May 13, 2010: Dear John
I just got a note from John (won't mention any last names...John REES) complaining that it's been a week, where's my blog? Fancy that coming from a once a month, or less often, blogger! Hah! Just so you know....John...I got up at 3am this morning and am totally knackered...but I'm bowing to your pressure and here it is...

My blog this week starts with the topic of chewing gum. I hate chewing gum. Well, actually, I like chewing gum - Juicy Fruit being my favourite - but everytime I chew gum, my jaw hurts like crazy. Ergo, I don't eat chewing gum. This served me well a few years ago when I went to Singapore. Chewing gum is banned there and huge fines are levied on travellers bringing gum into the country. Got my vote! So how is it that I am writing a blog about gum?

Well this morning I got up early and Bailey and I headed out to drop some visitors at the airport in Manchester. Waking up at this kind of hour is brutal at the best of times, but to have to drive 8 hours is a killer for my advancing years and decrepit body. Two hours into the trip and I was seriously tired and in need of coca-cola and candies. Thank goodness service stations open early. Requisite coke and one bag of chocolate eclairs purchased! Now I do not usually buy chewy sweets - that's Kelvin's thing - but I passed up a bag of huge chocolate buttons (I must be ill) in favour of chewy chocolate eclairs. BIG mistake. First chewy minute and my jaw was sore. That got me onto the topic chewing gum.

As I drove along I got to thinking about my first day teaching at a University in Canada (that was in another lifetime). I walked into this class of freshly cut undergraduate students and as I stood at the podium to start the class, I looked up at those fresh faces...and lo and behold almost all of them were chewing gum. Gross, I thought! It was like looking at 60 cows chewing their cuds. How does one teach the Principles of Marketing to a class of chompers? There is little wonder that when I 'retired,' I became a sheep farmer...just couldn't face any more cows chewing their cuds. Thankfully we don't see many Welsh people chewing gum.

You asked for it, John!

I'm not sure where my week has gone...I started working on the thistles this week, only to be stopped when my tools fell to pieces and cannot be repaired. I did sow some grass seed over the area which was excavated for our kennel. Most of the week was then spent watering it as our drought is ongoing. The dog pond has almost completely dried up, and to prevent widespread death amongst our amphibian population, Kelvin turned the tap on from the main stream to divert some water into the pond. The dogs are finding a dried up pond to be a great place to play and explore. We have so little water that the stream going across the bottom of our main training field has completely dried up. Yeah, I can go training in my running shoes...and not wellies.

My very unfit dogs have been out running in the forest with me this week, and I borrowed a rickety old quad bike to run them up on the top fields in the evening. Jamie has discovered that when I go around the perimeter of the field, he can sit in the middle and watch, and join in only when I disappear out the gate. Sod! Bee loves to run in front of the bike and never cheats one single step. She has an absolutely huge engine on her. Meg is struggling along but she is slowly finding a little fitness. Steffi and Sioux learnt it is not a good idea to stop for a pee right in front of the bike! No damage done to dogs...or bike.

I went off trialling last weekend on my own again as Kelvin's dog, Blade, is still injured. This time Felindre...I begged off Dolfor as everyone who arrived from that trial were as cold as icebergs and told tales of sheep so wild they wouldn't stay on the field. Gulp...not for me. Another week, another mess! My dogs ran better this week but I could not read the sheep one single bit. I ran Meg and Sioux and caught some gates, missed others, and no way in heck could I get those pesky sheep near the pen. My poor dogs. Experience does not come quickly.

The saddest part of my week was hearing that my friend Rona lost her very good bitch, Rose, to a suspected brain tumour. Truly gutted. I first met Rona almost two years ago at Bobby Dalziel's place. It was my first year trialling and I was standing watching this diminuitive woman at the post handling a very fine animal who was crossdriving sheep across Bobby's brae to absolute perfection. Her lines were dead straight and the dog was doing everything that was asked and more. It was a truly impressive sight - so impressive I just had to find out about this dog. It was Rona with Rose. Rose was 4th that day on 94 points (out of 100)...one point behind Sandy Montgomery and Craig, and tied for points with Richard Montgomery and his Flo, Bobby Dalziel and Joe, and Raymond MacPherson and Roy. I think I have hounded Rona ever since for a pup off Rose...but it was not to be. Rona and Rose were a true partnership. Rona, our hearts go out to you and we will miss Rose too. But I will never forget Rose that day on Bobby's brae. She was awesome! Rose was only 7. Go hug your dogs. You never know what tomorrow will bring.

Rose in action on the brae in Scotland

Must end here before I fall off my chair with fatigue. Good night to you all...and John too! OMG, that almost sounds like The Waltons "Good night John-Boy."