Well Mike has been home for the last few days and he has been very busy. He built 3 new doghouses for Sky, Tundra, and Stormy. Mike has to finish some trim work on them and Mary will stain or paint them later this week. Here is a picture of the one Mike built me last
year. The girls got to sleep in their new houses last night after Mike put straw in them. They told me that they are much bigger than their old homes and super comfortable.Mike also changed around the sleeping arrangements. For those that have visited the Howlin’ Rivers Home, you knew that we have 3 small kennels inside the bigger main kennel. These were the original kennels before Mike enclosed the back yard to make a bigger kennel for us.
Lakota normally has the smallest of the 3 kennels to himself. However, Stormy, Sky, and Tundra started picking on each other, with Stormy, the smallest of the 3, but probably the instigator, receiving the short end of the stick from her sisters. So, Mike put Stormy into Lakota’s kennel. Lakota really did not mind even though the kennel was too small for two good size dogs.
The new arrangement puts Stormy in with me and moves Icy (Christmas in our books) in with Tundra and Sky. Sky is very close to her Momma Icy and Tundra is a real laid back dog unless she sees a tennis ball. Stormy acts as my “eyes”. And Lakota is happy since he gets to prowl the big kennel at night (shrew alert!), and does not have to worry about Stormy following him.
Apparently Mike has some other projects going on while he is on vacation. He has kept us out of the garage most of the day. Usually we go in there sometime before chow time to check out the tennis balls that are in there.
When he did let us in, Lakota told me that part of the garage was painted and a lot of things were moved around. Lakota told met that the garage was so bright with only part of it painted that I would need sun glasses!! You have to wonder about Lakota’s sense of humor sometimes. Icy told me that it looks a lot better, that was after she got use to where Mike had moved things.
Today, Mike let us in again and he had the garage rearranged differently than yesterday. It seems that he has to paint the garage in sections since there is so much stuff in there (most of it is ours, naw, only kidding!). What a way to spend you time off.
There is a bit of chill in the air as the fireweed turns white, a true sign of a change of season. Icy told me that there is no “Termination Dust” yet in the mountains. But it is only a matter of time till snow season, which means the holidays!Speaking of the holidays, we have a special friend who probably will not be home for the holidays this year. Stan Smith is a great friend of Mike and me for that matter. Stan’s son Paul is deployed to Iraq. He just returned from Afghanistan last year and I think he recently spend some time in Korea. Stan asked me to post Paul’s address in Iraq. Stan asked me to post Paul’s address in Iraq.
Paul Smith
UNIT # 931003/TFTA
APO AE 09391
While Paul has a great family support unit, many of his buddies do not. If you would like to write to one of our heroes who may not make it home for the holidays, drop a note to Paul and he will pass it on.
Mike told me that several of our friends are being deployed to the war zone and once Mike gets their addresses, we will pass them on to you.
I have been very bad at writing this summer and missed telling you that our good friend Wiggy’s, opened a store in Anchorage, Alaska. Wiggy’s makes some of the best outdoor gear in the world. Their dog beds are super also! Mike replaced the inserts of his Pac boots with Wiggy’s Sun Walkers and said his toes were never so toasty no matter how cold it got. Mike likes Wiggy’s products because the gear is designed and tested by the people who use it, in the conditions it was designed for.
The store is located at 8225 old Seward HWY, suite A. Marc Taylor, a renowned author on hunting is the on site Wiggy’s representative. I believe his number is 677-1365. Tell him that Rivers sent you. Who knows, I may get invited to do a guest appearance!
Now for you that do not live in the Anchorage area, you can check out Wiggy’s using the link from my web site or http://www.wiggys.com/index.cfm?aff=35739.
It is getting close to chow time, which has become an adventure since Mike is preparing our supper.
Take care
Rivers
