, so it doubled up as a dining table? It doesn't look like it's gonna go anywhere anytime soon does it, so it might be a wtg?

I'm sure you are extremely tired June after what you've just been through, but I can also understand your reasons for wanting to do it all over again, even though the time isn't quite right for you. Of course, we're gonna LOVE it on here, we can do it all over again with all the puppy pics but without any trauma this time around hey?!

Still cold, still raining, still blowing a gale darn sarf.

Maybe tomorrow we will have some of your sunshine. Now I must tackle this big pile of ironing, I could be a while....

at least you have all witnessed, first hand, the trials and tribulations of being a breeder, and know (if you didn't before) that the chances of making your fortunes are very slim indeed, if not non existent. Someone on our breed forum said to me oh if she has 12 again you'll be OK then, and I said well first of all these babies aren't full Utonagan so they will be around £450, after that think 12 x eye tests, vax, vet checks,microchipping, 4 meals a day plus the older girls cleaning up constantly, washing vet bed, puppy pads and teaching them to use them, and then tell me if I'll be OK, it is NOT a money spinner, and they said Oh never thought of it like that. People don't
No way do I want 12, up to 6 will be fine for me, anymore than that and they're going back