Hoorah! A relatively uneventful day. Some days you need those.

I started out the day planning to head for vet appointments for Phoebe, Chadwick and Gracie but, about 8:30 just as I was starting to load up, Donna (receptionist) called from Westside Vet. Two emergencies had come in, could I hold off until Thursday? I had no emergencies of my own so this was fine with me and a blessing. It is a 4 to 5 hour job to take dogs to the vet, drop them off, then return to pick them up (50 minutes drive each way x 4 plus waiting time). It felt like a snow day does – a day “free” that you didn’t expect. It’s such an almost guilty pleasure.

I finished up in the kennel and headed to the house to spend a day getting caught up on paperwork. It seems like the paperwork is never ending. Beth called and arranged to bring her boys up for a field trip about lunch (they love to play in the RV) and to pick up the t shirts so she can send out as people order them. Thank goodness for that organized and efficient business manager we have!

Beth and I brainstormed a bit about ways to continue to streamline our operations. It’s evident that inviting people here, and having a healthy pool of animals available that may not be on the internet, is not working well. The answer may very well lie in slimming down the number of dogs we have and freeing me up to be more of a “regular” foster home, including taking a lot of time talking with applicants on the phone. It shifts what I am doing from animal care to administrative work. I doubt the hours would be different, but the work would be. So we’ll see. Since I’m restricted right now with all this puppy breath around here, it’s a good time to experiment with lower numbers.

Speaking of puppies – my oh my how we’ve grown! No one will stay in the swimming pool any longer. It’s too easy to crawl out and head for uncharted territories. So, tomorrow the “nursery” becomes the dormitory and we start school. The pool comes out and we install crates and start the crate training. We’ll have two or three open small crates, padded with soft and comfy bedding, to encourage sleeping in there and pooping elsewhere!

Everybody is eating well on their own. Opal (white female) and Jacqueline (brown female) still do not have teeth and are the smallest so they get a bottle as a supplement also. Everyone is on puppy food, moistened. They are still incredibly messy eaters but are starting to get the hang of it, i.e., if you keep most of your body OUT of the food then more goes in your mouth.

Belle is starting to nest and she is getting HUGE and she is getting cranky. I give her until about the 15^th or 16^th. I hope she’ll wait until Monday since we have a pretty large group of adopters coming up. The pool will go in her room to get her comfortable it since it will serve as her whelping box.

Other than that, it was a routine day at Dreamweaver Farms. Wayne got my cup hooks installed for my everyday coffee mugs and we finished an admin project we have been working on together. Small things you say, but every day we try to do something to move forward with the house even if it’s such a small thing. Baby steps reach to great accomplishments.

I sent Katie Austin the invite for our group. She was delighted and plans on accepting. I think you will all like her.

Here is wishing you and yours a productive and happy Over the Hump Day on Wednesday. Talk to you tomorrow.

Good night from Dreamweaver Farms

Donna