In which our family gets floofier and Haiku Farm gets louder

This time, the message came via Facebook:

Roo-dog meets Santa Jim

"There's a sheltie here, and she needs a new home.  Can you help?"

Her former owners love her a lot, but needed to move her to a new home.  So Santa Jim and I loaded up in the truck and headed over the pass to meet our new dog.

clear-and-wet roads through the Pass, hurrah!

The weather was cold but cooperative.  A minor miracle.  We picked her up at a central meeting-spot, and then took her and Luna for a walk in a nearby cemetary before heading back to the Wet Side of the mountains.

Playing in cemetaries:  quiet, with no traffic

Although Will moved out a few weeks ago, he couldn't wait for the weekend to come visit the new family member.

All the kids on one couch

As with all new dogs (and children) at Haiku Farm, she will be attending Puppy Boot Camp for the next few weeks, logging plenty of miles on local trails

Roo-dog on the Burke-Gilman Trail

She chases balls, but not sticks.  Who knew?

and at local parks and beaches.

Of course, there are also games we can play at home




Roo is a retrieving dog.  The other Floofs, not so much. 

It's still pretty fun, though.

Especially for the ones who like to bark!

In which we get up before the chickens to score some killer tack deals

It's pretty rare to see me moving around this early (except on a ride day, obviously)

Early breakfast at Denny's.  Not great food but at least it's cheap.
I think Duana is still asleep, though.

 but I've never been able to attend the annual 4-H Fundraising Tack Sale before.  Duana slept over at Haiku Farm so we would BOTH be motivated to get up at 4 (!) :30 (!!!!) in the morning (!!!!!) in order to feed the animals and hit the road in time to meet the Usual Suspects for breakfast.

Bundled in layers, covered in a blanket and huddled together.
We stayed pretty warm.

We were in line at the Fairgrounds by 7am.  Why so early?  Well...

The line lapped all the way around the building--
a full size fairground arena.

...this sale is a very popular event!   While we were waiting in line, we took turns spelling each other for breaks of a business nature.

We sold NINE copies of Endurance 101 to the King County Library System,
and they wanted their copies autographed.

The back of Monica's Mini is a very appropriate mobile office for Triangle Ranch Communications, which is a very micro-publisher.

If you want YOUR local library to carry Endurance 101, send me a message
and I'll send you the details.

 Some folks were a bit frivolous in their attempts to stay warm

Riverdance, anyone?

as we waited for the line to move towards the Ultimate Goal:

The line is moving at last!

an arena Full. Of. Cheap. Tack.

Oh, the humanity!

If you're thinking "Filene's Basement Sale," you're close.

The blanket table was very popular.
Duana got a fleece cooler for Hana for $5
Patty and Sirie scored loot there as well.

"High Tide Feeding Frenzy" is a little bit closer, though.  And yet, some items remained untouched.

I've gotta send this to Tacky Tack of the Day for their
"Scary Pink Saddle of the Week" feature.

I got some AWESOME bargains, including some new tack for Santa Jim's new horse, whenever he gets one.  He hasn't even started shopping yet, but I wasn't going to bypass these brand-new rope halters in candycane colors!

OOooh, and purple half-chaps, too!
And some new cowboy shirts, and a purple dressage pad,...

 Just because we were in line, we didn't stop shopping.  We heaped up all the collected stuff, and then took turns cruising the floor for further deals.

Monica's elegant hunt coat

Kiki found a size 5 easyboot!

When we were all done, we crammed it all into the boot of the other Mini

"Bonnet-to-boot" cargo transfer

and went for lunch.

Because life is GOOD.  That's why.