Big fun. Stupid computer things. Big fun, again.

Big fun. A couple of weeks ago we had the opportunity to see Craig Ferguson doing his stand up comedy show live in Purchase, NY. We were so happy to have had the tickets way in advance because it seemed like a full house and we had fantastic seats. My face hurt from laughing so hard. I've posted here before about how much we enjoy his show at our house. He is on late night CBS (photo from his Late Late Show website on http://www.cbs.com/ ) but do set those Tivos! He makes me laugh every day. Just the right combination of smart and silly for me. And Lord knows we can all use a laugh.

Stupid computer things. I have a love-hate relationship with my computer. Last week I hated it. A lot. I decided to use a program that would help me to organize my emails and mega-folders and, (nutshell version to spare you the agony) I lost a big bunch of stuff. Important stuff. A lot of it. I know, I know, I should have back up. That's what I thought I was doing by using this program. Lesson learned, the hard way. I cried for 2 days and now I'm better. (sniff, sob, really I am.....) I'm researching better ways to save and organize my computer things now. If you have anything saved on your computer or in email company servers, please learn from my mistake and get your stuff backed up and save yourself the heartache. If you have sent me an email that I haven't responded to or any requests, would you re-send to me at christmascorgi@gmail.com?

Also, (most sad about) all of the adorable photos of your Corgis that you've sent to me. Please, do send them again so I can put the box of puffs away.

Big fun, again. So the other night my friend visited (thank heaven for aerobeds!) and we got some Chinese take-out. Fortunes in our cookies around here have been getting stranger and stranger lately. I'll post some of them that we've kept one of these days. I'm wondering if the fortune in my latest cookie has anything to do with what I'm doing tomorrow.

I'm very excited about it. I guess it is sort of a small party that I was invited to. Strange customs? Hmmm....I hope not. I'll tell you more about it tomorrow when I get back. For now, I'll tell you that it involves a trip into Manhattan, a radio station and Billy Ray Cyrus. Sleep tight my lovelies. xo xo -CS ^..^

A little question

Hello my dear readers! I have a little poll to the left of this blog. Would you take a minute and let me know your thoughts? I appreciate it, and I appreciate you all so much. Warmly, Cathy ^..^

Extreme Shepherding

Yes, I'm once again writing a post in the wee hours of the morning. Almost 1:00 AM EST. Just back home from the Herding Group Association dog show in New Jersey. We are still not quite sure why this show is on a Thursday night, but it is always a fun show to attend because it draws so many Corgi people and we get to catch up with our friends.

Speaking of herding, you must watch this video, done by a group of fellows in Wales. It is amazing. It is like the Disney Electric Light Parade but instead of people wearing the lights....oh, you have to see for yourself. I just, well, have no words.
Believe it or not, Cathy is actually speechless. -CS ^..^
(p.s. you may want to scroll to the bottom left column of this blog to pause the music to hear the video!"

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Stella would love to join you for some serious St. Patrick's Day partying.

Fair warning:

She can't hold her licker.

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! Blessings to you all.

With love from everyone here at home and

Cathy, Mary Elizabeth, and all of the Reinwood Corgis.

xo xo xo

-CS ^..^

New Original Corgi Art

This piece is entitled "Blowing Coat." (I know my Corgi owner kindred spirits can relate!)

*This is a three day listing on Ebay* Pop on over to check it out!

Have a happy day! -CS ^..^

**Sold! New paintings in the works :)

Kiss me.

You know you want to.

Spiffy-ing up the studio

My little studio is in desperate and long over-due need of a fresh paint job.

Looking out the studio back door, there is a new blanket of snow.

Even the furniture outside the studio is begging for some fresh paint.
That will have to wait until the Spring, however.

While the outside will have to wait, at least I am able to work on the inside. I've been completely in love with Alicia's blue, but since my house is surrounded by trees and light is precious, I decided to go with a lighter color, a lovely yellow, and use the blue as an accent color rather than do up the whole room with it.

I am using that blue along with quite a few others for accent colors instead. This, however, is why I think the people in the Home Depot's paint department run when they see me coming.

I can't even begin to tell you how many gallons of paint I have purchased, painted entire walls (or sometimes entire rooms) only to decide I didn't like the color and had to go back to the store. Then I discovered that you can buy small jars of paint which are intended to be samples for you to try out a swatch of color to see if you like it. For about $4 per color, they will go to their spiffy little computer and then mix up any color you like. Oh joy! Oh happy day! Well, for me anyway. The folks in the Home Depot paint department?....mmmm....not so much.

I have two identical sets of built in drawers with a long desk-top going across a radiator which is in the center of the two. The drawers are old and rather, well, crappy. They really should be replaced, but that will have to be on the 'some day' list. For now, I replaced and painted a couple of broken knobs and loosely hand-painted some cheery designs on the drawer fronts, trying not to get too 'perfect,' which is not easy for someone who usually paints tiny illustrative detail. It is hard to tell from the photo, but there is a bit of the pink shmooshed into the yellow and vice versa. The checkerboards are a bit wonky, you get the idea. There is an identical dresser to the right of this one. The Mister painted the bottom drawers (missing from the photo) blue for me so now I've got to decorate them up a bit. I will try and find a couple of old skeleton keys for the keyholes in the stripey drawers and hang a big fat colorful tassel from each one.

So I've got my lovely-favorite-blue drawers but now I need to paint something on them. I'm thinking a red rick-rack border? And I will need to do some sort of design on the knobs. What do you think?

I've still got quite a bit to do in the studio. I will show you when it is done. Oh, I do hope I will have enough paint to do my chair. If not, back to the Home Depot.....CS ^..^

Taking Chance

We've been giving my little studio a much needed paint job these past few days. Late yesterday afternoon the Mister, myself and our daughter stopped to have dinner. We watched some of the Lord of the Rings marathon and had really yummy salads and ice cream sundaes. After cleaning up a bit, I flipped through the channels to see if I could find out how much snow we might actually be getting. Did I mention it is snowing? Well, it is. We've got at least 6 or 7 inches out there so far. Anyway, while flipping the channels I was compelled to stop on HBO to watch the most wonderful movie starring Kevin Bacon. I didn't plan to, I was planning to go to bed 'early.' I'm so glad I watched this film.

It is the true story of Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl, USMC who had requested that he be assigned for military escort duty to accompany to his family the remains of 19 year old fallen Marine Lance Corporal Chance Phelps. From HBO's website: "His first-person account, which began as an official trip report, gives an insight into the military's policy of providing a uniformed escort for all casualties. The story became an Internet phenomenon when it was widely circulated throughout the military community and eventually reached the mainstream media. 'Taking Chance' chronicles one of the silent, virtually unseen journeys that takes place every day across the country, bearing witness to the fallen and all those who, literally and figuratively, carry them home. A uniquely non-political film about the war in Iraq, the film pays tribute to all of the men and women who have given their lives in military service as well as their families."

You can find the HBO trailer here, along with the airing schedule. If you are snowed in today as I am I highly recommend making a pot of tea and watching this film on HBO on demand.

Keep a box of Puffs handy.

Well done, Mr. Bacon. Well done. -CS ^..^

The Birthday Girls

Happy Birthday to our crazy girls Stella and Amy!

I love you with all of my heart. xo xo -CS ^..^

Westminster Dog Show, Part Two

As promised, here are some more photos of our day at Westminster 2009. While it may look very glamorous on TV, here is our reality at 5:30 AM at Madison Square Garden. You have to enter by going up a long ramp and take the freight elevator to the benching and grooming area. Here is Mary Elizabeth. She looks entirely too perky for such an un-Godly hour, doesn't she? And this is before we found Starbucks...

Some of our stuff on the dolly. Luckily we had my husband

and our friend Al to help us throughout the day. They were

parking the van at this point and met us at the bench. Thanks

to Al who took many of these photos as well! Click on the photos to enlarge.

Westminster is a benched show. This means the dogs must be in their assigned benching area throughout the day unless they are being groomed, are in the ring or are taking care of potty business.

Speaking of 'potty business' here's a funny little story. Bridget's bench mate, Tedi B stayed across the street at the Hotel Pennsylvania with her owner and our friend Jane O'Neil. Tedi B simply would not 'go' outside on the city concrete or in the indoor shavings pens. At the crack of dawn, Jane found herself taking a taxi to Central Park so Tedi could 'go.' She just needed a little patch of grass, that's all. As soon as she hopped out of the $24.00 cab, she did her business right away. Jane said it was the most expensive poop she has ever seen.

Here is Bridget's bench as we were setting up.

We decorated it with little hearts for

Valentine's Day.

Taking a break.... It is SO crowded!

Bridget waiting ringside for the Corgis to be called in.

She hasn't been shown in such a long, long time. But she is a

true showgirl at heart, Miss Bridget. She loves being in the

ring and remembers just what she needs to do.

Mary Elizabeth did such a great job presenting her. Bridget loves her.

Come to think of it, all dogs love Mary Elizabeth. She is like Snow White.

(Sometimes I think there are little bluebirds and woodland creatures following her...)

left to right: Rowdy, Ike, Bridget and Tedi B on the bench at the

end of the night. They were SO ready to go home!

The following familiar and favorite photos were in the scrapbook we brought with us for the spectators at Westminster.

Making snow angels....

Bridget's puppies have lovely families!

It is said that there is nothing like the Westminster Kennel Club dog show. While it is an exhausting and long, hectic day, I highly recommend that every dog lover experience it. There you will find hundreds of show breeders who put their heart and soul into the preservation, improvement, protection and welfare of their breed.

If you are considering getting a Corgi, a good place to start is the PWCCA. Each club member (and all of their regional affiliate club members) must sign and adhere to a strict code of ethics. Each member is responsible for every dog they breed or any puppy produced by one of their dogs for the life of the dog, no matter what. Do your homework and get references. When you buy your dog from one of these breeders, you will have someone you can go to for help or questions for the life of your pet. Breeding stock must be screened for known health issues and the utmost care is taken to breed dogs with excellent temperaments. Many regional and national club members also work very hard in Corgi rescue. Most purebred rescues that are found in shelters come from dogs that were purchased at pet shops and came from puppy mills or breeders whose 'responsibility' ends when their check has been cashed. Corgi rescue workers spend many weeks caring for, rehabilitating, evaluating and earning the trust of their little rescues in order to find them the right home. The PWCCA and her regional affiliate club members are not allowed to sell their dogs to pet shops and do their best to match up their puppies to the potential owners. Sometimes there are 'older' dogs and retired young Champions that are available from one of these breeders. These dogs are usually trained and (bonus!) housebroken and make wonderful family pets as well.

If you purchased your beloved dog from a pet store, don't despair. My first dog came from a pet store many years ago. If people stop buying dogs from pet stores, the puppy mills will stop breeding them. Know where your puppy is from. Learn why it is important not only for the dog you will get, but for the welfare of future generations of the breed. What is it that Maya Angelou said? "You did what you knew, and when you knew better, you did better." I love that. The important thing is to educate ourselves and others and to help each other make informed choices in the future.

The future of our beloved Corgis (or any purebred dog!) depends on it! -CS ^..^