Rivers News 3-08-2009

Hi Gang, Rivers here,
This newsletter is posted on our Blog at www.riversbooks.blogspot.com because of the pictures and web sites included in this newsletter. As a practice, we do not send attachments or embedded items in the newsletter because some e-mail providers will not deliver it.

Yep, it has been a long time since I bark to you, but short of the last week or so, there really has been nothing really to bark about. We have received about a foot of snow and Mike has been out there 4 or 5 times snow blowing the driveway. He did a really good job from what I can tell. His knee was OK enough for Mike to walk me so that I could resume my trail marking of the driveway and the street in front of our homestead. Yes, a trail marker's job is never done!

The restart happened today and Mary is with her “Idita-Pals” in Willow, “Iditaroding”. I get a bit moody this time of year with the race and all going on. Mike tells me I am in the advances stages of a “Blue Funk” . Maybe he is correct. You can take the sled dogs out of the race, but you can never take the race out of sled dog!

Next Saturday, March 14, 2009, Mike will be at Barnes and Nobel in Anchorage from 1 to 4. Last Friday he was at the Millennium doing the book signing for ITC. He told me that he met many nice people and several teachers who use our books in their classes. He told me that he has never been so busy at an ITC books signing as he was last Friday.

Terri the “Weather Girl” is back in Alaska. I don't know if I barked that to you or not. She told us that she lost her computer with the e-mail addresses of those of you who kept in contact with her. So, if you and Terri were “e-pals”, let me know and I will pass on your address to her. She is very busy going to school.

Mike was home Thursday due to a bad head cold. I mean very bad. We heard him snoring and wheezing while we napped in the garage, and he was way in the back of the house in one of the bedrooms. Lucky of us in was a short term gig and Mike was feeling much better on Friday. We are keeping our paws cross that he has successful knee surgery on March 25. Yes, he told Icy and me that once that knee get better, we are going to start some serious trail marking.

I mentioned to you in a prevision e-mail about the Bark paintings that our friend, Susan did for us. Here are some pictures of the ones she did of Lakota and me. Hope you enjoy them. You can contact Susan at HTTP://www.northwindcrafts.com/

While at ITC book signing, Mike sat next to his good friend and fellow author, Marianne Schlegemilch. Marianne is the author of two Husky books. One called “Solo Flight” and the soon to be released “Coho Waterboy”. Both are nicely illustrated. But Marianne, ventured into a different ball park with a book she wrote called “Raven's Light.” We have not read “Raven Light” yet, but Marianne told Mike about it. Mike told me that Marianne is very proud of it because ti is geared at helping people, mainly adults. If you would like to read more about Marianne and her beautiful books, go to HTTP://www.publicationconsultants.com then click on Author's List and then Meet the Authors. Then scroll down to you find Marianne Schlegemilch on the list.

Mary and her camera have been very busy for the last few weeks take photos at Fur Rondy, the Junior Iditarod, and of course, this past week “Idita-happenings”. She has been gone so often that Mike refers to us as “Idita-Orphans” and himself as an "Idita-Widower". He is only kidding. It is good that she gets out of the dog yard and has some fun, with other than us, her “Idita-couch potatoes”! Mary has posted her pictures on line using Picasa. If you wish the link, just e-mail us privately.

While Mary has been gone, Mike has been in the back yard with us tossing the ball and making us “snow cones”. Whenever Mike sits down in the yard to drink a coffee or Vitamin Water, he has 5 dogs in his face wanting to lick some of the stuff out of his cup or bottle. So Mike solved the problem by drizzling some of the Vitiation Water on the fresh snow so we can lick it up. It became a win-win situation. We got a treat and Mike finished his drink in peace.

Got to go.
See Ya
Rivers

A DVD Review: "See You In Nome"

"See You In Nome" A Husky Productions DVD.

A review by Mike Dillingham, Author/Owner Rivers Books 

Donna Quante has done it again with her latest video, "See You In Nome!" Like her first video, "Pretty Sled Dogs", Donna gets you up front and personal with a class act musher and his beloved dogs. Donna's mastering of video brings out the humbleness, yet dedication and motivation of Sven and the happy, contented nature of his dogs.

You will also meet Sven's wife, Andrea, a veterinarian and enjoy viewing her performing a pre-Iditarod "vet check" on one of Sven's dogs. While highly entertaining, watching a veterinarian do this pre-race examination is also very educational; an eye opener as to the pre-race medical evaluation these dogs must undergo before being allowed to race the Iditarod.

This excellent video starts by introducing you to Sven and his dogs and, you would think, ends with the crossing under the Burl Arch inNome. It does all that with outstanding style and clarity. However, Donna adds an extra bonus for you; an in-sled interview with Sven. Yes, Donna focused her trusty camera on the dog team as they raced down the trail. While you, the viewer, are watching these magnificent dogs enjoy their run on the snow pack, Sven is talking to you, through Donna, answering Donna's questions. This piece of video is in itself amazing, and worth the price of this video.

When you "get out" of the sled, take time and read the credits and ending comments that scroll by on the screen. Sven makes a very important statement attesting to what I wrote above about his,"humbleness, yet dedication and motivation". I had the honor of meeting Sven, and I can tell you his words are not just lip service to sell to an exceptional video, they are true of the man, the musher, the dog lover.

Sven expressed concerned that you, the video viewer, would experience difficulty understanding him due to his accent. I experienced no such problem, either in person or watching the video. My hearing leaves much to be desired, even with state of the art hearing aides.

Besides being extremely entertaining, this video makes a very clear statement regarding a man's dedication to his dogs and the dogs' dedication and unconditional love for the man. You can not go wrong adding this video to your collection. We, at the "Howlin' Rivers Home"
gave it a 4 paw+ tail wag rating.

Enjoy