Not so Expensive

That's what I have learned this past week... If I hire someone to come in and clean, it will cost me about $75 per cleaning. Well I might just consider it once a month as I still havent found the happy balance yet. :)

Derek and I have been a bit unsatisfied with the name Tucker for the colt. It wasnt fully sinking in with us, so as we drove down to OR on Saturday, we contemplated all the way down and most of the way back on a new name. Sometimes these things just take a while.. As we ran through a list of characters from TV shows we like, then on to gun brands, off in another direction then back to TV characters, Derek just snapped out quickly, Dexter. YES! That is it.. The colts new name that we hope to register him as: "Blue Driftin Dexter" Whew, I feel so much better! Kinda suits him if you watch the show at all. Well all but the murderer part.. LOL

We were driving south on Saturday to take Cooper off to College, Parkdale Kennels in Rainier OR. He got sick before we even left Monroe, spent half of the rest of the trip panting and the other half laying quietly in his kennel. He did great! We waited about an hour for the trainer to finish up with some of the dogs in training and just watched. Cooper was curious, anxious, quiet and drooling at times! I got some GREAT pics of him.

He is such a BEAUTIFUL dog

Standing outside the office, the kennels are in the same building in the lower level.

He will be training in these fields

Waiting patiently

As they took him away from us and into the back room to the door to the lower kennel level, he sat his butt and refused to walk, scared mostly of what was behind that door! A lot of dogs were barking from the kennel area. He was drug through the door, we looked away and then looked back at the door to see him now facing us and clawing at whatever he thought he might be able to grab to get away from going down into that kennel area. Poor kid, he was just scared and we felt sad for him. But happy because he is going to have fun once he figures it all out and is put to work. His instincts will kick in and he soon will be itchin to get out to work. Exactly what he needs, a job! Things are a little quieter at home, okay a lot quieter but Russell and Ellie seem OK for now as they now play more with each other.

Sunday we had to go get Oakley from the lady that was going to lease him. Because he's outta shape and was barefoot in the hinds, he didnt pass his vet check for soundness, but I'm not worried. He will head up to Amber (a good friend of mine) on Saturday, she's going to lease him for the summer, get him in shape and love all over him. He looks good, he was happy to be out in some real dirt again to roll. After much debating on whether we should burn branches or go for a ride that afternoon, we didnt really come up with an answer and Derek headed into the house as I brushed and shaved up the horses. It was a very nice day outside. Derek finally came back outside and we got in a ride around the neighborhood.

Spent the evening at Eric's house for a BBQ for his birthday, nice relaxing way to finish the weekend. I always enjoy going to their house and seeing what is new and changed. They have a cute house with a great country feel interior (there's always some new decor items to google over), a cool country garden, and soon a cute little hen house! :)