Country Living

We are still in the country... and the dogs love it!! This morning they got a chance to play in a lake, and when we got home they continued entertaining each other with a leash. =)

James will get a big old bath tonight because tomorrow is the Dog Show. I will have to get up around 4:30 A.M if I will have time to take James for a nice walk, get myself ready, before hitting the road. It is a little bit closer from here (the country side) to the show grounds, than from our home to the show. So that’s good.

Cross your fingers for the blue one, please... Here are some pics from this morning...

Above: "I know if I try really hard I can dig myself all the way back to L.A. Or hold on, what the heck is this I found???"

Above: Beaver = Alih?

Above: (Jay) "It sure is nice when we hang out together old bro"

Above: "Helloooo. What is this I see....gotta check it out."


Above: "This sure is life, being able to lay on the back with the paws up in the air"

Above: (Jay) "come on old bro... faster, faster"

Above: (Alih) "I will show this little kid ...boooy you just wait."

Above: (Alih) "Booooy, I already told you... I will show you."

Holiday - Valborgsmässoafton!

We are getting ready to leave for the country (to my parents house) due to it being a holiday tomorrow. But the actual celebrations will take place tonight. It is an old tradition called "valborgsmässoafton" celebrated in Sweden along with some other European countries. Now-a-days the tradition mostly means that we are celebrating the arrival of spring... we light a big bonfire and then we stand around and look at it. Hihi..sounds like lots of fun, eh?! But let's not forget, today is also the birthday of the Swedish King, so all the flags are flying high. Happy Birthday King Carl XVI Gustaf!!!! =)Anyhow, I thought I share some pics of Jay's brother Atlas today. Is he not adorable??!!!!! He's a real cutie. And very calm too ... not like crazy James at all. =)

Sharp Pics

It was Jay's obedience class tonight but it was not the best of nights, I'm afraid. Two of the female dogs were in heat, so a certain man got a bit distracted. Not out of control but just sniffing and generally unfocused. =( Oh well!!!

I think we found a training partner though. I started talking to this girl with a springer spaniel .. and it turned out she wanted a "training partner" too. So hopefully we'll get together sometime and train with the pooches.

Before heading to the obedience class I finally got a chance to use my new camera. I thought I share some samples with you. Don't they look sharp? At least I think so ... so I'm a happy camper! =)

Bye bye!
l.e.w.

Congratulations!!!

James and family would like to Congratulate kennel Stand Strong for their wonderful placements in this past weekend's Dog Show. Well done!


Above: Jay's mommy Nova. She came 3rd in her group.

Above: Diva. She won her group & received a CK (Champion quality)

Above: Izor. He won his group & received a CK (champion quality)

Graduation Gift

Nikon D40 - 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera - Black

This camera is an early Graduation gift I received from my parents. I will be done with my "Swedish" Master's Degree (ekonomiemagister) by the end of this semester if everything goes accordingly. Not to confuse anyone, I will continue studying until the end of the year to get my International Master's Degree (equivlent to a 2-year Master's Degree in the US). After that I am DONE!!!! How fabulous is that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, with this camera I should be able to take some cool pics... mostly of my babies probably. hihi...

Anyhow, gotta make it short today, as it is time to watch the Cashmere Mafia ... it's instead of Sex & the City. =)

I thought I include a couple of pics from a hike we did a little over a week ago. We went with some friends of ours, and my parents came along as well. We stopped and BBQ some hotdogs midpoint.


Above: The little family minus Alih. He's too old to go on this long of a hike.

Above: My mom catching a ride with my dad, trying not to get her feet wet =)

Next weekend is a big one for us!

This is James' gorgous father; SUCH Alta Carya Chief Quanah Parker

It is time for James 2nd and 3rd Dog Show/Conformation Show on May 3rd and 4th. He will be competing in the Puppy Class for dogs between the ages of 6-9 months. For any Swedes who may be interested, the show will be held in Forshaga, Värmland. It is Värmland-Dals Terrier Club that’s celebrating 30 years, thus the show being a 2-day event. Two Spanish judges will judge/critic the Amstaffs, and we are registered for both days. I am starting to feel the excitement already. James has only been to one other show, at the age of 6 months, and it went really well at that time. He came 2nd with an “HP prize”. I do not know what it’s called in English (if there even is an equivalent) but it means that he has champion quality. My Gosh, Mr. L and I were so darn proud of our little blue one! It was James' breeder who showed him for us, and she did a wonderful job!

The handler this time around will be the owner of James dad. That extremely handsome man you can see on the above pic. The owner, Miss M. has lots of experience showing dogs so we are crossing our fingers it will go really well. Soooooooooooooooooooo exciting! James dad (Chief) will also be competing at the show... but not in James’ class of course. =) He’s a Champion and will compete against other Champions.

Yeah, so as you can hear it is going to be a big weekend for us coming up. Please cross your fingers for Mr. James. Knowing this you may also understand why we keep getting worked up when James gets scratches. He cannot come to the show looking like some undomesticated...hmmm, Dingo. (LOL) He has to be as pretty as can be!!!

I believe James' mom along with the breeder’s other dogs, are at a Dog Show this weekend as a matter of fact. They live far, far away from us. Pretty much as far north as you can come in Sweden... (ever heard of the Ice Hotel? Well, that’s their neck of the woods). Due to the distance the show is not anywhere near us but hopefully we get some updates tonight or after the weekend on how it went. We are obviously crossing our fingers for all the dogs, but a little extra for James' mommy. =)

We came back from our tracking class a while ago and it went well, at least the last 2 tracks. The first one was a little so so...Our instructor had laid tracks for all of us before we got there, and it was a track with an angle. James is not really ready for that just yet. But we did find “the end” eventually. The other 2 tracks I laid for him, he did excellent. I am very proud of my son. He’s getting better and better. =)

Anyhow, that’s it for me today.

Take care ya’ all. Ciao!

Above pic: Jay's Daddy



Above pic: Jay's mommy (Nova). A very pretty lady!