Not a good way to start...

I officially started my holidays today. I don't work Mondays normally. So now I don't have to go back to the office until March 1. However, if it keeps going like this I might have to go back early!

My day started at 8am....who the hell gets up at 8am on holidays!? Well, I most certainly do not. However, my neighbor's St. Bernard was in my yard. You can imagine the sheer volume of my dogs with this interloper in their space! There was no sleeping in! I walked Zorro home and gave the neighbor a little lecture. Then decided since I was up I might as well do something. Took baited water around to all the dogs. One scoop of kibble in a big pail of water. That's all I baited it with, but they drank like it was the greatest thing ever. Decided to feed myself, wait an hour or so and head out with a team. Hook up a six dog team. My only excuse for this is I was still half asleep--but I tied the quick release line to the wrong spot on the sled. Not only would it not release, but I broke the handlebar!

Attempted to run my little sprint sled. Complete and utter chaos. I remember now why I don't use that sled anymore. Gave up and busted all the dogs loose. Poor Deuce had been hooked up twice now and was going insane. At least I have completely gotten over the delusion that we could run four dog sprint races. So the morning was not a total waste! Better to figure this out in the yard than on a race trail!

Spent the majority of the afternoon at Steve Tufford's. Steve is a great sled maker and originally made my sled-not for me though, but if I can ever afford a brand new one, it will be one of his! Fortunately, he also does repairs and had the plastic I needed to build a new handlebar.

I did eventually get the sled repaired and with much nagging from Stuart took a six dog team out. I didn't want to go(seriously, days like this don't get better!), but he just kept bugging me and helped me hook up, mangled hand and all.

We didn't go far, just a 7km loop, but it wasn't a disaster. Everyone made it home uninjured and the sled in one piece.


And a Stuart update..fortunately his specialist appointment went well. The hand specialist expects he will make a full recovery. The pin has to stay in his ring finger for at least three more weeks. He can start doing some physiotherapy after it's out. He did do some nerve damage, but the permanent level isn't known yet. Nerves are slow to heal and it will be at least a year before they are as good as they will get. Right now he has massive pain in his ring finger and two of his other fingers are almost completely numb. We are both very relieved that he doesn't need any surgery! He's trying to find a way to go bison hunting still--not a good patient at all!