My Normal Life

My life feels a bit more normal. Well as normal as it gets around here. We once again have dogs in the yard! For the past month since coming back from Juneau I've been really quite lost. No dogs to cook for. No poop to pick up. No lost sleep because the resident moose are grazing near the yard driving the dogs nuts. Sigh. It's been lonely.

But today dogs arrived. They're on loan to us for the winter from our great friend Hal Barber. Hopefully they'll make the Quest team but if not, they'll at least get lots of miles on their paws. You see, some of the dogs who would have run on the team last year are a bit on the old side this year and I suspect I might be too. But I digress.

The rest of our canine crew comes home at the end of this month so I'll have some time to let this group stretch out their legs. They're mostly young and hyper which means that taking their pictures was a wee bit of a challenge. Two of them are from our kennel so it feels a bit like a homecoming.

I thought I'd introduce them.

Here's Trouble:

He was born two summers ago in another friend's dogyard. And yes he is trouble. He really doesn't like other males, considers himself a bully really, so I anticipate he and I will be having some very serious talks. He considers himself a ladies man and loves people. Already he has endeared himself to me.

Next is Girl:

Remember Chrissy on the old sitcom "Three's Company"? Well that describes girl. She is very sweet natured but not the brightest bulb on the tree. She is also a champion digger which keeps her nails short but makes walking through the yard a bit of a challenge. Girl is the daughter of Pester and Diablo - both our dogs.

Third up is Blue:

This is also Blue:

Blue has blue eyes. And the only way I could get him to stand still for a picture was to scratch his little pinhead. Unfortunately that translated into canine ecstacy and he couldn't open his eyes. He is brother to Trouble and Bolt who you will eventually meet.

Here's Kavik:

Kavik is the great-grandson of my dear Scotty, the most amazing lead dog I've ever owned and who left us on her eternal journey in the fall of 2005. In Kavik's eyes I see that same sparkle of intelligence and also, much to my chagrin, that wicked sense of humor.

Next up is Bolt:

I took 23 pictures of this dog. This is the only one that isn't blurred from his faster-than-the-speed-of-sound motion. I was told the only thing this dog likes to do is run. Not rest. Run. Run. Run. Well, this will be an interesting season of training.

And last, but certainly not least is Ami:

This little leader is all drive. She is a bit shy but not as much as I thought. I love shy dogs. The bond that develops between me and the dog is not one to be taken lightly and these dogs usually are the most honest workers on the team. I like her already.

And so there you have it. The new recruits. Tomorrow is our first run. I'm like a kid on Christmas Eve!