The End of November

Today I am a little reflective of this past month. Sure, I didn't completely succeed in terms of Blogging Month. In fact, I think it's safe to say that I failed this year. Normally, not doing something to its fullest would bother me (I'm a real perfectionist) but not this time. This past month I have worked extra hard with University work. I think I put in more work for my Psychology report than anyone else in my group and I spent a great deal of time on my English essay. That was two to three weeks of solid work on my part which included staying on campus from 9am to about 4pm everyday. I don't even have classes on Wednesdays.

I think this month I proved that I can excel in University if I put in the work. But I've also done a lot of stuff outside of campus. I've been to a few movies (see "My Week with Marilyn" and "50/50". I didn't like 50/50 as much, but there's no denying that it was a simple, straightforward story told pretty well) and I have been keeping up with roleplying. Unfortunately I'm down to one game a week as one of my games fell through due to lack of interest. It happens, but that leaves me with a free Sunday. I'm considering running my own game (a scary prospect, but I love writing stories and acting so why shouldn't I give it a go?) to fill in the time slot and make walking the 20 minutes to campus for committee meetings worth it.

What does all of this tell you, my readers? That I've never been one of those people who can just sit at home and do nothing. This past week I decided to take a break because of the stress I went through in getting my report and essay finished. For the first two days I really liked just going to class and coming home. After that, when I realised I couldn't start working on my next report because we hadn't collected the data yet and couldn't start in on my next essay because I like to hear the lectures before writing the essay (turns out I could have done it because I think I'm going to be writing on "The Tempest" and those lectures aren't until the last week of term). So, I tried doing a little work here and there on preparing for exams in January, but I really couldn't make any of that stick since January seems so far away even though I know my first exam is in a month and a half.

With this realisation that I need something to A) take the stress off when I'm going crazy doing school work and B) to fill my time when there really is no school work I think I'm totally ready for a puppy sit. I would say ready to puppy raise, but I don't know yet. Definitely want to puppy sit first before taking that leap. The only problem is, I've been a sitter for the past month and a half and I haven't been able to do any sitting yet. I know I decided not to puppy sit that one puppy for the whole month of December so that I could go home for a few days, but I think that's justified. I'm really hoping that Graham can find a puppy for me after I get home just so I can have the experience. I think I've pretty much decided that a puppy of my own is in my future during either spring or the beginning of summer break. I knew I couldn't stay away from it for so long. Still, the fact remains that it would be best for me if I could puppy sit first. I've heard of a few stories of puppy sitters who got so tired of waiting for a puppy that they just got a puppy of their own...hand up if you think I'll be one of those puppy sitters! Haha!

Seriously though, I wish I could have had some more interesting things to post about this month. No puppy does make it a little hard. Hopefully next year, when I have a puppy of my own, November will mean that A Study in Sight will be a much more interesting blog.

For now, with it being the last day of November, I would like to finish up with giving you all the link to my puppy group's facebook fan page. We're trying hard to get to 200 fans by January 1, 2012 so if you haven't liked it yet, then now would be a good time! We are just 31 fans short. It's a great place to get updates on the group and see tons of pictures that haven't made it to the blog before. It's also moderator by yours truly. *Grin*

Hope everyone has a wonderful Holiday season! I'll post pictures of the two new Golden Girls when they arrive and of course pictures of what Hilly looks like when I walk through the door in just 18 days!

Three More Weeks

I had a Skype conversation with my parents this evening. When I said hello all three dogs went nuts. I saw them on camera bouncing and barking. They started looking around the house trying to find me. Hilly kept wandering in and out of the room. It looked like she was saying, "I hear her in here, so why can't I find her?" A couple of times she jumped up on my dad and looked really confused. Then she would give him a couple of kisses as if to say, "Where is she?"

I have to tell, I felt a little loved to see all my dogs get excited just to hear my voice. I can't wait to see them again in three weeks.

Another New Puppy?

I've been waiting to post this for a while, but I had to wait until everything was finalized. I am now very, very excited to be going home for those ten days over my winter break. Why you ask? Well, just think about it!

When I get home look at all the new puppies I get to meet. I get to meet THREE new black labs, ONE new black lab/golden cross, and TWO golden retrievers!

You all know that I love goldens above the rest. don't get me wrong, I've grown to love the labbies! Besides my girl Arwen, Hilly is the perfect puppy dog for me. But, I shall always be a golden girl at heart. In fact, I've often been told that if I were a dog then I would probably be a Golden Retriever. What can I say? I'm a little ditsy sometimes. *smile* Besides goldens, I like black labs over the yellow. It's a personal preference and I do still love the yellow labs. But black is just so slimming. Haha!

Anyway, with this knowledge of my puppy preferences, you can imagine when I heard that my group would not only be welcoming one female golden but TWO on December 7, 2011!

I hope you guys can remember my good bye post to my buddy boy Snyder the other day. Well, Snyder was raised by Candie who you all might remember was one of my group's leaders until she retired from Guide Dogs back at the end of the summer of 2010. You can see how long that lasted. Haha! Anyway, she has been assigned her new puppy. This puppy will be puppy #30 for her!

She has been assigned a female golden retriever born on October 5, 2011 to Macallan and Kyliee! Her letter is "M"!

I can't wait to get home and be burried underneath a pile of puppy breath!

Phase Report

Halette     45Y4     LAB     F     8

Belle puppy EPIC is also in phase 8 today. Hermes and Hestia both graduated this past Saturday. Hestia is a breeder and her raiser is her new breeder custodian so I'll get to keep up with Hestia! Hermes graduated as a Guide and is now working in Arizona. I hear that his new partner loves him very much! I guess these "H" puppies really now how to cling to their people's hearts. *SMILE*

I can't believe that Halette is the last littermate in training. I also can't believe that I won't have a littermate on the phase reports for a good 3 years. Here's hoping that I can handle puppy raising and social life! Haha!

Please Help Bring a Puppy Home for Thanksgiving

I could lie and say that blogger was in a poopy mood last night and wouldn't let me publish, but I just didn't get home in time to write a post last night. Ah, well. I had one all lined up so, I'll post the one I had set up for yesterday and the phase report for today.

Yesterday I saw a disturbing status update from Guide Dogs for the Blind. So, I'm posting this up to get the word around to help get a Career Change home for Thanksgiving.

If you live near the Portland, Oregon please be on the look out for JAMAICA. She is a career change Black Lab puppy from GDB and she got lose and is now missing. She was last seen on November 19. Her ID tage number is 47V0. She weighs about 50 lbs and has some white hairs on her stomach. If you come across a puppy of this discription please call Andy Fitzgerald at 510-418-9863.

Thanks guys! Let's hope we can get her home in time for the Turkey.

The Second Time

Well, definitely failed. Second day in a row. I really needed sleep last night. I guess it's just as well because I really didn't know what to post about.

I haven't had any news about any puppies to sit. So, who knows when I'll get a puppy to puppysit. I'm starting to think never. Hope it's not never. Haha!

Anyway, I'll try and think of a better post for tomorrow as I will continue to try and post everyday, but won't be staying up late to try and write a post.

Good Byes

Good byes are never easy even for people like me who say good bye often. I've been asked a few times if saying good bye gets easier. I think it gets harder with each puppy to be honest.

This summer, when I left, I knew that it was going to be my last good bye to Lance, Luther, and possibly Danvers. It was hard to do, but I did it. Now, Luther was CC'd about a month ago and is still at GDB waiting to be placed (or so we think; they go into a black hole when they're back at GDB for placement and we don't hear anything until a month after they're placed). I didn't devote a whole post to Luther because...not because I didn't know him well or didn't like him or anything. But, I guess, because it's what was fair to him. He was stressed when working and so it didn't seem so much of a shame but more a relief. A relief that he's out there now. finding his people who he will make very happy as he was one special boy.This feels a little more sad.  

I didn't know when I left that I would be saying good bye for the last time to Snyder. I hope you all remember Snyder. He was this cutie patootie...



Snyder at 8 weeks old in my backyard. He was such a good puppy to puppy sit.

  Who turned into this handsome young man...

Snyder in August at Rocco's graduation. He's so handsome.

Snyder had many nicknames; Little Piggy, Mini Rocco, and Mr. Turtle are the most well known. He was called Mr. Turtle because he was so slow. He was so slow because he limped. He was diagnosed with really bad Pano and went on anti-inflammatory pills. Unfortunately, it didn't get any better he was sent up to Guide Dogs to get everything checked out.

We found out that Snyder was Career Changed due to severe bilateral elbow dyplasia in his front legs. This means that both of his front legs have it. He also has arthritis and will have to have one of his elbows operated on. He will be ten months old tomorrow. Just ten months! I was a little shattered when i heard the news. Snyder is one of those male dogs that I could have and be perfectly happy with. I enjoyed sitting him every chance I got. I'm beyond sad that I don't get to say a proper good bye to Snyder.

At least he's in good hands up at Guide Dogs. I'll let you know when we hear anything about him.

I'll be seeing ya Mr. Turtle.