Here is an overview of an article that I read this morning in the Calgary Herald: The town of Strathmore has 300 sheep in the rodeo grounds to keep the grass manageable . Two weeks ago a lamb was found dead and teenagers were chased from the grounds. Just recently hockey sticks have used to beat some of the sheep and one had to be euthanized. I am at a loss for words. Here is the Full article

On a happier note in the aniaml kingdom I came upon these follow-ups regarding the Michael Vick dogs. By the way they are now being called Vicktory Dogs! Now those are empowering words.

Best Friends Animal Society

Bad Rap - Grab a tissue and watch the See Them Now video

What is happening to the self-indulgent, leisurely, yes I deserve to spoil myself pastime of thank god that day is over, finally it’s the weekend, let’s have some with dinner, glass of wine? Wine consumption has become positively clinical with each improvement having a perfectly logical 21st century explanation.

We are told that screw caps & synthetic corks seem to be ‘ok’ for near term drinking but the verdict is still out on what happens with those wines that should be aged before they are ready to be enjoyed. Wine tumblers are convenient as they have no cumbersome stems and they fit in your dishwasher.

The whole plastic wine bottles/tetra-pak wine containers brings out my two conflicting personalities. Jekyll, my environmentally conscious, forward thinking side vs Hyde, traditionalist wine snob. Then, don’t even get me started on those pump action wine preservers, they sound like something that belong by the swimming pool.

It’s not really a wine snobbery thing (well, maybe a soupçon) so much as a we all thought bottled water was revolutionary and now look where that has taken us. All I know is that my wine rack has glass bottles gently reclining, one of which I will uncork and then pour it into my favorite wine glass that I will later have to wash by hand. I can feel myself relaxing already.

So I was out this morning walking neurotic chocolate lab (I’ll share his story another time). We live in a normal neighborhood where 97% of the homes are well kept with nice gardens but then there is THAT house; little lawn maintenance, overgrown shrubs you get the picture. What really gets me seething is that this who cares attitude spills over onto the sidewalk. Walking past the house one steps over cans, wrappers, paper coffee cups, grass cuttings from where he actually trimmed the grass growing through his fence but never bothered to pick it up and then there is the broken glass beside his curb. Now I am not saying it is all his but really, let’s have some civic pride here!

After plowing through this mess for the umpteenth time I went home grabbed broom, gloves and green garbage bag and cleaned up the potpourri of garbage. Sometimes enough is enough and you have to just do something. I wonder if he intends on thanking me?

On Saturday night husband and I rented ‘The Bucket List’. The critics didn’t particularly like it but it’s not a critics type of movie it’s a people movie. We enjoyed watching it together; laughing through some of it, lump in throat in others and wincing during a few bits but as I said it’s not a classic. We even engaged in some rare analytical conversation related to what was happening on the screen during certain parts.

It got me thinking that whether you call it a Bucket List, Life List or 10 Things To Do Before You Die List there is nothing too big or small, silly or serious as it really is not just about being all deep or profound but more about what is important to you. If that means being served tea in your private compartment on board the Orient Express then write it down. Oh wait , that is number three on my life list.

So anyway watch the movie with your beloved it is worth making the popcorn for.

The 2008 US presidential election is the first one of the 21st century. As such it seems to have one foot in the same old rhetoric while the other one is in a social networking site where you too can be a friend of the candidate along with some 529,324 other people. Even the media seems to be just as unsure of it’s position; this probably comes from trying to cater to one generation via the internet, another through print, then there are those TV viewers. But I digress, one minute someone is commenting that ‘we have heard this before’, next a speech is condemned as being overly new age and therefore out of touch with the working people.

Seemingly stuck in the middle of all this redefining of politics for the new century is the 44 year old, Michelle Obama. She is an attractive, well educated and self-confident woman. As a mother she is trying to give her two young daughters some semblance of normalcy in the midst of the political mayhem. The ‘problem’ appears to be that Michelle is also very articulate with a mind of her own. Instead of criticizing her maybe it is time for the realization that the ‘First Spouse’ of this new century needs to have just those qualities.

I couldn’t help but notice what a strong and varied representation the female gender had on the non-fiction side of the New York Times Bestsellers list on Sunday. A cross section of very different women, at different points in time and with very different lives.

At #1 we have “Audition” by Barbara Walters. I have just started that book and am so far I am enjoying every page. Number 2 is Julie Andrew’s “Home” which proves that there is a lot more to her life and career than Mary Poppins.

The list goes on to include “Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea” by Chelsea Handler. I don’t know much about that one except that it is a humerous look at her life. Former President, Jimmy Carter writes a tribute to his mother, Lillian in “A Remarkable Mother”.

Cokie Roberts tackles some American founding mothers including Abigail Adams, Margaret Bayard Smith, Martha Jefferson, Elizabeth Monroe, Louisa Catherine Adams, Eliza Hamilton, Theodosia Burr, women who help to shape America’s history in “Ladies of Liberty”. Then, at #10 recent headlines are all too real for Carolyn Jessop, she tells her story of life in a polygamist sect in “Escape”.

All I have to say is move over Elizabeth Gilbert there are new women in town. They are not running to other countries to find themselves, they are all about how to stand and face life head on.

On Friday, May 16th at 5pm we lost the beautiful Australian Shepherd that you see in the photograph on this blog. She had a brain tumor. My husband and I shared our life with Jenna for 10 years.

Here are a few things about living with these lively dogs -

They are very smart, so when you get your Australian Shepherd puppy they have already read the training books, therefore if you make a mistake expect a distainful ‘you’re not doing too well’ look. Actually they have a lot of facial expressions.

Whenever I left the house without the dogs, the chocolate lab goes to his bed with a “whatever”, while Jenna stood in front of me requiring a detailed explanation as to why she couldn’t come.

You also find yourself talking to them a lot as they enjoy a good conversation.

I work from home so she would spend time in my office, helping me build my company. When she got bored with business she would bring all her toys from the living room into the office but I never could get her to take them back at the end of the day.

Please note that all the toys are the sole procession of the Australian Shepherd and if you have another dog they are usually out of luck.

Jenna was high energy, fun & bossy. Always very loyal to & loving of those in her circle.

The house is very quiet now. I picked up her ashes yesterday, another rite of passage in the grief process.

When we move to Nova Scotia they will be scattered on our property so that she can again be young and strong and running against the wind.