Saucie , Ready for the Show

School has started once again but for the first time in many , many years it hasn't been a big occasion. After being a district nurse for 17 years I find myself working as a Program Nurse for the Kern Co. Supt. of Schools in a program that has year round school so there isn't a beginning and an end to the classes. I work in Alternative Ed and do health assessments on students that are incarcerated or students that are attending Community School and the majority of my day is working with Pregnant and Parenting Teens. It is an exciting change and I still have a lot to learn but I think the change is going to be good.

I'm preparing to go to Santa Barbara on Saturday with Saucie where I have entered her in her first California show. I'm anxious to see how I do without my Washington friends at ringside but I know they are excited that I'm taking this big step. Saucie has been washed, brushed, trimmed , walked and practiced on the table so hopefully we are ready. Saucie has adjusted well to her new home and she and I have formed a real bond so hopefully she will trust me in the ring and together we can make Rise N Shine Pomeranians proud of us!! It will be fun and it will be good experience.

Saucie practicing her stand on the table

Relaxation

It has been over a year since Brad and I have taken the time to do something we both enjoy and find extremely relaxing --- Kayaking. It looks like a lot of exercise and it can be when the wind or the tide comes up but the majority of the time it is a very peaceful and quiet time just to relax and enjoy your surroundings. We've owned kayaks for three years and love going up to Huntington Lake, Florence Lake, Monterrey Bay, Lake Ming, Lake Isabella and Morro Bay. Last Saturday we packed up the car and kayaks(this is a lot of work and Brad does it so willingly because I am almost no help at all) and headed to Morro Bay.

AHHHH...... it was so nice to step out of the car and feel the cool air and feel the mist on our faces from the foggy clouds that hung over the bay. A lot more comfortable than the over 100 degree temperatures we are experiencing in Bakersfield! We paddled around Morro Bay for 2 1/2 hours looking at Pelicans, Boats, Sea Otters and just enjoying the ocean breeze. Afterwards we enjoyed a delicious lunch , I had Clam Chowder in a Bowl while Brad had Fish N Chips. DELICIOUS!! It was a wonderful day, we enjoyed the time together, the time on the water and the time of relaxation.

Kim The Handler

This is a picture taken in Portland when I was getting my experience at handling show dogs. This is Windy who took 2nd that day in 6-9 month Puppy Bitches

Rally Advanced Title x 2

Official picture taken by photographer July 10 when Mick placed 2nd and Gage placed 4th in Rally Advanced. This was their 3rd leg with a qualifying score and they both earned their RA titles. It was a windy weekend in Ventura thus the windblown look.

Poms, Poms and more Poms

This is me with Gage, Saucey and Mick taken this evening in Doodle Bug Park.

Gage and Saucey are littermates.

VACATION

Where do I start? I spent the last two weeks enjoying a road trip to see friends, family, dogs and the beautiful Northwest. I left early on Friday July, 13 with Mick and Gage in their crates and the car packed to its' max with clothing, dog equipment, food, water and anything else I could fit in. We arrived at Julie Clemen's house Saturday after about 15 hours of driving and had a great time getting reacquainted and seeing the Little Paws Kennel and all her Pomeranians. The cool, clean Northwest air was wonderful even though the people living there thought it was hot! The next day I traveled with Annette (Julie's cousin and also good friend) to a breeder's house where we picked out 4 Poms to add to Julie's breeding stock. The trip was filled with lively conversation as we munched on fresh picked marionberries and raspberries. On Wednesday, Annette and I loaded up her truck for the Brush Prarie Dog Show and as Julie waved good-bye to us I was excited at the prospect of handling a dog in the Pomeranian Specialty. Annette and I spent 4 days showing 5 different dogs and boy is that the way to get broken in!!! It was a rush to get dogs brushed and combed and ready to go out in the ring and then hurrying to the ring to show the dog. I showed Wendy, a black Pomeranian in the 6-9 month Puppy Bitches ring (she embarassed me by peeing in the middle of her walk for the judge) and then Saucie in Open Bitches Orange. Oh yeah, and the best thing of all is that Julie has given me Saucie so that I can show her in California!!! Saucie is Gage's littermate sister and is a beautiful, petite orange female who I am so honored to be entrusted with and excited to have such a beautiful, well-trained dog to learn how to handle in the show ring. We had a great week and were fairly successful although , of course, we would have loved to get Best In Show but for some of the puppies first time out and it being my first time out it was a fun but exhausting experience. My sister Julie came and spent 2 nights with us at the Portland Dog Show so she got to experience a little of "my new world" too.After leaving the Dog Show I headed up to Seattle and Lake Stevens to visit Julie and then down to Gig Harbor to visit my nephew Ross and his family at his beautiful home. The Pacific Northwest is sooooo...... BEAUTIFUL!! Yes, I love it and would move up there if there was a way. LOL!!

I spent the remainder of the week visiting with my friend Julie and learning all I could about Pomeranians and their health, grooming, funny antics and visiting Olympia. I helped mow lawns, exercise dogs, dry dogs and cuddle dogs. I stayed at Julie's parents house and what gracious hosts they were to this strange Californian that loves Pomeranians as much as their daughter!! I feel so blessed to have made such good friends in Julie and Annette (my husband calls them the "POM MAFIA") and I look forward to many more "Pom Adventures" and visits to Olympia, WA.

Advanced Rally Titles for Mick and Gage

This past weekend I traveled to Ventura with a friend I'd met through Bakersfield Obedience Club where we had both entered the Summerfest Show in Rally Advanced. Mick and Gage both needed to qualify on Saturday and Sunday in order to finish their Advanced Title. I knew they were both able to qualify but would they? I'd been working hard with Gage because my happy go lucky worker had suddenly stopped liking to work and I wasn't sure why. With lots of tips and suggestions from my Washington friends Julie and Annette I tried a lot of things to make Gage more interested in competing but found that food was the best incentive for him.

Saturday was windy and cold in Ventura, not just a little breeze but WINDY!! The boys looked like they were going to be blown off the Rally Course but they kept their feet on the ground and both got qualifying scores. Wow! I was thrilled and when we went in on Sunday I was even more thrilled because they both did well and best of all, they had FUN!! Of course , I had fun too and laughed at some of their antics out on the course. Mick even had the distraction of a loose dog running into the ring while he was performing and it stopped the whole event. However, we continued and when it was over, Mick placed 2nd and Gage placed 4th, and they both earned their titles.

So, I am proud to introduce....

Serafina's Mickey Doodle Bug, CGC,RN, RA

and

Rise N Shine's Hot Stuff (Gage) CGC,RN,RA

Don't they look happy?

The second picture is me at our Obedience Club's Award's Dinner which had a "Hollywood" theme so I was dressing the part.