So, like, I hurt

Apparently my trek into the bowels of my crawl space yesterday was harder on me than I thought. I noticed a lot of bruises on my elbows and legs this morning- no biggy. My problem isn't the bruises, it's my back and legs. I feel like I was chewed up and spat out. I am walking with a noticeable list to the right, and my legs feel like I ran a marathon. Hm. I may not be doing that ductwork today. I may need a day to recover from my previous foray into the belly of my home...

On a brighter note, I hear it is supposed to warm up a bit over the next few days, which means no heat :)))) not only will I save oil, but Lucy should be more comfortable. She crosses my mind a lot, especially when I walk outside in the morning and see it is in the 30s. She has good room and board, but still, she's used to cuddling up to me on my BED for goodness sake!

Owning a home ain't easy

After work last night, I wanted to check the heat registers to make sure all were open. Since I had the new furnace installed, as I mentioned earlier, the airflow is HIGH velocity. So, a few were closed, and I opened them, easy enough, right? Wrong. There is one register in my bedroom that I could feel no air coming out of. I take the cover off, and see that the duct had fallen away from the opening- great. I also see two dead/dessicated mice laying between the register and the crawl space. GROSS. Okay, first things, first, let me get the duct screwed to the floor. After several cuts to my hands (I HATE sheet metal), and a few attempts, job done! Good, now to test the furnace. STILL no air. CRUD. I go in the furnace room, get on my hands and knees, look at about where the duct would be, and sure enough, it's detached. MAJOR CRUD.

This means I have to fireman crawl (you know, on your belly and have your elbows inch you along) into the crawlspace, amongst tons of insulation that the mice got a hold of- not to mention WHAT could be under there. But, I just went ahead. After much creeping I get there. The duct is laying on ground. I lift it, reconnect it, but NO, it won't stay. I look around for cement blocks, anything to put under the darn thing. No, nothing near, and given the time it took me just to get there, I ain't going to GET any. At this point I am starting to get a cramp in my back, and coughing God knows what. I decide to make my retreat, even though it GALLS me to no end to see my hard earned oil heating up dirt. I finally get out of there. God, it was a horrid thing. I come inside and wash up, but feel all that lovely insulation on my arms. I wash up the best I could, and got in bed. I think I needed a pill or something. It was just a trying thing for me ;) I am glad it was over.

Today though, I need to go back, and fix this. Plan is to don a Tyvek (tm) suit, complete with hood, and bring with me a strap/nails to support the duct, and some insulating silver tape to put around where they meet. If I still don't have air flow, I am HIRING SOMEONE.


Yeah, owning a home ain't easy.

Stuff

After yesterday's meltdown (thanks sheepdoggal for your support), I made myself some of my pancakes for dinner, and that helped... I didn't get a chance to eat much during the day yesterday, and cereal just wasn't going to do it. They were very very good. I got an almost decent night's sleep, but when my furnace came on, that is, the blower- holy cripes- that things blows air so hard, I am afraid if my cats walk over the register they will be blown 10 feet up! Anyway, when that came on, I was awoken. I hate the sound of oil being used. So, I turned the thermo down to 52. Yeah, it isn't popular with the animals, but so be it. I need to save!

I got an update on Lucy last night. Things are fine on that front. I took out that horrid table I bought a few years back, and brought in the really really nice table from my sister's place. I finally have a piece of furniture that I love- how about THAT?! I even have chairs that will go with it- for now.

Later this month there will be way more interesting stuff to report- a clinic, getting Lucy home, a trial, you name it, but for now, just boring old life.

I miss my dogs, and just who I am.

Let me answer the last part first- just who AM I? Well, maybe it's better I say who I am not. Here's what I am not: A person who is looking to upset, or irritate others. I am also not someone who is thick skinned, therefore, if you are going to be really really mean to me, and you all know who are you are, please know that when you do that, you hurt me for a very long time. Sometimes, I never heal. All I end up doing is stashing myself away from humanity even more. That may be your plan, I don't know. I can't control other people, I can only control myself, and myself just ain't up to being treated in a rude, mean, or otherwise ill tempered fashion. Maybe I just ain't up to today's world. Maybe I just need a thicker skin. I don't know, but to those of you who come at me with nasty emails, or comments please, keep in mind that the person you are attacking has feelings, and well, may just not be up to fighting the fight anymore.

I miss Cori. I keep looking at the spot where she always lay. I keep looking at her collar. I keep wondering if I was right to have her euthanised and not give her just a few more days. Cori, I am so sorry girl. I miss you so much. This house just isn't the same.

I miss Lucy. I miss her joyful grin, and her let's do it attitude. I miss our time together on sheep. I just miss being around her. I never thought it would be so hard. Well, it is. I know it is good for you, but it doesn't make it easier on me. Something tells me that it would be good if someone would just put me in a coma for the next month, and then I could wake up not having the view of putting my Cori down forever emblazoned in my mind, and I would also have my Lucy back.

How can you run out of those?

This morning I had moved my car so that the person installing my furnace could park his van in my driveway. As I moved my car forward, I looked at the house. I saw green blotches- YUCK. Apparently, the pollen/who knows what? is attaching itself to my pretty new siding. It is gross. So gross that I immediately got my scrub brush, and the hose and started cleaning it off. It came off very easily, but since the whole house should be done, I figured I would finally just BUY my own power washer. I go to home depot and see a few of them, and one small electric one flanked by HUGE gas powered ones. I soon learned from a salesperson that they don't have any more of the electric ones. NONE. Great. So, that stinks. I will see if I can borrow one from my family... I did get the majority of the green off, so it looks better, but now I want to give the whole house a wash.

Since was already out, I decided to get the cat food I needed, stop and take some pics of a field, and also head to the dog food place. Oh, I also got gas for the mower- for one last mow job this year, so it will be easier to rake. Oh, and I picked up tin foil- I can't believe how expensive THAT is now. Everything is just out of control.

Since the furnace isn't installed yet, it is cold in my house. I woke up to 55 degrees. It isn't HEINOUS but it is chilly. That's the temp I want to keep it at all winter, but I don't know if I can. Right now, I'm fixing to turn on and open the oven for just a little heat. Fall is nice, except for the cold temps. I also spent a fair amount of time worrying about Lucy. I sure hope she is warm enough. She has very little hair on her... Well, better put that out of my mind....

Weekend here we come!

And, there's nothing planned. BOOORING. Well, when you are under an austerity budget, there aren't a whole lot of options. One thing, I don't get exhausted under the weight of all the fun. That's okay, I don't want to strain myself ;)

There are a few things I need to do this weekend- have to head up to the vet's to get some chow for Ginger, and since I am there, take shots of the new field for the sheep/wool festival. I also have to stop at my parents for dinner on Sunday- that will surely be nice.

I plan to get lots of cleaning done this weekend, and just neatening up. Perhaps my furnace installation will be finished. Speaking of that, it sure has been cold at night. Tonight it's supposed to be 38 degrees F!!!!

The road less traveled

It has come to the fork in the road. Which road do I take? Do I take the road well traveled and select a nice Border Collie to work on sheep, or, do I take the road less traveled, and select a nice Kelpie?

Robert Frost
The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh

And, here's the "quote" that is so oft used, and is much more concise:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

You may wonder why I would quote Frost here in a Kelpie diary. Well, it is quite apropos. I have for some time now been looking for a second working dog. It would be nice to have two dogs to work, and now that I have gotten a better feel for what I believe is important in a working dog, and under the tutelage of some stellar mentors, I have begun my search. There are so many well bred Border Collies out there, and I have met some seriously "good people". I've no doubt whatsoever, that should I chose a well bred Border Collie, and maintain my learning curve under these stellar trainers, then I would be very successful. The working Border Collie is still by and large well equipped to serve it's master very well both on the trial field, and at the farm. I see this every time I watch them work. Sure, not every dog is destined for greatness, but most are pretty decent dogs. I never tire of watching them work- their finesse, their listening ears most always engaged, and that lovely style. It's just remarkable.

Alas, if it were that easy. Perhaps it is the rebel in me. Maybe it's just my stubborn streak. No, not that. Something has been niggling at me for some time now. Something about the Kelpie. Something about this breed has me well and truly stuffed. I have not seen many Kelpies work. I have only seen in person just a few. I have seen many more on video. I have logged countless hours on the phone speaking with live Kelpie legends. Kelpie breeders that have been breeding Kelpies longer than I have been alive. The conversation is always a good one. I really identify with their goals, their picture of an ideal dog, and basically, I come off the call stoked. Ready to work and be optimistic.

Something about the Kelpie. The way they seem to know what to do, and don't need to be told what and when to do it. What they lack in "style" they more than make up for in getting the job done with as little instruction as necessary. The comparison of the Border Collie and Kelpie, which I used to fall into doing, is pointless. On one hand, I believe that they are very similar, but on the other, I believe they are so different. Of late I have heard people say things that could be considered derogatory toward the Kelpie. My response is this: I have seen all the same "bad" things caused by Border Collies as I have Kelpies. The goal in these sheep dog trials is to get those sheep to me efficiently, and with a cool control. To get them around the course calmly, and without undo help needed. To be able to pen/shed/single with aplomb. It isn't about having a coated blk/white dog doing it with lots of whistles, or a short coated red/tan dog doing it with lots of whistles. It's about getting the work done, and being proud of a job well done.

I have seen Kelpies bust through the top. I have seen BC's bust through the top. I have seen Kelpies unable to lift sheep. I have seen BC's unable to lift sheep. I have seen Kelpies lose it at the pen. I have seen BC's lose it at the pen.
That's just it. In a trial we are tested. We get to see where we are, or where we are not, and we are not there to prove that any dog is better than the next. Humbling? Sure. Good for us? YOU BET.

There aren't many Kelpies (if any on the east coast) trialing in open usbcha trials. Some day, I hope that changes. If it were me and a Kelpie, that would be neat, but honestly, I would applaud anyone who made it there; who took the road less traveled, and not only met the challenge, but surpassed it.

So, in closing, it is finally clear. Kelpies and me will always be synonymous, and someday I do hope we move up through the ranks, and dance the dance. Some day.