Here We Go Again
Mood:  incredulous

I just got the cryptic excuse for club minutes and read in the last line that two other club members were looking into creating a new website for the club! Imagine my surprise as I have been the owner, creator and person listed as in charge of the website for over 10 years now. No one bother to tell me a thing. I'm apparently too insignificant to bother with their plans to build a new and improved version.

Of course, less than 2 years ago, I was stunned to find out at a club meeting that the president and treasurer, being off at their breed club national, had decided... after a bottle of wine... that the club need a professional website to attact new club members and the one I had created, maintained, etc for FREE, was no longer up to snuff.

Might I add that neither knows squat about a website? However, a fellow who worked with the president told her that he could create a website that they all could contribute to with minimum effort, would host the email list, etc, etc for the small sum of $300. 

They fell for that hook, line and sinker. So, the result was I took off all my contributions to the club - articles, artwork, etc - and left the bare bones until the super duper site was up. Turns out the super duper site never made it pass one opening page with a copy of a post another club member sent to the email list, contained no META tags for the club (actual tages directed seach engines to a protection agency... so much for being professional.)  

Realizing the club had been hookwinked, I quietly recreated the site, adding blogs that club members had only to send emails and attach photos to send brags, wags and area news to and a slide show with favorite photos and club activities.

Has anyone noted that I did that? No. Has anyone said "Hey, we got taken by that crook!" - No. Has anyone bother to say "Gosh, we're sorry we treated you so shabby." - No. Instead, I getting the shaft - AGAIN!

My thought is experience must not be as good a teacher as touted, because here they go again! This time, I'm taking my website, blogs and email list that I created for them to use and go do something else. Maybe they'll finally realize that a bird in the hand is better than two in a bush...... .... or maybe not.

 

Auction for Etosha RR Rescue
Mood:  happy

I'm just started my new business doing Picture Weave items. As part of the starter kit I bought, I got to choose one design and they would make me samples of the throws, totes and wallhangings.

I received the throws and they are fabulous! Since I only need one throw to use as a sample, I decided to auction off the "sister" to benefit Etosha RR Rescue in TX. It was a wonderful response and the winning bid was $266.09! A great boon for Etosha and a wonderful heirloom quality throw for the auction winner!

Here's sneak peek at the finished product:

Rainy Day Painting
It's been raining, raining, raining... so boring! So, I watercolored an idea I've had for some time - I call it "Backyard War"... the RRs and the squirrels go at it.

The Christmas Rush is ON!
Mood:  rushed

Finally back from Jackson, finally back from Covington, finally finished my shopping! Now if Sizzle would just go out of season, everything would settle down to normal before Taffy and Lulu come to stay while their owners are out of town. At least Guy will be happy to have playmates.

I'm busy working on a design with RRs and lions for Carrie Branaman's woodworking. I sure hope it turns out nice and isn't too complicated for her to do. If it works out, we'll be selling them on the JustRidgebacks.com website soon!

 

Mood:  down

The day before Thanksgiving I was hit squarely with a cold... good thing I didn't have any plans for anyone but me! Thursday morning, all I managed to do was get up, take a bath and go back to bed.

I'm some what perkier now...I need to be for all that's going on! This week I have a bunch of orders for JustRidgebacks.com - Yea!

Taffy is coming to stay the week -<sigh> (Taffy is a rescue who was/is such a basket case that she cannot go stay at the kennel when her owners are gone, she comes here, but it causes a lot of upheaval... oh, well, we'll get through it) 

I'm getting a door and a "window door" put in my living room at the end of the week - a left over hurricane damage thing that's GOT to be done.  

On Sat and Sun, I've got Diva and Darla in the agiilty trials in P'cola and we haven't practiced in two weeks..... I have GOT to drag myself out to Animal Barn and at least practice the weave poles.

And, of course, the weather isn't co operating... rain scheduled for the next two days! Bummer! 

 

YouTubing!
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evdtclmj_AE

Check out Gail, Kona, Diva, Guy and me on YouTube. My first attempt at making a video. Gail and I went over to Animal Barn and practiced agility. Our dogs are at different levels.

 

We did a lot of things, but could only video those that didn't require two training partners.... like Guy learning to jump through the tire or go down the dog walk, etc.  

A Great Read for Mystery and Animal Lovers
Mood:  a-ok

"Three Bags Full" that's the name of the book I've read. I'm a mystery "cozy" kinda of reader and this was right up my alley. Now, I usually don't gush over things like this, but it was so charmingly written I just had to get the word out.

 The "detectives" are sheep. Yeah, you heard me - sheep. They try and try to solve the mystery of why their shepherd is dead, but they are handicapped by their "sheepness"  - it keeps getting in the way. So funny!

Check it out at the library.... even if you don't know anything about sheep, you'll never think about clouds the same way again, either.

Necklace Artist
Mood:  special

I had to post a photo of the two necklaces created by fellow Ridgebacker, Liz Druitt. Liz is a multi-talented gal who has taken up creating fabulous bead creations. Each one has a special something in it for the person getting the necklace.

These are two she has created for me. In the one on the left, the focal point are two pinecones from Cameroon. I love pinecones and have a collection of them. The greenish looking beads are commonly called African Jadite... appropriate for a Ridgeback owner! The light brown ones are bone beads - a total African feel to it, but casual, too.

The second is Bali silver, fresh water pearls with tiny blue stones to set them off. She made that for me to wear with a red, white and blue dress. Sets of my grey hair making it look silvery.

I'm hoping she'll begin to make a business out of this as everyone who sees them is impressed - as well they should be!

A Day over the Bay

I took two of the girls and Guy the pup and we went over the bay to Gail and Bill Thompson's house. The lovebugs were so bad that we could only enjoy the outdoors by going on the beach, the water or way out on the boat dock.

This was Guy's first adventure in the water, but he seemed to enjoy himself. The bay doesn't get deep until way out towards the boatdock,so the dogs were able to cavort around the kayak without swimming along.

Even Kona, Gail and Bill's RR, got into the water. She seems to have more confidence around the water after swimming a couple of times wearing her life vest.

Guy at 7 months.. new photos
Mood:  a-ok

My Memphis buddy, Joanne Gaines, was visiting today and she took these two photos of Guy out in the front yard. Looking pretty good for 7 months old.