Text later. Pic Now. La and Bryn at the Melbourne Children's Museum, La being a dinosaur and growling. Not the most fantabulous photo on account of the odds of getting two three year olds to hold still for a nanosecond in the same place at the same time being roughly on par with winning the Tatt's jackpot. ;-P

My new sheep! :-D

Sunday afternoon we set out towards Geelong to pick up my new, lovely, long awaited sheep! I have been absolutely hanging for them to be ready to go and am sooooo excited to have them here finally!

Not the least because they are from a flock bred for handspinning, as well as I knew there would be moorit (chocolate) among them which is my favorite colour! So here they are - first is the ram, a lovely young fellow named Cadbury. :-D

Isn't he just the most gorgeous boy ever???

I also got tmoorit ewes, the above has been dubbed Mocca-Chocca. The blue on their heads is just so we could distinguish who we were looking at in the herd when picking them out btw! It wears off!

This is the other moorit, Latte. Yes, my sheep will have names... it is just plain easier to keep track of who is related to who a few generations down the lines when they have names instead of just numbers on paper!

I also got two younger black girls... they should fade out to a silvery-black. This one was today dubbed Peekaboo for obvious reasons. *g* Kept ducking from one side of the tree to the other to watch me!

And the other black girl has been dubbed Star.

My original English Leister girls (well, two of them anyhow) have been eyeballing the newcomers with suspicion and running away - scaredy sheep! LOL

The other fun this weekend - another lovely day out at the new training club. Nic missed catching pics of Hope (busy with La) but was able to catch some of Sierra and I. Sierra had fun... to put it mildly! Poor girlie, I feel so bad about not having found a club for the dogs earlier. She has obviously missed it SO, SO, SOOOOOO much that the entire time she is there she is struggling not to vibrate from the sheer joy of it. Even after an hour when the instructor decided to call it a day with the other dogs as they were looking a bit tired, he added in, "except the Aussie, who looks like she has enough pep to keep going all day..." Very probably true.

Poor dear is a bit rusty though. Must actually remember to work with her once in awhile to get her back to where she used to be and correct the same annoying little troubles she had when I left off.

Er. Like the head-orientation tending to throw off her angle to me.

Is this supposed to be a heel or a freestyle prance???

Can I just say I love weekends???

I LOVE WEEKENDS! Saturday we had a nice day working in the garden all day and then in the evening attending a poultry meeting and catching up with folks. There is something very nice about productive days spent with growing plants and watching the garden be born.

Today we took Sierra and Hope to Hastings & District Obed club - I think I've finally found a club I'm happy with, though I wish it were a smidge closer at just over an hours drive each way and that I'd found it sooner. Hope did well and got her first taste of agility equipment. Sierra got to play a bit of agility also - she remembered more than I thought for not having done a lick in 4 years and went absolutely gaga when she saw it set up - whining and shaking with excitement. ;-) Gee... I think she might've missed it!

We came home and did more gardening before deciding to just let dogs and child hoon around because I'm beyond tired atm. (We've had roofer and electricians over the whole week, coming over at absurdly early hours so that neither Laurent nor I got much sleep.) Between this we had cuddles and kisses, at which point La wrapped his arms around me and told me, "Mum, youse my BESTEST friend!" Cute little thing!

Nic snapped this one of me Sierra (on her back, tummy up) and I watching Laurent, Verity, Hope and Cami at the dam while they played with the tennis ball.

A close-up of the rare Australian Retriever in it's natural element after it's prized tennie-ball.

"Ah-WHOOOOOO!!!!!!!" The victory howl... Hope's trademark upon fetching a ball.

Her other trade-mark... shaking half the dam onto the child...
Repeatedly. Every time she fetches the ball. ~_~

And it was bound to happen eventually - we've warned Laurent time and again but he always figures the dam must be so fun given how much the dogs love it. He managed to step a bit too close today and splashed into the edge. He was less impressed than he thought he'd be... *snickersnort* Bad mum that I am, I just snapped a picture before he got hauled into a warm bath.

And bubba #2 is a.........

GIRL!!!!!!!!

3D view, profile of bubbas head

Curled up squidge, head on the right facing up

La is mildly disappointed there weren't puppy babies in there too but is happy his second choice - a sister - was granted. Also makes me feel much better as I've managed to avoid looking like an utter nutter given the amount of 'girls' clothing I've bought since just before this bub was actually conceived on the basis that I felt that while I would have prefered number two be boy I was going to get a girl... :P Nic, who'd wanted a little girl from the start, is also happy.

What to do on a warm day

when your mum won't let you "help" her transplant young plants and asks you to go play instead. Fill up the pool, shovel in some dirt and DIG THE WATER!!! I'm not sure if Cami taught La or La taught Cami but either way they had a grand time splashing and digging in the water like mad between hysterical laughter!


The big girls simply DO NOT GET IT... the dam is so much more fun than a little bitty pool!

A nice day out yesterday at an Australian Shepherd seminar put on by the ASCV hosting for Sheila Polk with the extra bonus of having Nic being at home and minding La! Mind you I wasn't totally alone as Squidge V. 2 was alternating between a storm of little kicks and hiccups the entire time... LOL This show, combined with the agility/obedience/herding/MVA comp and then the seminar this weekend has been such an absolutely lovely thing for the club (and a few hardworking individuals in particular who saw to all the behind-the-scenes stuff you don't always get much recognition for) and very impressive that it's come off so well. I hope we'll be able to have something like this, if not annually, then every few years! What a fantastic resource to be able to see and put your hands on so many of the dogs you don't always get to see outside of photos and to hear from someone who has long and varied history and get their perspective on our breed!

When I came back in the afternoon from the seminar, I snapped these pictures of the little artist hard at work.

The artist ponders... A bit more here? A loopy squiggle missing there?

Inspiration hits."Ohhh!"

Success! (And a manic grin!)

Baby related I've also arranged to book into the back-up hospital (Warrigul) though have yet to speak to the OB there. Hopefully shouldn't be too much worry, given how cruisey the whole mood of this pregnancy has been so far. I was e-mailing my MW this morning and it got me to reflecting how utterly different this pregnancy has been to La's. Nothing is a drama, everything will get taken care of, everything is lovely-happy-good atm. It's amazing what not feeling like something the cat dragged in and not having to contend with a doctor who got his degree from Acme will do for one! Most days, despite the obvious reminder (I have certainly popped and plenty of little taps and kicks and hiccups) and having seen bubs on the ultrasound I just don't really FEEL pregnant odd as that sounds!

Meanwhile the weather is slowly turning to summer and the rhododendrons are putting on a show. I've had to slow on the major progress in the garden for a little while but the existing plants are making up for it now that they're happy enough to bloom and covered in a carpet of flowers! The pics are from a few days ago but La and I ended up spending the day puttering and planting today after I realized we were a few weeks overdue for someones vax and couldn't go to the obedience sign up like I'd thought. Doh! (Meantime the ratbag ate ANOTHER freaking collar!)




Meanwhile I've sold several chooks, which leaves me at my breeding groups and broodies waiting for eggs to hatch. Candling looks promising for most. Little Lucky the lone duckling has been joined by three little Aylesbury duckling buddies

Before long they'll be joined by Wyandotte chicks, Old English Game bantams, another Aylesbury all of which candled as looking nice last night. Possibly goslings! Baby birdies are lovely little creatures, they help curb the cluck-factor over puppies atm (and I do realize a baby puppy anytime soon is probably rather insane alas... *sigh* very sad as Cami will probably be flying out before long...) as La and I love our soft, warm, cheeping little "chicky babies".

The sheep are officially Yarn On The Hoof! LOL

Despite having lower rain than we should things are quite lush at the moment and increasingly (and welcomely!) warm golden days for the chooks to putter around searching for tasty bug between naps

For La this means he's able to run his ever-abundant energy off. Unfortunately he instantly recharges - when I nicknamed him Bunny I should have specified NOT the Energizer bunny! He's hunting for clover flowers and other such treasures here.

This also leads me into other treasures we've found lately. I'm generally not a fan of Stuff and my rule for buying things (well, aside from things like toilet brushes) is that it has to be something that will make me smile every time I look at or use but I do enjoy finding them when they appear in my life! Hence my too cool chook doorholder - solid metal, heavy and get this - she's an op shop score - $3!

Laurent also spent some of his birthday money on this really funkliscious dinosaur which he cannot be parted from for love or money. In the grand traditions of 3 year old logic I'm informed it's name is "Brontosaurus Rex", aka Rexie. Well... I suppose it fits with the toy croc named Gator right? LOL

And because this is turning out rather La-centric... it occured to me that some of the La-isms I posted on the joys of "chatterbox children" on AB the other day might also be appropriate to blog. I'm sure they'll be amusing when he's, oh, around twenty...

• The other night La was sound asleep... had been for four hours. Well and truly ZONKED, limp and snoring. I crawl in bed, he rolls over, snuggles into me and says, "Mum? Where's race car gone?" Even asleep he doesn't stop.......

• I've lost track of the random strangers who've been stuck in waiting rooms, trains, at a picnic or near us whom he's decided are new playmates who after being subjected to his enthusiastic and LOUD non-stop verbal barrage have asked in tones of fascinated horror, "does he ever stop?" or "how much red cordial and candy have you given him?!?" because he won't stop moving or chattering at hyperspeed. (Answer btw is he's had NONE... the idea of La on a sugar/cordial induced high sends chills up my spine...)
• I told him to shush at the dogs training class as he was making all sorts of weird screechy noises and cracking himself up doing so in this big echoy building. "BUT MUM! I LIIIKKKKEEEE TO MAKE NOISE!!!" Hn. Y' don't say... I never would have guessed!

• "Mum, what are you DOING?"
  "I'm making a cup of tea."
  "WHY?"
  "Because I'm thirsty."
  "Why???"
  "Because our bodies need drinks to stay healthy."
  "But WHY?"
  "Because that's how bodies work."
  "Mum, what are you DOING???"
  "I'm drinking the tea La - what does it look like?" (Ever so slightly exasperated!)
  "But WHY??????????"
  "Because I didn't make it to stare at."
  "Why?"
  "Because that wouldn't make any sense."
  "WHY???????"
  ....fastforward through fifty thousand whys to this afternoon...
  "Mum? Are you getting my chicken noodles soup?" (noodles is not a typo - that's how he says it)
  "Yes La."
  "Why?"
  

  He's the Elephants Child poem incarnate I swear...

In the middle of the week we had a little surprise the only egg from a clutch that had candled clear/non-developing I thought MIGHT be fertile and developing well ended up hatching.

Then on Saturday, Miss Cami was entered in her first show - the Victorian Australian Shepherd Club specialty show under US senior breeder judge Sheila Polk. For her first show and not having experience under her belt she did decently - she placed 3rd in her class - with a few more miles on her to smooth out her habit of stickybeaking I think she'll do nicely. I could so tell that I spent early pregnancy 'resting' though... eek, so out of shape! I spent the rest of the day after running around the ring admiring Kate's new baby who was only 3 days old and just too precious, sitting and chatting! (C'mon, admit it, half the fun of a show is just in the chatting!) The judge did make a nice comment on Cami in her critique but I only heard part of it so will wait until I've got the exact words so I don't misquote. I forgot to take pictures at the show, so we took ones after while she was still clean and groomed! LOL Ignore the goofy looking person in the picture... was very tired by that point!


Sunday was the sports day - herding, obedience and agility. None of my guys entered but no way was I going to miss it! I took Veri and Cami along for the ride... Veri tickled me pink by doing very well all day long - probably the best she's done yet, just happy to be with me, rolling around for bellyrubs and cuddles and demonstrating she has figured out the whole people=give attention/approach/watch=reinforcement game. LOL If they didn't notice her when she came up, sat and watched them, she was fine with 'helping' them notice she was doing "Something Verity Should Get Reinforced For" by hopping up, nudging hands or waving a paw to get their attention. I'll have to watch she doesn't actually turn it into something obnoxious but I do get so much enjoyment out of seeing her be her happy little self more and more in public! :-)

Got back to find out we had another nice surprise, itty bitty Aylesbury has hatched out!