The Interuption,,,,

I have not been able to blog for a bit and in part it really is because as good as the weather is in Texas, the AT & T service is equally poor and we have not had connectivity since Feb 11th.

Mostly, though it is because of him:

 

and him

and her

Clearly no mere mortal was intended to resist Brae. I suspect the same will soon be said of our newest puppy. We imported Gail (above) in pup and her singleton is 2 weeks old, very excited for both of them! Thank you Mike and Stephanie for your help with the airport and keeping her until we arrived. (sorry about early

arrival ;-))

 

Great time in Texas. Brilliant fields, excellent trials. Due to circumstances I was not able to work my dogs beforehand and as such the closest I can get to the prize list is taking a picture of the winning results!

 

I will continue to post updates/pictures on Facebook as soon as I get a signal. Alasdair's Li is running extremely well. He and Sweep are partnering great and garnering points. Cap is running strong (every flank he interprets as a 'walk up',only faster!) but I am quite pleased given lack of preparation and Jim is a running a bit excitable but it is excellent experience. The double lift at Burkeys looks to be very challenging & great fun, top 10 combined overall scores from the 5 trials qualify. If the winter blues have you yearning for warm weather & outstanding trials, come on down to Texas!

The Intervention (& Website Re-design!)

The profound cultural legacy of the 80’s. From MTV to John Hughes, Bob Marley to Oliver Stone, Morrissey to Michael Lehmann, the music and movies were perhaps the most influential of our generation. Never in another time has the delivery been so brilliant that humor was confused for fatalistic narcissism. 
The impact was epic: Madonna, Pac-Man, the Miracle on Ice, Jerry Rice, Michael Jordan, Michael Jackson, the Reagan years, Rubik’s cube, CNN and six degrees of Kevin Bacon.

Fashion was an entire wardrobe of vintage black, enormous hair and red lipstick. I was passionate about progressive music and Clemson football. My memories from the 80’s are awesome…. As it turns out technology from the 80’s is not.

My dated, tired website design required overhaul, update and revision. It required intervention from a bold, techie, mega-geek genius.

We are still at www.macraesheepdogs.com but with a new look (if the address is saved it may need to be re-entered). THANK YOU Kristi! Like the 80’s you are awesome.

 

 

2013, the bigger picture,,,,

 
Well, the bigger camera anyway. Very much the amateur I am quite excited about the gift Alasdair gave me!

 

Unfortunately, much like Border collies, I tend to go on instinct and therefore have not read the manual. Thus no pictures, yet! 2013 looks promising for taking photos and video but before looking forward, a look back.

2012 was an exceptional year. The kind that lulls you in with a dose of caffeine and finishes you off with a shot of tequila.

We and our dogs traveled over 25,000 miles.
In Texas we wrote songs, defined Patricide and made videos. Spring brought the best Bluegrass ever, although we did not do that well at the trial. Summer was spent at the Holland’s, Polly’s and Geri Abram’s. I lost my greatest friend, Bear and reflect on all he taught me every day.

The Klamath committee again hosted a great National. On my maiden trip to Canada we fought with border guards, ate cake and asked, ‘who the eff is Lisa?’ We ventured to NC to trial, clinic and create the perfect dirty martini.
We developed new comradeships, spent time with family and friends who have become family. We spent money we have yet to make. It was a year of triumph, heartache, laughter and love. We are very blessed and grateful. Last year especially reminded us what is really important.

Solomon Burke said it best, ‘it is not the grail, but the quest’.

Happy Boxing Day!

Settled in for a full day of soccer

Max is pulling for Celtic.....

Cap, not a fan of the green & white, looks like a Dundee United supporter!

Merry Christmas Everybody!

'Second Verse, Same as the First'....

‘A little bit louder, a little bit worse’!

North Carolina is perhaps more beautiful in December than it was last month. We traveled across for a clinic Dec 1 & 2 just outside of Durham, NC—Thank you Christine Koval for the wonderful hospitality. It was an excellent weekend on a beautiful farm with good people, nice dogs and spectacular weather.

The celebration Saturday evening was a Rural Hill reunion of sorts.

Vic was there with her famous martinis, a little bit dirtier. Dee’s smile was even more infectious plus the way she bangs her glass is intoxicating. Ginger reminded us that still waters run deep and Alasdair was a real cream puff. No, there is no such thing as too much double entendre. Christine needs no word play-she was fun, charming and a wonderful hostess.

Wish we had written a song but ‘Who the eff is Lisa’ is a high bar, plus song writing requires more cerebral thought & less vodka.

We will be in North Carolina for several more days but it is already an excellent trip and one we hope to make again soon!



Christine & Ben holding for Kathy's DL

Kathy Owen's Johnnie



Ginger Bruton's Sweep

Sally Glei's Lena

 

photo of Christine's Ben behind the tree--while the picture did not turn out, it struck me as interesting & mysterious, as if it were a painting

 

Best intentions,,,

I planned to update more regularly, even had pictures...alas, i plead the mother of all excuses: pc virus

With all the travel & upcoming holiday the earliest appt. i could get for pc is next week. I am limited to my phone but wanted to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving!

We had a great holiday & so much to be grateful for in our lives. Family & friends visited over the weekend and we indulged many culinary delights. Alasdair enjoyed obscene amounts of dessert & we watched a fabulously ridiculous amount of football
(including Brady bliss).

Will post once computer & data are sorted. Hope to soon pen ' i love my new 
Macbook pro'!