SUNDAY

Well, today I woke up to a beautiful sunset. The three of us had breakfast together and then Paula headed off to work. Ted and I hooked up the trailer and loaded the other dog box on it. We had to secure it to the trailer and then I loaded the individual boxes with straw. I eagerly took down Ted's sled from the top of the dog truck and put both of the sleds atop the dog boxes on the trailer. So much easier. You can imagine the effort it takes me to load the sleds on top of the truck...at least 8 feet tall. It is something that I do myself, but it takes some effort. The top of the dog boxes on the trailer is about 4 feet tall. I am looking forward to loading the sleds on that from now on. I changed out my gang line from a four dog section to a six dog. I also got all the harnesses ready and cleaned out the truck.

It was a work day today and no running. After all the equipment was ready, I went out into the dog lot and started hockey practice...you have to have an imagination ! With just the right action, when you hit a frozen log (poop), you can send it into the bucket. I am getting it down quite well, however there is an occasional one that goes flying into another dog's space and it brings quite a fascination from the other dog. Some dogs seem to beat me to it and eat them before I can scoop them up...quite a work out when they are frozen solid. Other dogs wait until I clean their area and then when I turn around and look, there is a fresh pile there waiting for me. I know...they just want me to come back and spend more time with them ! Others try and grab one out of the 5 foot plastic toboggan (which is my poop mobile)...as I haul it past them to the back of the yard and dump it. By the end of winter I will have quite a mountain !

Well, the other day when we were at Shirley Towne and I was harnessing dogs, Ted started laughing hysterically. I looked at him and he said with a smile..."you've been marked"! I looked down and Lee lifted his leg on my leg...thank goodness he missed...but he had every intention of peeing on me. Today when I was in the dog lot doing my chores, I just sent a "puck" flying into the bucket when I noticed the snow between my legs turning yellow. I looked around and Rice peed on my leg...he didn't miss. I am hoping that this isn't a new pass time for the dogs !

The plan for tomorrow is we will each run 2 6 dog teams, so we will be loading up 24 dogs and driving to Shirley Town. This will be my first time driving my own teams at Shirley Towne and I am anxious to see how they do. Up till now I had Ted behind me on a double sled. So now they will just have to listen to my voice. (which Ted says sounds like a teenager) We will most likely run them for 18 miles on the hills.

Well, this evening Paula and I baked cookies...'tis the season !