Picked up a beautiful yellow pear!

Happy Sunday everyone!  We woke up to a cloudy and cool day. As I made my way to the kitchen to make coffee this morning, I spotted a beautiful yellow pear on our countertop.  All of sudden, our day got much brighter.  Let me tell you about this yellow pear.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending the "Art by the Water" exposition at the Beaconsfield Yacht Club, in aid of Morgan's Hope Fund. The expo featured many Quebec artists with Mary Hughson being the guest artist. I met Mary for the first time when we moved to Beaconsfield. We both have something in common...we share the same dog breed.  Mary and her husband Terry (Montreal Gazette editorial cartoonist, aka Aislin) have a Talemaker Havanese by the name of Sparky.  I had been following Mary's Facebook page lately as she was posting photos of the many paintings to be shown this weekend. When I saw a posting of the yellow pear, I just knew that it would look lovely in our house...and it does. It adds such brightness to our kitchen.  I'm happy to have had the chance to see Mary's beautiful creations in person and to have acquired a piece.....and for such a good cause, adolescent colon cancer research.

This past week was pretty good.  I'm pleased to report that my knee is doing much better.  I had an athletic therapy treatment with Russell's trainer and it really helped. I also took a few days off from the gym.... instead, I spent two full days in the garden.  I dug up some 20 year old shrubs that were overgrown and edged all the flower beds.  The weather was warm and sunny, perfect for gardening.  I also had a "meet & greet" with  my new female doctor and I really liked her. And I had coffee with Lillian in the Pointe-Claire Village.  It was really nice to catch up..and we also share the same dog breed.   Russell also had a good week. He is still working on his ancestry and anxiously waiting for his aunt's DNA results in order to fill in the blanks. His workouts at the gym are going well although his joint issues are still bothering him from time to time. He will be seeing an osteopath at the end of May. Hopefully it will help.

Our "inside voice" training with the Coop continues.  The challenge for us is to mark the behaviour as soon as it happens, which is not always feasible.  This training needs to happen mostly in the two places that provide the most distractions: when he looks out the front window and when he's on the back deck . When he's quiet, we repeatedly say "good quiet" and he gets it. If he starts using his voice, we say "inside voice" and what might be a loud bark becomes a quiet rumbling.  Cooper is a very smart dog and learns quickly. It's all good.

That's about it for my news.  I leave you with the photo of our yellow pear and a couple of pics of the Coop.  Have a great week everyone!

Yellow pear by Mary Hughson....
wonderfully bright in our kitchen.

Cooper sizing up the situation from inside his retreat.

The eyes say it all....Cooper says, what you looking at?

A touch of Spring colour

Happy Sunday everyone! A glorious day in Beaconsfield.  I'm writing my blog out on the deck, listening to some good oldies tunes.  Cooper is out with me, munching on a kangaroo tendon and Russell is finishing washing all the outside windows. Today is the perfect day to do some yard work. I cleaned all the flower beds and was happy to see that all the perennials that I planted last Summer are coming back.  I saw tiny little sprouts all over the place.  I have lots more to plant this year. I will soon start making a plan....

This past week was good although Russell and I both felt a bit sluggish.  We know a few people who have been feeling the same way. We blame it on the weather, lack of warmth and sunshine....this in-between season feeling.  Today though is the perfect "pick-me up" kind of day.  May is just around the corner so it can only get better...and I found this little pot of pansies which adds some Spring colour to our deck.

The Coop and I have been doing some good training this past week, thanks to Wanda for great training tips.  Did you know that dogs have an inside voice? One of the things that we are working on is training Cooper to use his inside voice instead of "his other voice",  politely referred to as barking. The inside voice is more of a whisper and we are teaching him to use it when it's appropriate. Nothing wrong with barking but there is a time and place for it. So far so good. Of course, we need to be quick when marking this behaviour so it's a bit of a process but we think we have it down to a science now.

I seem to have developed a problem with my left knee which is quite annoying. It could be caused by the hamstring so I'm trying to stretch it whenever I have a moment. I'm the worse person when it comes to stretching and yet I know how important it is.  Today, I went to my class and I could not use the treadmill, it was hurting too much. I don't deal well with aches that prevent me from working out so I'm not a happy camper. I also sympathize with Russell who has had knee and joint issues for quite some time now, although he is smarter than me and stretches all the time...and knows how to not aggravate it. I will take the next two days off so hopefully it will help.

That sums up my blog for this week. We will enjoy the rest of this beautiful weather.  We are having pork slouvakis on the BBQ for dinner and will watch the Toronto hockey game later.  Sadly, the Habs are done...now let's see what other Canadian teams can remain alive. Have a great week everyone!

Splash of Spring colour on the back deck....
pansies are wonderfully vibrant.

Cooper and Lambchop....Lambchop is begging
Cooper to not chew off any more toes or ears!
Cooper says.....hmmm...nope.

A Northern Flicker looking for
breakfast in our backyard.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter from the three of us! I hope you are all having a great day and that the Easter Bunny was good to you.  We had my family over for lunch today.  It was nice to get together.  I include a photo that Russell took of my parents and I.  I couldn't resist putting the bunny ears on my mom's head.  I thought they looked cute on her.

This past week was a good one.  The highlight of our week was Cooper's graduation night.  He did really well.  We were both under a little bit of pressure....there was a judge watching our every move. But despite the added pressure, we took second place.  Russell was there to take it all in.  We were both so proud of our pooch.  Now that we have completed the two levels of Obedience, I can become a member of the Lakeshore Dog Training Association, which will happen in the Fall.  I look forward to continuing fun training with the Coop.

The weather this past week was pretty good. We got some yard work done on Friday. It's looking clean out there.  I'm always amazed at how you wake up one morning and the trees are just so full of buds. All we need now is more heat, a bit more rain and the trees will be popping.

Russell and I decided to take Easter Monday off....no gym for us tomorrow.  We look forward to a nice relaxing day. It may rain so maybe we'll watch a movie.

That's it for my blog this week. The rest of our day will be quiet. Not sure if we'll eat dinner, we're pretty full from lunch. Cooper, on the other hand, will be ready to eat at 5 pm sharp! Have a great week everyone!

Cooper wishes everyone Happy Easter!

James with his grandparents.

Sean with his grandparents.

Easter lunch with Mom, Dad and family. Mom
wears bunny ears well.

Cooper is totally focused on Anne as they work through the
program for Obedience Level 2 at LDTA.

Anne and Cooper took second place in the judged portion
of Obedience Level 2.

Anne celebrating with Cooper, one of the new graduates of
Level 2 Obedience. Congrats!

Pileated woodpeckers looking for breakfast
in our backyard.

Cooper enjoying some deck time, he really enjoys surveying his domain.

Deck time!

Ah, what a beauty of a day!  Nothing beats sitting outdoors for the first time after a long Winter.  This morning, we swept the deck, cleaned the chairs and voila...ready for the season.  We didn't bring up the patio umbrellas yet but that's next.  Cooper was a happy camper, just sitting out there, listening to the birds, keeping an eye on the squirrels and being a nosy neighbour.  He was taking it all in just like we were.  Russell took some photos of the birds...small and big.

This morning, my friend Eve went back home. She arrived on Friday and spent the weekend with us. We had a really great time and shared some good laughs.  We had some great meals and wines and a pretty decent workout at Orange Theory.  There was no "I'm watching what I eat" talk this weekend! Cooper was a gracious host.  He managed on a few occasions to sneak into Eve's bedroom and steal one of her socks.  Such a clown! I used the opportunity of having Eve with us to do some training with Cooper.  She was a good distraction and Coop did very well.

All is good with us.  Our snow is all gone except for a tiny patch in a shaded corner of the backyard. Our grass didn't do well during the Winter so we will need to seed big time. As a result, the yard is quite mushy and mucky...not a good scenario for Cooper's feet but such is life.  It also looks like the Easter Bunny has been coming over at night, leaving little presents for Cooper to discover in the morning....little mounds of M&Ms all over the yard. Oh well, nature at its best :-)

This coming week will be quiet for the most part.  On Wednesday night, Coop and I will graduate from Level 2 Obedience.  We will resume classes in the Fall.  Until then, we will keep on practicing what we have learned and find a way to make it more challenging.  I have noticed a huge difference in Cooper's demeanour in class since we took Level 1. I'm quite happy about it and also proud of our Coop.  It's all good.

That's it for my blog this week.  Easter is just around the corner,  a short work week for many.  We are having my family over for Easter lunch so I have to start getting ready for that. I leave you with some pics that Russell took this afternoon.  As you will see,  Lambchop is still intact for the most part, only the back feet are missing.  Have a great week and a nice upcoming long weekend!

Cooper lounging on 'his' Muskoka chair...
Happy for Spring to be finally here

Cooper says, hey...what is that neighbour doing?

Cooper and his basket of toys...Lambchop mostly
intact is his favorite toy at the moment.

Downey nuthatch in the Larch in our backyard.

Purple finch resting in the crabapple tree in the
backyard.

WestJet flew by today...not as close as it looked, used the
400mm telephoto handheld.

It was a big birthday surprise!

Happy Sunday to all!  What a beautiful day, sunny and warm. I think that Spring is here to stay. Today, I put away our Winter boots and coats. That's it, no more. I also threw away the holiday greenery from our outdoor Winter pots.  I was waiting for the soil to thaw.  It felt good to be out in the sun and do some "gardening".

This past week was good. My parents and I got their condo ready for the photo shoot, which took place Thursday morning.  Their condo is now officially for sale. I was very pleased with how the photos turned out.  Hopefully it will sell quickly.

After being in Quebec for 9 months, I now have a family doctor.  My dad's physician accepted to take me on as a new patient on an exception basis.  I am very happy about that and, bonus, it is a female doctor. I will have a "meet and greet" with her at the end of this month. Russell joined a private clinic when we moved so he already has a doctor.

Yesterday, we celebrated my uncle Ron's 80th birthday, my dad's brother.  It was a surprise that had been planned since February and my aunt truly pulled it off.  My uncle was totally shocked and very emotional. The party was graciously held at my uncle's cousin's home, here in Beaconsfield.  It was nice for Russell and I to see family members that we hadn't seen in years.  The theme of the party was Italian, although he is not Italian himself but my aunt is.  The food was prepared by his children and there was lots of it.  Everything was delicious, from the antipasti to the many desserts. It truly was a fun night. While we were partying, Cooper was having a sleepover at Chez Winston.  We picked him up early this morning.  I have to tell you that our house was very empty when we woke up this morning.

My DNA Ancestry kit arrived on Friday and I did the "spit" thing this morning.  Water and food are not allowed 30 minutes before spitting.  I thought it would be easy to spit but it wasn't.  It actually grossed me out and I had a hard time aiming for the opening of the tube....but I did it and the tube will be mailed tomorrow.  In a few months, I should find out more about my genes.

This coming week will be a bit busy. My friend Eve is coming for a visit on Friday so I have to get ready for that. It will be nice to see her again. We have lots of catching up to do. We plan on doing a class together at Orange Theory on Saturday afternoon. That should be fun.  I also have to do some homework with Cooper for our class Wednesday.  On the Cooper topic, I bought him a new toy for Easter, a cute little plush lamb chop. We couldn't wait until Easter of course so we gave it to him the other night but not before doing a little pre-Easter photo. It's a good thing we did, that poor little lamb chop is already missing a toe....

That's about it for this week's blog.  I leave you with a few photos, a couple of them taken by my brother at the party last night. I wish you all a great week!  Oh, and Happy International Pooper Scooper Week!

Happy 80th Birthday uncle Ron!

Can anyone say food...what a spread!

The Ancestry DNA spit kit....Anne filled it up!

Cooper's Easter toy....lamb chop....all fresh and intact
but not for long.

This lump of what looks to be soft serve ice cream is the
mascot for International Pooper Scooper Week,
we call him Poopie! Enjoy the Scoop!