I love wolves....

Okay, I have a new thing to do when people come to Colorado to visit. Sunday we went and took a tour of the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center! What a neat place. This is a private owned place where this lady has rescued several wolfs! There are also coyotes and foxes. Hubby and I paid for the VIP tour so after the regular tour, we got to go with the owner into two of the wolf pens! There are 6 pens for the wolfs, each pen is 1 acre. Then there is a one acre pen for the coyotes and a pen for the foxes. Here is their web site:

http://www.wolfeducation.org/default.htm

And here is one of the wolfs who looked right at me for the picture. I am not sure which one he is:



We got to give lots of love to Mika and Shunka in the first pen. Here I am getting Wolf kisses from Shunka:



And here is Hubby petting Mika:



In the second pen we got to give treats to Nikita and Princess. Here is Hubby feeding Princess (left) and Nikita (right-white one):



And me petting Nikita and Princess together!:



And here is Troubles, he has BLUE eyes!!:



It was an incredible experience! Then we came home to our more domesticated style of wolves:



Other than that, things have been pretty usual around here. I worked Friday and Saturday nights. Sunday night we had some friends over for dinner. Hubby made his Green Curry Chicken, yum. And we tried a Thai soup from a Thai cookbook we have. It turned out pretty tasty. We will tweak it next time we make it, but I really loved the broth! Mmmmmmm, tasty!

I created web pages for the pups on a great site called Dogster.com. Here is Bristol's web page with links to Petey's and Buddy's web page:

http://www.dogster.com/pet_page.php?j=t&i=186462

Just something fun!

Yesterday I had my eye surgery! So now, I have 20/20 vision without contacts or glasses!!! Yea! The surgery was very easy and painless! I keep telling Hubby “I can see!” I am very happy with the outcome! I have to puts lots and lots of drops in my eyes to keep them free of infection for a while, but I can live with that. In fact, it's time for me to go put drops in my eyes again!!

But Wait, There's More...

Hubby let me know that there are some important factors about Saturday that I apparently left out. First of all, on our journey from Woodland Park to Cripple Creek with the 2000+ other motorcycles, they block off the highway for us. The streets are lined with people, almost everywhere. It's quite a sight! It's very moving too.

Then you roll into Cripple Creek. There is all ready bikes there and then when the parade's roll in, it puts the the bike count at 5000+. The street is so packed with bikes and people that there is only 1 lane of traffic, and it goes in, for the bikes to come in. We haven't been able to do the ride the last 2 years, but when we did it in 2002, there were not nearly as many people as there were this year! And believe it or not, we forgot our camera....

Like I said before, if you ever get the chance to go and watch a motorcycle rally, go! And if you have the chance to be in it, do it! It is such a neat thing! 2000+ bikers, who have never ridden together before, ride like one long fluid movement. It's a beautiful thing.

I've been busy...

If you ever have the opportunity to see a Motorcycle Rally, GO SEE IT! And if you ever have an opportunity to be part of a Motorcycle Rally, BE IN IT!

Today was the POW/MIA motorcycle rally. It ended up that Hubby and I were the only ones going. Well, our friend Ross and his brother Monty were joining us as well, but Monty was coming in from Kansas and Ross had to wait for him to arrive to join the group. So we left without them.

Hubby and I started the morning off after we left Ross's house, by going to Pikes Peak Harley Davidson (the local Harley Dealer). From there we paid our $10 entry fee and joined the next group of riders going up to Woodland Park. There were about 25 of us in that group. The destination from there is Woodland Park High School That is the staging ground for where the major parade begins. There was probably around 2000 bikes in the high school parking lot. At 10:30am the parade began from Woodland Park to Cripple Creek. What a site. You are talking 2000'ish bikes all riding together. It's quite a site. We arrive in Cripple Creek to a crowd that is so big that there is only 1 lane of traffic on the main street and that is where all the bikes are coming in. We, thankfully were near the front. So we were able to park the bike and then walk a block over to main street to watch the rest of the parade come into town.

After the parade finished, we got some lunch and did some walking around. We then caught up with Ross and his brother. After that, a bit more shopping and then we decided to head back home. It started to rain on us about the time we hit Divide, CO, and rained most of the way home on us.

After that, we cleaned up and then headed to my mom's house for dinner. We had to celebrate Zak's birthday. We (Hubby and myself, Mom and Dad) gave him a new lens for his camera. Here is a pic of him with his new lens on his camera:



The next day, Sunday, we had tickets to the local track (PPIR) for the IRL race (Indy Racing League). I am sure you have heard of Danika Patrick? Well, she was there. She came in 8th. It was a hot day. The temp at race time was 87 degrees, and track temp at the beginning of the race was 127 degrees. Anyway, it was a pretty fast race, and fairly interesting, however they don't believe that “Rubbin's Racing” in Indy league, so to me, it could have been a little bit more interesting. After the race we stopped by my parent's house again. We had one last dinner with Zak. He leaves tomorrow for Pennsylvania. We will see him again in December, but not until then. That will be odd. After a quick Pizza dinner, we packed up the dogs and headed for home. By now Bristol and Phoebe were covered in mud and dirt and who knows what else, as they had played all day while Hubby and I were at the race. So, that night when we got home Bristol got a bath.

The rest of the week has just been work for me. I have my pre-op visit tomorrow for my eye surgery. Finally. Yesterday my mother had her pins removed from her foot. She says it hurts. But, at least we are to the point of her having the pins out now. She can only get better from here!

Okay, we are off to talk the munchkins for a walk and then get some dinner. Till later!

Still Coughing!!

So, I am getting worse day by day. All though I did call the doctor and demand a new cough medicine, as I wasn't getting any sleep. Neither was Hubby. So, now I have a nice narcotic cough medicine, that actually allows a bit more sleep. I took it for the first time last night and the results were wonderful! I finally made an appointment to go and see an ENT doctor (Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor). I see him on Tuesday morning!!

I am stuck in my glasses for the next week. I have all ready been wearing them for a week. I am in the finally countdown to my eye surgery. It's been a fiasco to get to this point, but we are FINALLY getting there! I just hate my glasses, I miss my contacts and I can not WAIT to get rid of both of them all together!! I have to wear my glasses two weeks before surgery, so here I am....

Last night was out annual dinner at the Zoo, the President's dinner. This is the dinner for Patron and Patron Gold members. We are patron members. Normally we get an unlimited supply of giraffe crackers, which I fully take advantage of. Well, this year we got a behind the scene tour of the White Lion exhibit. They took us back and let us stand where we were only about 2 feet from one of the pacing white lions. It was so neat, I could have reached out to pet him! But it was dinner time, and I didn't want my fingers to look like appetizers to him. But it was really a neat, up close look at them!! I enjoyed that a lot.

At dinner we sat with a crowd of people we didn't know, but then again, we don't know many people that are there. It was a rather interesting dinner. As usual, the food was amazing! The salad before dinner was delicious. Then we had NY strip steak, twice baked potato with steamed veggies on the side. And for dessert was turtle cheesecake. Plus open bar all night! What a fun time!

Well, I am off to take my narcotic cough medicine!!

Cough, cough, cough....

Remember that sinus infection I said I had. I was wrong. The Doctor said it was allergies. And it's only getting worse. I have been coughing for about the past 5 days. Things came to a head last night when the coughing kept both Hubby and myself awake a good portion of the night. Hubby insisted I see the doctor today. So, I did. I made an appointment, and went in late this afternoon. My allergies are pretty darn bad. And the doctor just prescribed more medicine for me. I am up to 7 prescriptions in the past week now. He did give me something for the cough, which doesn't work, I all ready took it.

After I left the Doctor's office, I met up with Hubby at KFC for dinner. I had Bristol in the car with me as right after that we headed off to training class. Hubby went home to work on his paper that is due in a few short days. So, it was up to me alone to do the training tonight. Bristol was okay, he really watches me (and the treats) like a hawk, but we have to work with him a lot more. Tonight we learned down and worked on down/stays. And we started working on 'Heel'. Bristol really needs to work on that one....

After class I came home and sat in a hot bath for about an hour. I have take all of my medications plus Nyquil. I think the Nyquil is starting to kick in, so I will end this here. Maybe tonight I will get some sleep! I hope so.

Another day in the neighborhood

I went and saw Charlie and the Chocolate Factory tonight with a friend from work. It was GREAT! The set design was wonderful! And Johnny Depp was awesome! I highly recommend it!

So, I had been having headaches last weekend and early part of the week. I made a doctor's appointment. I went in and discovered that I have a sinus infection! And the headaches were tension headaches. So the doctor gave me some nasal sprays to help clear up the sinus infection I didn't know I had.

Now I have post nasal drip and I feel awful! I think I would rather go back to being a little stuffy and not knowing about the sinus infection versus the sore throat and cough. I am back to having to use Nyquil to get through the night!

Bristol has earned himself trips to the kennel when we aren't home. He has learned to jump or maneuver over all baby gates we set up. At first it was okay, he wasn't destroying anything. Then after a few days, he started to chew stuff. Since I don't want him destroying my stuff, and I don't want him to eat something he shouldn't or hurt himself. So he goes in the kennel when we leave now. He actually is quite well behaved now, a lot less barking and whining than he used to!

He had his first training class on Monday. He learned sit and stay and how to walk on a leash without pulling. We are still working on both of those.

Other than that, things are pretty much the same here. Hubby is finishing one class and getting ready to start another. I am still doing yoga and loving it. And I work way to much. Hope all of you reading this are well.

My View on Animal Planet

I have figured out there are 2 types of animal lovers. There are those that watch Animal Planet and those that don't. I can not watch Animal Planet because I really can not stand seeing any animal hurt or injured or abused. Then there are those animal lovers who do watch Animal Planet and most of those people usually never even watch another channel! Like I said, I personally don't watch it. I used to try to watch nice easy shows like K-9 to 5 or The Planet's Funniest Animals, but even the commercials they have on while watching the show are to sad for me. This morning I did watch a show called Amazing Animal Videos, which was okay, they all had happy endings. However, right there in the middle of a show a commercial came on for another one of their shows that had a golden retriever puppy who was being severely abused and was rescued by animal control. UUGH, YANK at my heartstrings why don't you. And that is when I remembered why I NEVER watch that channel!!!

I like living in my happy little WnW world. And even there in that world I see lots of people treating their dogs in ways unimaginable. I see people yank on leashes, hit dogs, nails that haven't been clipped in so long it's effecting the way the dog walks. I see at least a dog a day who is not being treated properly.

On a lighter note, I am currently awaiting Hubby's arrival with our 3 Doolies. It's Doolies Day Out today. This year they had Doolies Day Out after ALL of basic training. The last 2 years, we got them half way through basic training, in July. So, it should be interesting to see if there is any difference in having cadets after it's all over. For those of you saying 'HUH?' right now, Doolies are Air Force Academy cadets. They are the freshman for the class starting in a few short days. However, they have to go through 'basic training' first. I am not sure if they call it basic training or what they call it. Anyway, since Freshman have basically no privileges, the one thing they are allowed their first year is to go to Sponsor's house's. Their home away from home. This is our 3rd year sponsoring cadets. 2003 was our first year, and that was with Adam. He has since left the Academy and moved home. So, we shall see what today's cadet's bring.

In fact I gotta get going. I have a load of laundry to start and a dishwasher to unload and reload!

Living My Life

Here is what is most upsetting to me. I always make a conscious effort live my life in a manner that if I were to perrish tomorrow, I would be remembered in a good way. The last few days, and the last few people I have dealt with, really have made me feel like I am not that person.

The lady who rear ended me in the Starbucks line called me a dirty name. Probably because I was not saying very much to her and avoiding her at all costs because I was making a conscious effort to not lose my temper.

And the neighbor lady who accused me of grabbing her child? Well, that was just the worst! First of all, I would never want anyone to think I would ever harm a child! And second of all, I didn't do it anyway! And I never would.

I try so hard to make sure I treat others as I would want to be treated. I try to make sure I am nice, and kind to everyone, and I feel like I have been stepped on quite a bit in the last few days. Makes me wonder why I even bother.

Anyway, in light of recent, life goes on. Sunday night I had our WnW BBQ at my house. I had a fill in Hubby (the hubby of one of my employee's) do the grilling. He did a great job, and we had a great time. There were several employees and their pets who were not fit for driving and ended up spending the night. So, come Monday morning, it was like a whole new dog party. I had 4 dogs instead of 2. It really was fun and I had a great time.

I had Monday off and Hubby came home mid afternoon from Vegas. He said he had a great time in spite of the heat and that he learned a lot. He also won me a nice chunk of change for the bank! THANK YOU HUBBY!

I did start training Monday night for Bristol. The first night of class was just lecture, without dogs. Bristol will get to go with me on Monday. There are some regular WnW customers in the class, they have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy who is SOOOO cute!! Hubby got to meet her the other night and he thought the puppy was cute also.

Wednesday was a busy day. I was busy at work, as was Hubby. Then immediately after work we headed to our Mortgage Broker's office. We are refinancing the house. This time we are under that magic 80%, so no more PMI! And I am being added onto the house! So, essentially, I am in the process of buying my first house! I am pretty excited about that!

After that we headed down to my mom and dad's house to celebrate Mom's birthday. Suzi and Zak were down, with Phoebe to celebrate the occasion. And of course we brought our two pups. Phoebe and Bristol played and played and played. They had a great time. Meanwhile, the 5 of us, Dad, Suzi, Hubby, Zak and myself, gave Mom a new digital camera for her birthday. It's exactly what she wanted. So, we hope she enjoys that, especially when she goes to Ireland.

Tonight we had free tickets to the comedy club here in town. The vet from Emergency Vets was doing his stand up routine. It was pretty fun! The vet guy and the guy before him were soooo funny! I couldn't stop laughing! There were 6 of us that went to the show and we all enjoyed it!

Well, it's late now and I am off to bed.