life with the furry and feathered crew

Camping out for the first time

Before the last agility weekend, mom told me that we would camp out and it would be fun.  Sure!  I like to have fun, so I wagged my tail.  Yeah, it will be fun.  Cool.  Only what is "camp out'?

Well, now I know.  Camp out is when mom sets up a tent next to the car and puts our sleeping pads and blankets in there.  We crawl in and lie down together instead of me having to lie in a crate.  It was OK.  I'm not sure what the big deal is though.  At night there were lots of different noises than I'd heard before. I had to ask and ask before mom let me outside so I could listen better.  There was a noise that sounded like "creekkk" (mom said it was a frog - whatever that is) and a "bbbbrrrrr" from the horse near us and lots and lots of other sounds.  I stayed up a long time listening until when it was almost light outside mom made me come back into the tent.  Maybe that's why I was more sleepy the next day.  I felt better though after a long long nap in the car.  I hope we go camp again soon. 

Oh yay!  We're camping again this weekend. 

THIS IS A PICTURE OF MY TENT 

A few pictures from a weekend in Victor Harbor

Another day of wildlife

I had previously identified a roosting area for Sulfur Crested Cockatoos.  It seemed likely because just downwind of the area was a field of molted cocky feathers.  Today on a bike ride, the area was full of cockys, a few on the ground and more in the trees taking a mid-day nap.  One fine guy just out of reach had a foot tucked up, cheek feathers up, grinding his beak and eyes closed already. 

Leaving CAMBIA tonight, a small mob of 6 roos were grazing on the lawn.  While I was watching them - and they watching me, a bicycle rider circled around them and didn't even see them!  I don't understand how he could have missed seeing them. 

Life in Oz

I have been able to switch driving to the left side of the road and riding my bike on the left side of the path without any problems.  Crossing streets however, I cannot remember to look right first.  Or remember to stick to the left side when meeting people walking towards me.  It's weird that some changes are so easy and others so hard.

While I could be riding my bicycle back and forth to where I'm staying, I've chosen to walk most every day.  That's so I can smell the eucalyptus and watch the cockatoos and parrots. 

Flying around the sound

Napa Valley Holiday

Two days of flying in a Cessna 172, three days of wine tasting, eating, walking, relaxing.  The flying route took us from Seattle to Roseburg to Santa Rosa.  Roseburg is a small town on I-5 in Oregon.  The ad in the Yellow Pages for the local taxi said "competitive rate to airport" but it is the only taxi company in town!  Roseburg is also home to the first technician that worked for me.  I called her - at Terry's encouragement (basically shoving the phone in my hand) - and we saw her on the way back to Seattle. 

Napa Valley is home to well over 200 wineries.  Wine tasting is no longer free nor is it sip and spit.  Now it costs, mostly $10, and the wine is drunk.  Four wineries in a day is as much as we could do.  We bought wine at every winery so came home with nearly 2 cases.  Also we brought home a huge branch from a eucalyptus tree for Mr Geikie (who was very happy for the 2 days it took him to strip it).  Only Jarah didn't get a present. 

Minneapolis in April

When Phil first invited me to a roundtable meeting in Minneapolis, my first question was "when".  Ah, April... OK, should be pleasant weather.  Well, NOT!!!!  The weather was more like bitter cold windy winter weather, even some snow.  Brrrrr.  Lucky that the meeting was interesting.   The subject matter was identifying constraints on information and knowledge transfer that otherwise could improve farming, especially for poor farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.  The participants came from around the world - all different levels of jet lag in the room.  Moreover, many disciplines were represented, everything from patent lawyer (gee, who was that?) to plant breeder to IT specialist to policy makers to economist, as well as some I didn't catch.  It made discussions quite lively and a bit difficult too as each discipline has its own terminology and acronyms.   Readers - extra points if you know one of these...  CIAT,  CGIAR,  FAO, CIMMYT, IFPRI, BMGF.   

The conference dinner and reception were held at the Art Museum.  Before dinner I strolled the Bob Dylan exhibit.  Minnesota is his home state after all. 

<- Art museum at University of Minnesota

Trip to Chicago

Some trips are just more eventful than others.  A harrowing two to three weeks led up to a successful business meeting in Chicago.  After the meeting, the plan was to visit Mom and Dad.  A good visit it was, at least for Friday and Saturday.  When I woke up on Sunday morning, the flu had set in with a vengeance.  After years of "retirement", Mom sprang into motherly action bringing me glasses of water, going to the store for decongestants, changing my plane reservations, checking up on me as I slept away the day.  It's good to know that these skill sets aren't easily lost!  Thanks Mom for taking care of me.

Pike Place Market

When Mom and Dad were here, we went to Pike Place Market.  Bought loads of apricots for jam.  It was so hot though that I didn't cook it for a week.  Berries looked good too.

Whistler

Vic and Cheryl (well, actually just Cheryl) began their tour of the States in Seattle and ended it in Whistler.  Because Whistler is close by - about 4.5 hr drive if you don't get lost in Vancouver - Terry and I drove up to Whistler to meet them.  Jarah and Geikie had to stay home alone (poor Jarah) while we wined, dined, and visited. 

The next morning a "quick" stop at the sports shop was needed for Cheryl to finish the ski boot fitting.  Not to worry though, Vic got to the Vancouver airport in plenty of time.  We didn't even get lost in Vancouver.  The airport though could use a bit better signage.  The choice was "South Terminal" or "Main Terminal" with absolutely no hint as to what airlines were at each terminal.  A lucky guess - main terminal - took us to the right place. 

At the border, the US Immigration guard shocked us all by knowing a totally obscure bush town north of Melbourne.  We waved goodbye and raced on to the Tulalip casino.  Boy, it was crowded.  Heaps of people, average age 70, serious looks on faces, pushing the spin button on slots.  Slots aren't as much fun anymore now that they are video.  The money you win shows up on a screen.  No more "ka-ching" as the dimes or quarters drop down.  Oh well.  This time, I came out $3 ahead, Cheryl came out $0.50 ahead, and Terry... well Terry lost the whole kit and kaboodle.  $20 vanished.  Better luck next time Terry.