Spring and SOON the Pyrenees Specialty

Yes it is.  Spring that is.

First off we celebrated Saint Patrick's Day the 17th of March like so many Americans.  A great "boiled dinner" Corned Beef (not that there was Corned Beef on many Irish tables of yore... if they were fortunate to have meat at all it was probably mutton), Cabbage, Carrots, Soda Bread, Mashed Rutabaga and Apple Amber.  Family gathered, green table cloth, a shillelagh up David's green sleeve all having fun pretending to be Irish for the day.  Reminisced of our time in Ireland when David was teaching there,  during the "electronic revolution" ...... Kilroanan House, Mrs. Murray, Dublin, The Grey Door, Maud, Francis, Maria and my Mother.. what a time we had... what a marvelous place it is!  It would be fun to do it again.

Just arrived back home after my last Ralle walk of the day!  It is close to 7:30 PM,  around +17 degrees C with the sun setting.  There was fragrance of new mown grass wafting in the air as we trekked back home across the Diablo!

It has been quite a day.

My Dear Dear friend Cathy from Mariposa dropped by.  Short but nice visit with Cathy.  Love the fact that she took the time (next time Ralle and Mene will meet;-)

Then I heard from a long lost X customer friend with whom we had such rapport,  a friend from our Oakhurst Feed Store days who "fell off the map" a person we have worried so about.......... she is back in touch!  Whooooot.  Delight.  Trumpets.

Finally it seems, we have ALL the information regarding how to proceed with Therapy Dog Certification for Ralle, the beautiful one.  First step is a Canine Good Citizen Certificate, and yea he already has one of those.  Next a six week course in Monterey on Wednesday nights.  We can do that. Then testing.  There is NO doubt in my mind of passing.... he is amazing this guy.

But before that, TEXAS!  Maria and I will be doing a marathon trip to the National Pyrenees Specialty at the Tanglewood Resort close to Dallas.  We will have three full days of driving just to get there. Yikes!!  Hope after that we can still stand up!

While we are there we will connect with our Great Pyrenees mentor Oneida Acres Brigitte and Denver Doxtator, Una and Ronto's breeder.  They, for the LOVE of the breed who I/we  have never met, yet love so whole heartedly, they have agreed to not only "show", but also to groom, to sculpt, to tease, and trim Vi'Skaly's Ralph Lauren for us and for Ingela and Pernilla.  He is going to be more awesome than awesome!  What a trip it will be!

Maria, Ralle, and I are going on a ROAD TRIP!  Posts to follow.  Too bad the "bacon earner", the photographer, is not going to "record" the event.... we, Maria and I, will do the best we can.... we will not measure up in the picture making department, we know, but heck one can't be good at EVERYTHING?