Preggers Panda

So Chloë, do you think these babies make me look fat?

Zelda, Buffalo Beauty

Lynn writes: "here's the beautiful girl, growing up fast. She was spayed yesterday and is doing very well today. You can see her little shaved tummy in the photo. Beautiful eyes, we think. Lots of energy still but a sweetie to all and a real headturner in downtown Buffalo."

Love those ears too!

Finding my wings

So if you read my earlier post you are aware I took the first part of Medical Terminology over the summer. I'm currently taking the second part. This week the instructor was going over the study guide for an upcoming test. She said she would try to do some drawings for us to label and she added "if I can learn to draw." I told her I'd help by doing the drawings if she wanted. She accepted.
That was Tuesday.
I then spent 7 hours Wednesday and Thursday morning drawing, and drawing and more drawing. And then scanning and creating a word document she could use. I don't really have 7 hours to spare in my typical day so I didn't get much sleep. You know what? I didn't care. I so love drawing and painting. And the instructor loved the work. She jokingly said I get an automatic A! Later I had to promise to still do the work and learn something.
(See my art blog post for the complete project of works. The link is in the side bar.)

So I'm looking into Medical Illustration. It's usually freelance so the salary ranges greatly depending on a lot of factors, not the least of which are ambition and skill set. Between $40,000 and $150,000 according to one site. The upper end of that sounds kind of sweet. Plus I could work at home and travel, and have much more time with my kids and dogs.

The best part? I have been on a high for two days. Not extreme. But just happy, confident. I'd like to feel this way whenever I have a job to do.

It is a bit daunting to think of all that may lie ahead. Basically a pre-med program to be able to communicate well both with clients and translate visually for the intended audience. Baby steps. I'm going to talk to my adviser next week.

Carpe DM

The seminar by Dr. Coates was close enough I couldn't pass it up. 3 hrs. drive up there. 3 hrs. back. And 3 hrs. of discussion, slides and questions. And more questions.
I took one of my budding scientists with me. (I amazingly have 3!) The 15-year-old one enjoyed the whole thing immensely and it was good to have a buddy along.
Mostly it was Pembroke people there. In terms of numbers of carriers and at risk dogs their breed is more deeply impacted by this thing called Degenerative Myelopathy, an inherited neurological disease that leads to progressive deterioration of the nervous system. It's also associated with some forms of ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). It's created a lot of controversy in our breed as well.
It was very good to hear from the doctor firsthand and form my own opinion. What I think at this point is we still have a lot to learn. And we don't do that if we stick our heads in the sand. So I believe in testing and submitting tissue samples from all dogs no matter what their test status. They're primarily focusing on Pembrokes and Boxers right now due to limited funding but Cardigans are also involved in the research. All the dogs here at Toreth have been tested and I take the results into account just as I do any health issue while keeping the whole dog in mind.

For more information go to
http://www.cvm.missouri.edu/neurology/dm/index.html

The Photo

What a day! She had 3 pts. prior to this so with this 5 pt. major she's more than halfway home.
I look at the photo and I still see a puppy who needs to mature. Her mother received her first major at the Richland show two years ago. She was four years old but really I needed to learn to be a better handler more than anything Kayla was lacking.

Thank you Carolyn and Mandy for Kayla and letting her have Huxley for a husband.

Thank you Rev. Dr. Patrick Ormos for this incredible experience. There were a lot of wonderful dogs present and you can only pick a few of them to be winners. I'm truly grateful you picked my girl to stand among them.

Now time to get back to work....

It wasn't just a dream...

Click on the linked "Heehee!!!!" Then scroll down to #32 Toreth C-Myste Rollin' On The River... Sorry I just can't resist milking it a little. :-D

First Baby Pictures

And there are 7 more! No wonder she's already losing her little middle.

Due the week following Halloween so that will be the litter theme.

Huw (Welsh for Hugh, which means "spirit"), Totoro, Fawkes (as in Guy Fawkes, "Remember, remember the 5th of November..."), Voodoo, Boo, Shade, Specter, Duch (Polish), Mara (also Polish), Raven, Poe, Brom, Darcy (Gaelic for "dark"),.... and so on. Unfortunately the ultrasound doesn't tell us gender or color (LOL) so that's why the extra names. And I'm open to suggestions!

Rockin' and Rollin'!!!!!

I saw that Carolyn posted a teaser on Friday. So here's the story:

Friday was the CWCCA Northwest Regional Specialty in Richland and just so happened to be titled "Rockin' on the River 2010". Well respected breeder-judge Rev. Patrick Ormos of Phi-Vestavia Kennels, gave Rogue (Toreth C-Myste Rollin' On The River) Best of Winners and thus also Best Bred-By-Exhibitor. This was a huge entry and a 5-point major.

The full story includes a measure of suspense. I almost couldn't enter her, almost didn't go at the last minute. But without a doubt I am so glad we did. I remember her momma, Kayla (CH C-Myste Kahlua'N Cream) got her first 5-point major at the Richland show 2 years ago too.

Rogue has really come into her own. And I learned how to handle her better. Basically to just let her do her thing and stop worrying! LOL. Her thing is to fly around the ring and represent beautiful breed type.

I will be posting the win photo as soon as it comes. I also hope to get ahold of Patrick Ormos's commentary on each of the winning dogs and will share exactly what he had to say about my River Girl.

Thanks to everyone who supported me along the way and over the weekend:
Carolyn and Mandy. Emily Fish. Paul Chen. Denise Waiting. Kim Shira for helping with our picture taking. And there were many others who cheered for us. But most of all thank you to my oldest daughter Chloë for taking a day off from school (she's a very serious student!) and helping with showing 4 dogs.

And below is Rogue's suitcase full of booty.