Thanks to Laura…once again I have a reason to update my blog!

1. In sheepdog training (or lets call it *any* type of training), how do you keep from taking yourself, your dog, your lack of progress too seriously? posed by Ann

I vaccilate between delusions of grandeur and searching ebay/craigs list for a monkey jockey.  There is no "keeping myself" from anything.  Dianne keeps me grounded by making fun of me, or giving me her patent-pending DD 'Look'…the scrutizing stare ending in fast blinking…when I say something stupid like,

Me: "It doesn't seem to me that qualifying a nursery dog would be too difficult."

DD: "Really? Maybe you should finish a pro-novice course before you have that needlepointed on a pillow."

Yes.  I did really say that. Less than a year ago. 

2. How many crates do you have? For reals.

Six. Really.  I should have more but I am LAZY. Only Pat and Jai and Scout and Zeke spend any time at all in a crate.  The others run the house like a plague of barking shedding vermin.  Sometimes I go sit in my car just to get away from them.  (NOT REALLY!)

(Really)

I think a cage suspended from the ceiling, like 60's go-go girls danced in, would be great for Scout.  I might get one of those. Or 3.

3. How do you keep your dogs in shape?

I run or walk 4 – 7 miles at least, usually, twice a day.  Jai gets more like 8 – whatever, because I'll take her on more than one run/walk.  Pat is lame right now, (!!!) so I'm just hoping he has some risidual fitness from before he hurt himself; he generally gets 4 – 5 miles trotting along on trails behind me.  I also have older dogs who get 2 – 3 miles, walking.  And Scout, who I like to take alone or with one other mellow dog because she is filled with rage and I'm afraid she'll burn a hole in one of my other dogs with her eyes.

4. Who is your favorite movie/tv star eye candy at the moment?

Damn. I'm going to have to disappoint you here. I honestly cannot think of a single person on television or the screen…any screen…that I find especially attractive.  I don't watch much television and the shows that I do, do not tend to feature handsome people.

I have always wanted to shower with Spongebob, though.

5. What is your livestock situation? Have your own? Borrow? Herd the cats? (You can subsitute other equipment for livestock if you don't work stock with your dogs).

I have a little place that Dianne pastures some of her scotties on, but I don't work them.  The terrain is kind of difficult for the small area (slightly  less than 3 acres) bisected by a stream…marshy and full of scottish thistle….and they aren't great sheep to work since they are mostly bottle lambs. Usually I work at her house.  I offer to house sit every chance I get or if our friend Kelsey is housesitting, then I go over and work sheep with her.  Someday I hope to either get more acreage or maybe some tiny housesheep.

I would want the katahdins, of course, to match the drapes.