2012 - It Starts Already!!

After a joyous introduction to 2012 from Louanne and Kyle's homestead (in which a waiver was signed, in which nothing was to be put on any blog, tweet or facebook message relating to the party-I currently have my lawyers researching whether there is a loophole or two) - 2012 has begun. I started 2012 by getting a few pups off to the airport - not without it's fun moments. There were some forms that had to be signed by the new puppy owners - and of course, no airline will tell you this UNTIL you have driven 8 hours with howling pups and an empty bottle of Tylenol by your side. Luckily, the pups where shipped off to their new destinations (possibly with slight changes to certificates, but the lawyers have sworn me to secrecy), and I quickly packed some more household articles in Dora (the Explorer) and made my way back to sunny Mankota. On my venture there, we (that being Lyn and Piper) stopped at Stormy Winters - thinking that possibly Piper will call one of Stormy's many kennels home. Having never worked Piper before, I was pretty pleased with what he had-stopping, driving and fair flanks -not yet trial ready, but what else do I have to do out here? You see, Louanne had him for about a month , but wasn't exactly what she was looking for - perhaps she was looking for more freckles and something which could digest rocks to cut down on vet costs in the future. Stormy however had just got himself another dog, so Piper was to come the rest of the way to Mankota with me. However, a flat tire was also to be a part of the day. A quick trip (14 miles is quick) after filling up a tire with Stormy's air compressor, and I made it to Vanguard, Saskatchewan. The nice tire man said, "Bad news, this tire is toast, and I don't have a replacement." He phoned the next town who did more tires, but being dinner time, they were closed (the Saskatchewan way). Not wanting to unpack my whole vehicle to get to the spare, he patched the tire, and because he couldn't guarantee it, didn't charge me anything (another Saskatchewan way). I then drove to the next town, Ponteix, to their tire shop - to find they were closed for the afternoon for a funeral (yet another Saskatchewan way). So....I prayed to the tire Gods and drove the hour back home (passing 2 motorists on the road, and forgetting to wave to them), while stopping briefly to order two tires (because I don't want to be stuck in this situation again) at McCord, and got back into the yard with air to spare. I do believe I may want to invest in an air compressor that plugs into the car - and if one doesn't exist, it will be one of those other things I will invent for the friendly folk of Saskatchewan, along with the Wavomatic - at a gas station near you near the Saskatchewan Roughrider paraphanalia (okay, at least within 30 miles, and make sure you stop in before 12 and after 1pm, and if we aren't in, we will be back in 5 minutes because we are at the bank, because they are closed during noon).