When did that happen...

Sometime while I wasn't looking, Paxil got old. How did I miss that!??

I took her for a walk tonight with Tehya. Probably not a great mix, but there is so much I'd like Tehya to learn from Paxil. We went maybe four kilometres. That was probably as far as she could go. Tehya knocked her over twice acting like, well, a young dog! I called her a hooligan, but she was really just being Tehya! Getting up the big hill on the way home took two tries. There's no way she'd get up that hill leading a team.


In her prime and well beyond, she was the best damn lead dog ever---unfailing, strong, smarter than her musher, always reliable and willing. The first dog team I ever ran was lead by Paxil. Last winter her tug line wasn't always tight and she had slowed down, but she still wanted to go and she never missed a command, unless I was dead wrong and told her to "gee" when she knew I meant "haw". I suspect she will still want to go this winter(this fall even when I get brakes on the quad again!). She will be seriously ticked when I leave her in the yard! I'm gonna hear all about how much she hates retirement, so will everyone in the subdivision!

I will hate her retirement almost as much as she does! Her lead dog booties will be hard to fill!

A break in the clouds....

Even the dogs are enjoying the break from the rain!

Tehya catching some rays this afternoon! She's a shameless little thing!

Hanging out with the nieces...

One of the many things that have distracted me from posting lately:

A visit from my nieces, my Dad, my sister and her honey.


We played tourist for a few days. The older girls have been here before, but this was Emma's first trip North.

We checked out the Yukon Suspension Bridge

Spent an afternoon in Skagway, where we saw some seals and a few salmon. And a seal eating a salmon, which amused five year old Emma to no end!

We went to the Yukon Wildlife Preserve, which was very cool. This Stone Sheep was just taking a break near his water.

Emma indulged in some snowman poop, which the rest of the world calls marshmellows! Could you resist that little face!? She decided that Auntie T isn't so bad after all during this visit and was a most cooperative little model!

The dogs were in heaven with so many extra hands to pet them! Naomi was a particular favorite of all the dogs!

Emma believes you should pet a dog "so he can feel it". Her doggy massages were throughly enjoyed! The cats enjoyed her willingness to share her food right off her plate--her mother was not so impressed with that!

Hopefully, it won't be another six years before they make the trek north!