Family Visit

we sealed the cabin

the family built new stairs

But the highlight of the summer has been the family visit. Unfortunately, I don't have a tone of pictures from that as Mary was in charge of the camera. I only have the advantage of living with the finished products and the bit of sunshine they left behind.

Update

Well we've established that I'm not very good at keeping up to date when things get hectic. I have just a few highlights from my trip to Florida (primarily a conference, but a bit of a fun trip when Maribeth and Gemma showed up to help me enjoy Walt Disney World.) I also highly recommend Animal Kingdom at WDW. There are some great chances to see some incredible animals, especially the Gorillas. I will get to Africa someday.

Extra puppy pictures

Well you also knew I couldn't resist adding some new Phin photos. We've got Phin yesterday in the lawn, Phin playing with a collie puppy over at Maribeth and Craigs (a week before he almost caught a chicken), Phin with his new toy from Herta, and Phin enjoying a little rest after all the play, notice his head is on the throw pillow. He's such a good boy when he's not shredding the house.

Back on Blog

Well it's been 3 months, winter has gone, spring has come and gone, and summer has arrived. Phinny has turned one, I've turned 32. The summer field season has started and work is crazy.

The planting season is in full swing. So Phin and I have been doing our best to keep up with the lawn and work on some landscaping here at the homestead. Taking all of our numerous lessons from the master WI planter (Glenn) into account. So here are the latest photos of the pooch, the house and the porch (the green bushes are Snowstorm spirea that are going to get there white blossoms soon). The bottom character was also a visitor to a neighbors house that I am hoping will stay away from my new plants.

Hope you are all enjoying your summer and I will keep you posted as more develops through the summer.

Meet Fafner

Fafner is my sister's horse that she pretends is a poodle. He is just a big loveable gangly boy. Full of pep and energy, well at least for those few days in TX when it's not miserably hot. When it is really toasty out he likes to take it easy and lay on his back on the couch, lay in the yard and watch the birds, he loves nap time. Unless of course there is a cockroach or cat around, then all bets are off and the hunter is out, especially if the birds happen to land in his yard, then he's ready to go.

We don't really know what Mary fed him, he started out a normal size, he once fit under the seat in an airplane. Now he can pretty much cover the yard in about 4 big jumps. I'm 5'10" and you'll notice his head almost comes to my waist. Add to that he has springs in his feet and from a standing position in front of the door he can do a vertical jump and practically hit the ceiling. It's pretty amazing, if only he had an opposable thumb we'd be making some serious money off this dog in basketball.

He is by far the best bed cuddler I've ever met. Sophie is good but she is always hyper-aware of what is going on. Phin just doesn't have the knack of it yet, he just wants to play play play. But Fafner, he'll just close his eyes and nod off. Not to mention he'll keep you warm from the tip of your nose to the tip of your toes if you curl up right. I could use him up here this week. (Although I suspect he would curl up under the covers with me, he gets hot at Mary's house but I doubt he'd have that problem here.)

So now you have met the rest of the poodle babies of the family. The only other baby of the family we have is Logan- and he's one of those real babies WITH opposable thumbs, but Sophie and Fafner sure seem to like him, especially now that he is learning to through food on the floor and feed them Cherrios. He's Glenn's grandson and getting to be a big boy himself, not quite as big as Fafner yet, but getting close to passing Sophie in height.

(Size wise, Phin is still growing but he is catching up to Fafner's height, but definately has Sophies, um, girth...it's cold up here...we need that extra insulation, you try staying warm at -50 if you are as skinny as Fafner!)

Meet Sophie

Sophie is Mom and Glenn's pooch. She is the princess of the family and is treated as such. Recently WI has been hammered with heavy snows and, well Sophie, doesn't like getting her dainty feet full of snow, nor does she enjoy having to go out to do her business if the snow is too deep. A certainly understandable protest. So she has a path plowed for her by her manservant Glenn, (he also serves as the waiter, lapservant, and general dogsbody...you get the drift). Pretty much the house has been trained to run under her watchful eyes and paw. Unlike my household where I tell Phin what to do (HA HA HA!)

New pics

This is Phin at work. He sits here and watches out the front window all day. Then he gives you this look if you talk to him and disturb him, very reminiscent of "You talkin' to me?"

But when all is said and done, he is pretty good at taking a break and relaxing. Especially if you would just come over and rub his belly.

I painted

This would be the puppy who is feeling much better and is full of it again.

Its hard to tell but the bathroom is a warm cream color, I haven't quite figured out what or ifI am going to do something with my border yetbut that can happen later.

The kitchen is beautiful. It's just hard to get a good picture of because its the interior wall. It also looks different depending on what angle and what lights you have on it.

alright already

Okay,if you didn't know I spend a fair amount of time appeasing my sister. So here are interior shots that she felt I had neglected taking.

So Phin would ask, is this enough yet?

Oop Forgot the CABIN

I guess you might want to see another picture of the whole thing....

For my sister

Welcome to the lifestyles of the northly cabin (well I couldn't say rich and famous now could I?)
I couldn't get the photos to load in the exact right order but you'll get the idea I think and I'll appease my elder sister.

First I have some examples of how the house is heated. A 200 gallon Greer tank. It has a small filter and a small copper pipe that runs to the monitor heater in the house.




These are examples of the piers that hold the whole house up. In the spring the house is going to get re-leveled.

The garage is doing well although the path to the house is a bit treacherous at the moment. Phin says, yeah whatever you had me fixed this week and I really don't care what you have to say right now.

That little pipe with the bumper sticker is where my water comes, I love water wagon. It's 8 cents a gallon, but hey they come right to your door...oh wait I guess that's how most people get their water....

turning white

just a quick pic of Phin's new cut and his ever-lightening face, his lighter ears are starting to show up too.

I promised my sister the next post would have pictures of the cabin-so I'll get to that soon.

We're Home!!!

Here's Phin modeling his new coat!! He's SO handsome in it.



Phinny came home all beautiful and poofy. He's happy to be home even if he is a bit tired. I felt bad because he wasn't going to get to play with the rest of the poodles, but it turns out his playmate for Christmas was a chocolate standard poodle. he had a great time.