nothing exciting

Work and visiting continues.   Nothing very exciting to show you or tell you about.    We've been enjoying some second cups and happy hours with Nina and Paul, even a dinner or two.

happy faces

We've had a few nice sunny summer days, but more cloudy and rainy ones it seems.

rain rain go away

Beluga's washer/dryer is out and taken to the recycle center, an empty spot in her bathroom awaits the new arrival.

The refrigerator is out also.  Paul and Dave will drive Beluga to our old company next week to take possession of the new refrigerator and washer/dryer.   We had them delivered there because they have a forklift to aid in the lifting of these two heavy appliances!

lift with your knees Paul!

The side window has been removed and reinstalled, just to make sure all will go smoothly (finger's crossed) next week.

Dave and I took an afternoon off and went to the Hemlock Fair to see the Mounted Police Horse Competition.   We always enjoy watching the horses negotiate a homemade obstacle course designed to test their ability to remain calm and biddable in emergency circumstances.     Some do better than others!

These horses are all owned by the officers and come in all sizes and shapes.

One of the obstacles was designed to approximate an construction site with fluttering tarps, cones, various poles and pots, manhole covers.

One they had to push a "cart" forward a certain number of feet, using their chest or nose.

Pushing through hanging strips of rubber didn't give many of the horses a second thought.

At one point they were to stand with their nose directly on a huge, idling fire truck.    The truck driver would then blast his horn right in their face....didn't phase many of them either.    Spectators jumped though!

We ran into the fabulous Fred and his wife Jeannie and we enjoyed the competition together.  

It's always interesting to see the different approaches each rider used to coax, cajole, convince, or command their mounts to complete each obstacle.  

My favorite, and I think all the horses favorite, was the last one.   A police cruiser was sitting on the track in front of us with a crowd of "rioters" surrounding it yelling and rocking the vehicle.   The horse was to ride up to it and peel the rowdies off each side and move them away from the car, then canter along side it, escorting the flashing and wailing police car from harm.   The horses rose to this job with pricked ears and determined movement.   I think they loved being able to move forward and assert themselves.   Fun to watch.

Nina and Paul are traveling right now and we have sweet Polly in our charge.  She misses them very much and is slightly confused by their absence, but she is settling in nicely as the days go on.

Dogs that spend a fair amount of time in the lake (as Polly and Lewis do) eventually get a little - well - stinky.   It's because they never really get a chance to dry.    Before Paul left he gave his girl a quick bath.   She didn't particularly like it, but evidently he did!

Lewis got his bath too.   He was fishing with Dave after dinner one night and got so excited that he fell off the end of the dock, upside down,  and sunk like a stone.    He's never done that before, he's usually pretty surefooted but there's a first time for everything!    I only saw the splash from the window and by the time I got down to the water Dave had been able to show Lewis the way to the shore and he was swimming along strongly.    His hair was so long, however, that it was completely over his eyes, poor guy, he couldn't see where he was going!

We took the opportunity to lather him up with his lavender baby shampoo and dried him off before he knew he'd had a bath.    We clipped him yesterday so if he ever falls in again, he'll be able to see his way to shore.

all sweet and clean