December 7 2006

Big dog news this weekend, the Eukenuba Show once again. I'm sure you'd want to know that a Springer Spaniel took Best of Show at this weekend's big hoopla. Yes, I watched all 6 hours (in two days) except for the necessary house and body maintenance, like unloading of the dishwasher at the strategic moment of Sporting Class. First time any dog of that category won (shows how under appreciated spaniel types are). And of special interest to you Golden Retriever entities (dogs and people, you know who you are) might be that a charming Golden took best breeder/owner/handler category. They showed him at home on his throne (former couch) surrounded by a gaggle of Goldens, including some truly lovely puppies.

And even better than all the above (which is pretty fascinating stuff around here in what passes for my life), PUPPY BOWL will be back on the airwaves in February of '07! This pleases me on several levels, not the least of which is proof that I didn't hallucinate the entire thing in one of my insomniac nights. And (as Dave Barry always says) I am not making this up, the commercial included references to the "new, improved Kitty Half-time" plus "Tail Parties" with the obligatory clips. What a Valentine!

All else remains the same here, only colder. After our 20-hour electrical outage this weekend, we are at last (this is our fourth winter here in the frozen north) the proud owners of a generator. I was momentarily tempted to call the electric company to inquire just why we here in the boonies had to wait 18 hours after the power was restored in Bloomingburg (or it might be Bloomington, I lose track). Since Bloomingwhatever is at most 15 miles away, it occurred to me that walking the entire line would not have taken 18 hours. But fortunately for my stress levels, I decided not to waste time and energy for a no-win non-explanation. That's just how it is here in rural New York State. And if I needed any further proof that we are not alone in the lack of services, the ongoing saga of the magistrates' courts continue to "outrage" lots of folks who should have long ago noticed, and known better.

Mom suggested christening the generator with champagne, a strange suggestion from such a Jewish woman; if in fact there's any champagne around, I vote for drinking it, thereby preparing for the even colder temperatures lurking over the horizon (thanks, Canada). Yesterday even the pond was frozen over, the birdbath has been upturned for the winter for a while now.

Our resident deer (now four, apparently Annette the doe has adopted an orphan to keep her twins Abbey and Kevin company) are looking pretty bulked up for the winter, and by the munch marks I can see they are trying even the allium and iris leaves (which they don't like at all; this summer Kevin tried his best to eat marigolds, which resulted in a very funny movie of munch and spit out that lasted about 15 minutes). Here's a shot of them this past summer (when we were all thinner!).