Countdown to Puppies

We are anticipating Opal to deliver pups in the next couple of days.  She's moved into the whelping room where she has lots of room to move around.  As soon as they start arriving I'll start posting pictures.

I've been a little lax.  Opal started delivering pups around 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 19.  First was a girl followed by a boy at 3:00.  He was breech.  I checked again at 4:30 and there were two.

I also had Jass and Dixie today.  The kids borrowed our boat to go fishing on the lake and wanted me to watch the girls.  I love having them but it was a little difficult with them here and me having to run back and forth to the kennel checking for pups.  I took the girls to the park for an hour and then we came back and checked pups, went up to the house to play a little bit and then Pappy came home with dinner.  After dinner I gave them a bath and they played a little while until Joe came to pick them up.  The girls did see Opal give birth to one pup.  Jass thought it was really nasty looking.  She was a little more receptive to the pup's looks after Opal cleaned it up.

There were six pups at 7 p.m.  Five males and one female.  

Fishing Trip to Nowhere

Phil has five weeks of vacation a year.  A couple of months ago he planned a day fishing charter trip for us at Raystown Lake in Huntington, PA.  Last night we got everything ready for our trip and even went to bed early; 10 p.m.  We got up at 1 a.m. (yes, I did get up!) so we could be in the car and on the road by 2 a.m.  It took a little over two hours but we got there at 4:15 a.m.  We stopped where we were supposed to meet the captain for our day of fishing pleasure only to have the guard pass the phone over to Phil as soon as we arrived.  Seems the boat our captain planned to use for our trip had something go wrong and even replacing a second motor didn't fix it.  We turned around and headed two hours back home.  I slept the last hour and once we got home we both slept another four hours.  What a wasted trip.

We went to a matinee showing of Iron Man 3 at Carmike Cinemas today.  There was one other person in the auditorium besides me and Phil.  I enjoyed the movie.  It was in 3-D.

I fixed pork chops in my electric skillet for dinner tonight.  We had carrots and buttered penne pasta for sides.  It was a good dinner.  Phil met a friend at the lake near our house to train dogs so I'm alone.  We have a fire going in the woodstove which is nice.  Time to order more propane.

I haven't finished that last Dragonfly sock yet.  There isn't much further to do.  I'm kind of bored with it right now and wish it was finished.  Maybe I can finish up while Grimm is on t.v. tonight.  I'm still tired.  Hope I can stay awake until 9 p.m.

He just arrived home.  He came up to the front porch and knocked on the door.  I opened the door and he hands me a can of Bud Light.  What?  His friend asked if he wanted one and Phil says no but Carol might.  Just what I need.  A beer would put me right to sleep.  I'll put it in the refrigerator.

River Ridge German Shorthaired Pointers

Blatant advertising on my part.  Puppies out of River Ridge Opal and Warmarks Outlander Harley are were born May 19, 2013.  Five males and one female.  This is a repeat breeding of the one we had in 2010.  We received the Natural Ability N.A.V.H.D.A. Breeder's Award for that litter.

River Ridge German Shorthaired Pointers

Our dogs are registered with the A.K.C. and N.A.V.H.D.A.  We field/hunt test through both registries.  Our dogs are hunted regularly on wild grouse, pheasant and chukar.  Over the last couple of years we have taken up water fowling.  Our dogs are natural water dogs and have a strong desire to hunt.  They love children and have a personality that is easy to get along with in the house but will still require training and discipline.   Pedigree information is listed on our website.  In addition to field ability there is also a focus on conformation.  There are a number of dual champions in their lineage.   If you are looking for a performance driven hunting partner, please contact us.

River Ridge Rocco
Sire:  Clou Vom Holtvogt, NAVHDA UT-Prize I
Dam:  River Ridge Bella, NAVHDA UT-Prize I, AKC Senior Hunter
(working on Master Hunter title)

Phil and Carol Urban

PO Box 203

Stahlstown, PA  15687

Home 724-593-3535

Website: 

http://river-ridge-gsp.tripod.com

Email:

carolnphil@yahoo.com

Dance Recital

The dance recital went well and was a lot of fun for the audience and the performers.  We got  there on time which is always a plus.  I hate being late for anything!

Jassmine was scared at first.  We could see she was crying when she came out on stage but by the end of their first routine she was smiling.  At the end of the event they called each child's name and the children received their trophy and also their dance costumes to take home.  We met her at the stairs below the stage and handed her a rose.  She had a huge smile on her face!

Both my son and daughter in law enjoyed the performances, even Dixie enjoyed the dancers and pointed to her sissy on stage each time.

Here is a photo that Chrystal took of the girls as they were leaving.  Dixie was holding Jassmine's rose while Jassmine is holding her trophy.  She said she'd like to dance again next year.  I was so happy for her to get to do something she wanted to for such a long time.

Dance Recital Jitters

This evening is rehearsal for my oldest granddaughter's dance recital.  This was her first year of dance classes.  She took preschool acrobatics, tap and ballet.  I know she loved her acro class because she would talk all about the different things she learned on the drive home.  I don't think she enjoyed tap but she liked ballet.

The girls have been practicing the dance routines every week for months now.  Some of them have it down and some are a little behind.  Once they put their costumes on no one will remember whether or not they did their dance numbers perfectly.  Everyone will remember how beautiful their daughters looked.

Hopefully I can get some photos this evening of the rehearsal because we're not allowed to take photographs tomorrow with the flash on our cameras.  I'm sure the flashes of light would startle the preschoolers.  The older dances are probably used to dancing on stage in front of an audience.

Here's a photo of little miss in one of her dance costumes.  I took the photo at my house a few months ago.

The rehearsal went well.  We didn't get out of there until well after 8 p.m.  She's sleeping now and I'm heading that way.  Long day.

Friday, May 3

Today was the last of my oldest granddaughter's preschool dance classes.  It was kind of sad.  At least for me, anyway.  Next week is rehearsal for their dance recital.  I'm hoping things go smoothly.

So, in between waiting for dance to begin and end I knitted or would the correct term be that I knit?  I'm still working on the first dragonfly sock for myself.  I finished the heel and am into the foot now.  It looks pretty good.

May 6:  I finished the first sock this evening.  It looks so nice on my foot.  I spent an hour afterward reinforcing the stress points on the sock with a tapestry needle and matching yarn.

May 9:  I'm through the heel and onto the foot of the second sock.

Vegetable Garding Post #2

I ordered three double size raised garden beds from Sam's Club on Sunday.  I received an email yesterday telling me they had shipped already.  I'm so excited.

Today I set my pumpkin, squash and zucchini plants outdoors.  I saved the portion of the risers we didn't use on the septic system to use as planters.

I hope this year's attempt at gardening is better than last year.

Opal is getting big.  Her pups are due the week of May 20.