Wintery window box

It's a start....I took advantage of the beautiful warm weather last week to fill the window box that Matt made me with wintery greens.  It looks as nice from the outside as it does from the inside.  That's about all I've done in terms of Christmas decorations so far.  Not quite in the mood yet but that will come.

Kind of a slow Sunday today. We didn't sleep very well last night:  the colder weather is making the logs crack at night and it keeps us awake.  Thankfully, it doesn't seem to bother Cooper.  He sleeps like a log most nights :-)  I am a light sleeper so it doesn't take much for me to wake up.  So this morning, we took it easy and even had a little nap before lunch.   We also went in the hot tub for about 30 minutes and I now feel somewhat revived.

This past week was relatively quiet. We went for a few nice walks with the Coop.  We also finished raking the last of the leaves and split more fire wood. Cooper had a great time playing outside.  I ran after him during one of his plays and I wiped out on the stone patio around the fire pit.  I hurt both knees and my right wrist.  My knees are now purple and yellow, my wrist is hurting a bit but it's not so bad.

Russell and I had our "meet and greet" meeting at the Nurse Practitioner Clinic.  We spent one hour with the nurse who took note of our medical history.  It is quite a nice clinic and is only 10 minutes from our house. We also got our flu shot. That is where will go for our basic medical needs such as annual physicals and prescription renewals.

The grading of our private road was done and what a difference it makes. The road is much smoother to drive on.  Our driveway didn't get rebuilt as planned, we hope it will be done this week.

I really don't have much more to report this week.  I guess this past week was one of those ordinary weeks for us, with nothing special happening.  Nothing wrong with that.  But I can't say it was the same for our breeders, Nathan and Darlah.  One of their Havanese, Spice, had her first litter and gave birth to 9 puppies.  All are doing well except for one who is fighting for her life.  We have been following her progress daily. As of this morning, the tiny pup was still hanging on, thanks to the amazing care provided to her by Darlah and Nathan.  As with all the people that acquire a Havanese dog from them, we have become close to them and follow their tales daily.  We hope the little one pulls through.

So, this is Grey Cup night.  Russell will watch it,  I will read my book and Cooper will do whatever he wants to do.  Although we had nothing special planned for this coming week, it is shaping up to be a bit busy.  Tomorrow, we will have a screen door installed in our basement.  We have visitors coming on Tuesday and I need to start my Christmas baking.

Christmas greenery in the kitchen window box.

I wish you all a good week and may the best team win tonight!

Carport or Gazebo?

The more I look at our newly constructed carport, the more I agree with Darlah:  it is a great gazebo!  Johnny K, Casey and Ali worked on the carport all week and finished installing the shingles yesterday.  All that is left to do is the pine T&G and the lighting.  So, for now, we are using the carport to store our cars and Russell's tools (lawn mower, wood splitter, ladder, etc) but who knows, we may have a party in there one day!  This carport has 8 white pine log posts, which have been adzed.  It is solid.

This past week was quiet.  The weather was very nice and relatively mild for this time of year.  We didn't do much other than a bit of shopping, went for a few walks and I bought the ingredients for my Christmas baking.  Tuesday was especially quiet.  I made the mistake of spending a bit of time reading my book in the morning.  I ended up finishing the book at the end of the day.  I couldn't put it down.  It was one of those days where doing nothing but read a book was the only thing on the agenda.  It was nice.

On Thursday, we had lunch with Linda and Peter, our neighbours down the road.  They are the co-developers of the lots in this area and we bought our property from them.  They are very nice people and they know the ins and outs of Huntsville.  Linda knows all the neighbours right down to their middle name.

Friday, we had the visit of Heather, the realtor that we used when we bought our property.  She hadn't seen our house yet.  She was very impressed with the craftsmanship.  To quote her, "there is so much to see, it's hard to take it all in".  She is very nice.  She has built more than once so she knows many of the trades people and has a lot of contacts.  She also has a dog and takes her dog to the same doggie day care that we do.  Heather confirmed what many people had already told us:  never take your dog to a certain doggie day care, which is the place we originally thought we would used when we first moved to Huntsville.  We cringe when we hear the stories about that place. Enough said about that.

This week will be a bit busy.  Russell and I will have our "meet and greet" meeting with the Nurse Practitioner Clinic tomorrow.  We found a new dentist, 10 minutes from our house, so we will be making our appointments for the end of the year cleaning and check up. The grading of our private road will also be done this week, as well as the rebuilding of our own driveway.  It will be good to get this done before the frost sets in for good.  We have also finalized our snow contract, both for the private road and our driveway.  We will take advantage of the nice weather to split more wood and clean up the remaining leaves.  I also want to buy some boughs and twigs and fill up our window box.

That's about it for this week's blog.  We will be going to Port Carling this afternoon to check out the Christmas store as well as a few other little shops.  We are starting to think about Christmas decorations and Christmas trees for our new house.

The gaz-port or is it the car-e-b o?

Have a great week everyone!

A Year in the Life of Cooper, the Havanese

November 9, 2011.  I remember Russell and I waking up very early that day.  We felt like kids on Christmas morning. We were excited yet anxious in a good way.  It was the day that we picked up Cooper at Nathan and Darlah's house.  We had arranged to pick him up at 10 am.  I remember getting there early so we drove around a bit.  We didn't want to seem too anxious....That day was the beginning of a new journey for Russell and I.

This past year with Cooper has taught us a lot about ourselves and about having a dog - kudos to Cooper for those lessons.  I want to start by saying that it is a serious long term commitment and it should not be underestimated.  We knew from the start that it would require a lot of work and patience to raise Cooper, otherwise we would not have made the decision to get a dog.  So we prepared ourselves as much as we could but the learning curve was a little steeper than we anticipated. We relied on Nathan and Darlah's expertise on more than one occasion, and for that we were grateful.  We read books, took all of his training and obedience classes very seriously and did all the things we were supposed to do.  I can honestly say that, in the end, all of this hard work has paid off and we find ourselves today feeling very comfortable in our role as dog owners.  But it was an adjustment, in more ways than one, and our patience and endurance were tested more than once in the past year. I could tell every new dog owner that it is not always a walk in the park (pun intended) at the beginning, but the end result is worth the time and effort in getting there.

So, what did we do with Cooper this past year?  When we got him, he was 6 months old so we missed the early stages of the puppy phase and he was house trained.  We did have to retrain him once he got to our house until he got used to his new home.  It took Russell and I a little while to anticipate his needs as Cooper was not very vocal when it came to wanting to go outside to do his business.  He would just stand by the door and if we didn't see him, oops...only a couple of 'oops'!

Over the course of 7 months, Cooper completed four levels of Obedience and graduated with Honours.  We started his schooling at Who's Walking Who in Ajax and carried on at Scholars in Collars in Burlington. During that time, in between classes, we invested a lot of time at home practicing his commands (sit, stay, down, come, drop, heel, etc).  We also spent a lot of time playing retrieve and all sorts of games which involved the use of commands also.  Russell and I have both become quite good at training and playing with the Coop. I have learned a lot from Russell on that front.  I remember writing, in my November 20, 2011 blog, how important it is to sound enthusiastic and animated when calling commands and that I had to work on it.  It is something that I didn't have in me, unlike Russell.  But I am happy to report that this is not the case today.  I am actually quite crazy when it comes to playing with Cooper and I use a strong and commanding voice when calling commands.

This past year also brought Cooper's neutering.  That in itself was an experience which we would rather not go through again.  It was far worse for Russell and I than for Coop.  Again, this was a first for us and we were quite the doting parents.

In the spring, we started taking Cooper to doggie day care and took him to a grooming salon.  We felt it was time to give him some space and allow him to be separated from us.  He enjoyed his time away from us and was always a happy dog when we picked him up.

Then, came the preparation for the big move to Huntsville.  The weeks leading to the move were busy and somewhat stressful for Russell and I.  They say that dogs can sense how we feel, and this was no different for Cooper.  He could sense that we were up to something, his house was beginning to look different, boxes were in his way and we didn't have as much time to play with him.  When we physically moved, Cooper stayed at Nathan and Darlah's for four nights.  And it was a good thing.  First, it kept him safe and away from the chaos of moving in, and it gave us a chance to get his new house in order.  Remember, this blog is called Huntsville Log Home, Cooper's Kingdom.

So, what has changed for Cooper since we moved to Huntsville?  Well, first, he had to get used to a new house, find his way around.  Unlike our previous home, Cooper now has the full run of the house. It has been designed, not only with us in mind, but with Cooper in mind also.  It is dog friendly with lots of open space and a few dutch doors to keep him from escaping to the outside when the front doors are open.  The move to Huntsville has also meant that Cooper had to get used to different sounds.  Huntsville lacks typical city noises such as airplanes, sirens and ordinary traffic.  It has different noises, and because there are few of those, they seem louder.  For instance, since we are on a private road, and since we are the only ones living here for now, there is no traffic to speak of.  So, the sound of a car coming up our gravel road becomes more noticeable to Cooper and he will alert us to it. He is "the Muskoka doorbell'.  The sounds of wolves or coyotes are also something to get used to, even the sounds of chipmunks, which drive Cooper crazy because he wants to chase them.  The sound of the rain or the wind at night is something to get used to, especially for a dog.  Somehow, those sounds, when all is quiet around us, seem louder.

Cooper also had to get used to the wildlife.  We have deer living on our property all year long.  There are at least seven of them.  At first, Cooper would bark at them and they would go away.  We have taught him not to bark and he now simply watches them as if they were his new found friends.  For us, the wildlife also means that we have to keep Cooper away from the bad critters such as porcupines and fishers.  We have not seen fishers yet but Russell saw two porcupines while taking Cooper out at night a few weeks ago.  Thankfully, they were on the other side of the fence but we have to be extremely vigilant when taking him out at night. Sure we have lights on but we know that those critters can be fast and they will not hesitate one second to attack a small dog like Cooper.  Having said this, we are not overly paranoid and we have to give Cooper the space he needs.  But we are careful.  He is never outside on his own without one of us being there to keep an eye on him. That is life in the country for a small dog.  It is also about getting mucky sometimes and god knows what the winter will bring!

Having said this, I think that Cooper has adapted well to Huntsville and to the country life.  He loves the outdoors, we have discovered many nice trails with him, he loves his groomer Teresa and his daycare buddy Brennan.  He is welcome to all the stores in Huntsville.  This gives us the opportunity to practice various commands and work on his manners when greeting people.  While on walks, he gets to meet other dogs and he no longer barks when meeting a new dog.

Our first year with Cooper has been an absolute joy.  I mentioned above that Russell and I are now comfortable in our roles as dog owners.  This does not mean that our job is done. On the contrary. We believe that Cooper is a well balanced dog and we want to keep him that way. We continue to train him, day in and day out.  Sometimes, we have to "reload" and work on a specific command. We have added agility exercises to his repertoire and this keeps his body and mind in good shape.  A typical day in Cooper's life means playing, training, napping, eating, and most importantly being loved.

I have enjoyed writing this blog and going back in time (fitting for a Remembrance Day).  We look forward to many more years of happiness with the Coop. I will end by sharing with you what we enjoy doing the most with Cooper:  it is called "The Three Way".  Russell gives me a hug, Cooper's tail starts wagging, Russell asks Cooper if he wants a "Three Way".  His tails wags even more. Russell picks him up and the three of us hug and kiss.

Ready to retrieve...am I concentrating or what...woooof!

Got it..on my way back...woof...woof!

Ready to make the drop for the next round!

Come on throw it...I'm not tired..woof...woof!

I attach a few pictures taken this morning of Cooper playing with his favorite toy:  the famous empty plastic Perrier bottle.  Enjoy!

A time to remember

Tomorrow is Remembrance Day, a day to remember the thousands of men and women who sacrificed their lives in military service.  Many events will be going on tomorrow as a result and the weather forecast is promising.

For those of you who like to read my weekly blog, you are in for a treat:  I am doing two blogs this weekend.  A short one tonight, to recap the week, and another tomorrow, which will be all about Cooper.  You may recall that I mentioned last week that Cooper has now been with us for one year.  My second blog tomorrow will be all about the absolute joy and trials and tribulations of that first year with the Coop.

This past week went by very fast.  We got the professional pictures that were taken of our house in early October. They are very nice.  I attach two pictures of the front and back of the house, courtesy of Sandy McKay.  We also reviewed the article to appear in Our Homes Magazine in December.  It will be a good article.

Good progress was made on our carport thanks to Johnny K and the heavy timber posts are ready.  Matt will continue the work this coming week.

Well, hunting season is now in full force in the Muskoka.  This week and next week is prime hunting time for deer and bear.  You would not believe how many people we saw on the road, trucks and hunting equipment in tow.  Today, on our way to and from Mactier, we saw two men dressed with an orange jacket and equipped with their riffles, going in to the forest to hunt something.....I had never actually seen hunters with their gear on so I was quite impressed.  I wasn't so impressed when we saw, on our way home, a deer carcass gutted and hung to dry on the front porch of a house.  Now, that is totally gross if you ask me.  I can still picture that poor deer hanging dry from that house on highway 141.

Now, you will want to know where is Mactier and why we were going there.  Mactier is about 100 km  from Huntsville, on Healey Lake. It is one of many communities in the Township of Georgian Bay.  We went there to visit Martin and Dawn and their little dog Rylee.  I used to work with Martin and we have kept in touch since I retired.  They have a beautiful cottage, on the lake, and a lot of the work has been done by Martin himself, with the great help of Dawn.  We had a nice lunch and it was really nice to see them again.  Cooper and Rylee had a ball and no doubt they will sleep well tonight.

That's about it for this blog.   Have a nice weekend everyone!

First Movember post.....

As you can tell by the title of my blog, Russell is helping change the face of men's health by growing a moustache this month.  Good for you Russell and I can't wait for the end of the month :-)  I will post a picture once the moustache is fully grown if ever!

This new month has also brought our first snow fall of the season.  On November 1, we woke up to a beautiful outdoor scenery of white snow.  Needless to say that Cooper was absolutely crazy when we took him out first thing in the morning.  He didn't care so much about doing "his business" but more about running in the snow.  There is something about snow that dogs just love and Cooper is no different.  He especially loves eating the snow.  So, this appears to be the start of winter in Huntsville.  Although we have been expecting this kind of weather, I must say that we were not quite prepared.  We had to go buy snow shovels and our snow contract has not been finalized yet.  We also need to get better organized in terms of the best way to bring Cooper into the house without dragging in too much snow....but we have a plan.

This past week was a good one, although the weather was terrible, as it was in many parts of the country.  It was dark and rainy most days and I must admit that I now look forward to the sunshine that is in the forecast this coming week. Our treadmill was delivered and we have already made good use of it.  We are not training for a marathon, we simply want to be able to get some cardio exercise in, especially when the weather is not good for outdoor walking.  We also put together our infrared sauna.

On Wednesday, the editor of Our Homes Magazine came over to interview us for an upcoming article. The interview took two hours.  It was fun to talk about the whole process that we went through to build our house. The article should be in the December edition of the magazine. I will post the article when it is published.

On Thursday, Matt and Johnny K started building our carport.  It should be ready in about 4 weeks.

This coming week is shaping up to be a bit busy.  We have a few appointments lined up and Cooper will go to daycare tomorrow.  On Friday, we will mark the first year anniversary of having Cooper with us.  It will be a special day.  It is hard to believe that he came into our lives one year ago.  I will write more about this next week.

Today will be quiet day although we will be going to a little town called Baysville this afternoon to check out a few stores.  There is one store in particular that may have some interesting Christmas decorations.  The rest of the day will be spent in front of the fireplace with a good book.  Russell will probably watch football.  As for the Coop, he will be roaming around the house having a good time.

That's about it for this week's blog.  I include two pictures:  one taken one year ago when the foundation was being prepared and a picture that Russell took when it snowed this past week. Amazing how much has changed in one year! I also include the link to a video that was done using photos by Sandy McKay, the photographer who took pictures of our house a few weeks ago.  This video will be part of Matt's revamped website.

A deer having breakfast in the freshly fallen snow.

Our home 1 year ago today...

Have a great week and I hope you enjoyed the extra hour of sleep!