tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33031082024-03-14T08:21:18.288-07:00My Dog SandySandy lives in Kelowna, BC, which is nowhere near as dog-unfriendly as it used to be.catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-19300940506513732892011-07-30T11:03:00.001-07:002011-07-30T11:14:28.088-07:00The Waiting Is The Hardest PartWe live in a cul-de-sac, and when we moved here it was a busy day if more than three cars went up and down the “main” road. Time passed, new subdivisions appeared around us, and the road is much busier.
Sandy always has to WAIT before we cross the street, whether there is traffic or not. But these days she sometimes has to WAIT while two or three cars perform a Canadian catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-77969966949402629092011-04-06T12:24:00.001-07:002011-04-06T12:24:16.930-07:00SpringThe theme of today’s walk at the Capital News Centre is: Salad Bar. Capital News Centre walk I hope Spring has sprung. catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-48608969704097579492011-03-31T22:34:00.001-07:002011-03-31T23:38:34.061-07:00Hair & NailsIt’s Sandy’s world, and we just happen to be passing through it. She has her special friends, but if you’re not one of them, she doesn’t much care what you think. This is especially true if you’re the one doing the grooming.
She loves it when I use the Furminator, but when Sandy sees me with dog shampoo and cotton balls, she heads for her crate and tries to look really clean. catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-55586329708398073512010-12-04T13:53:00.000-08:002010-12-04T13:53:20.145-08:00Dogs and QR CodesSo far this winter seems colder and snowier than most here in Kelowna. This morning is the first time in a couple of weeks that Sandy and I have been able to go for a long morning walk together. The weather cooperated. The temperature hovered around freezing, and it was not snowing or raining when we left the house.
Sandy loves the snow. Even in her twelfth year, she catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com3700 Barnaby Rd, Kelowna, BC V1W 4N8, Canada49.8101184 -119.483312249.8066564 -119.4906077 49.8135804 -119.4760167tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-75672806663889383722010-08-14T23:11:00.001-07:002010-08-14T23:19:56.823-07:00Dogs in City Park, Pride, and the Mayor of KelownaIn 1997, Walter Gray, then the Mayor of Kelowna, altered a proclamation to remove the word “Pride” when proclaiming “Gay and Lesbian Week.”  His contention was that being gay was nothing to be proud of. In 2000, a BC Human Rights Tribunal found him guilty of discrimination because everybody else could have proclamations issued. Immediately, Gray announced that he would simply stop issuing catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-74624674292742936232010-07-25T12:59:00.001-07:002010-07-25T12:59:09.105-07:00Out of the kennels and into the streets!Today in Kelowna, 116 dogs and 200 people walked from Strathcona Park to Kinsman Park.  There were no snarling balls of fury.  There were no “incidents”.  Just a peaceful gathering of families, including dogs, who walked for 20 minutes. The point?  Dogs should be welcomed in every park in Kelowna. Sandy did not attend --- this would have been far too much excitement for hercatesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-7995657111847356682010-07-11T14:20:00.001-07:002010-07-11T14:20:57.624-07:00Skinneeez Squirrel and the Power of Social MediaSandy spends part of every day looking out the back door waiting for a chance to bark at a squirrel. Someone on Twitter posted a link to this:                 And when I tweeted asking if anyone knew where I could get this toy in Kelowna, I got a message right back. An hour later:   Happy Dog! catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-69931330044159385712010-05-31T17:42:00.001-07:002010-05-31T17:42:40.065-07:00Weave!In all kinds of weather, I often take Sandy to the trails behind the Capital News Centre.  On one side of the road is a path that parallels the creek.  On the other side of the road are the sports fields, and paths that take you past ball diamonds, football fields, and soccer pitches. For a way to keep warm --- warmER, really --- during the winter, I’ve been showing Sandy how to weave catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-3597499831358638872010-05-09T20:32:00.001-07:002010-05-09T20:32:56.947-07:00What could possibly be going through her mind?Sandy and I were playing stick in the front yard this afternoon, when suddenly she just stopped, and looked like this: She stood there for over a minute, tail relaxed, ears not twitching, checking out something to which I was completely oblivious. Then, she just got on with her life.  She picked up the stick, trotted over to another section of the yard, lay down and continued with the catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-73344116399023948792010-04-26T13:21:00.001-07:002010-04-26T13:21:56.867-07:00Brusha, Brusha, BrushaIf Sandy ever had her teeth cleaned before today, it would have been last time she was anesthetized, in 2004. Last year about this time, the vet said Sandy needed a cleaning.  For what seemed like a lot of money, he would put Sandy under and do the teeth. I looked for alternatives that (a) didn’t cost as much and (b) would get the job done right, with a minimum of trauma to Sandy.  A catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-82936919099170515552009-12-21T14:48:00.001-08:002009-12-21T14:56:54.951-08:00Merry Christmas from Sandy DogNo snow right now, so this older photo will have to do. Merry Christmas and best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2010 from Sandy Dog and me! catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-30269965430250606342009-11-30T14:25:00.001-08:002009-11-30T14:25:13.237-08:00Where Are All The Dogs?In the run-up to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Vancouver, BC, people in the Vancouver airport will be subjected to promotional videos of other areas in British Columbia. Kelowna has this video showing. Notice anything missing? I’ll make it easy for you, so you don’t have to watch the whole 3 minutes and 18 seconds: There is not one dog ---- NOT ONE DOG --- in the whole video. So catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-36618873638237445442009-08-20T12:19:00.000-07:002009-08-20T12:22:16.916-07:00Best toy everI was in Petsmart the other day to collect Sandy after her Hair & Nails appointment, and once again realized that there were hundreds of dog toys in that store.
Sandy has toys. Her best inside toy is a rope. I think I paid maybe $3.00 for the rope, which seemed extravagant. The phrase "money for old rope" came to mind. But, you can spend a lot more than that if you catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-74655727273731990352009-07-07T21:14:00.000-07:002009-07-07T21:15:07.831-07:00Be vewwy, vewwy qwiet...Cherries are just about ready for harvest. Between the fireworks for Canada Day and the propane cannons to keep the birds from the cherries, Sandy has been spending a fair amount of time in her crate. Or under the dining room table.This year has actually been better than past years. I've been giving Sandy some Rescue Remedy two or three times a day on noisy days, and we've been playing games catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-27463698879999144782009-05-31T16:06:00.000-07:002009-05-31T16:33:44.539-07:00When the dog bites...when the bee stings...Sandy and I are outside enjoying the summer weather. Finally, it's summer. I'm on the deck, working my way through my RSS feeds on the laptop, and Sandy is wandering around the yard.
Suddenly, a yelp and a jump...back. Sandy stepped on a bee!
She limped up the stairs and presented me with her left front paw. She whined a little. She let me put some ice on it for all of twelve seconds, catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-28696407817949234462009-05-11T19:54:00.000-07:002009-05-11T19:54:56.111-07:00SpringThe weather has been cold. There was snow well into April. But Sandy and I were at the trails behind the Capital News Centre yesterday, and the blackbirds are back.
I hope that means Summer is on the way. catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-48878597802393045932009-03-08T13:49:00.000-07:002009-03-08T13:53:25.997-07:00HomecomingEric and I went to Vancouver last month for ten days. It was good to be in a real city again, and there was lots to do. But Sandy stayed behind in a kennel.
When I dropped her off, she didn't look happy, but she didn't protest. When the owner came to escort Sandy to her quarters, Sandy wagged her tail and went along willingly.
When I picked her up, Sandy was so glad to see me catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-21652099459595908822009-02-10T09:44:00.000-08:002009-02-10T10:04:23.259-08:00Dog HaikuHaiku - A Japanese lyric verse form having three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables, traditionally invoking an aspect of nature or the seasons; a poem written in this style.
~~~~
I wait on the floor
In case some food might fall here.
I am ready now.
~~~~
I sound the alarm!
Paperboy come to kill us!
Look! Look! Look! Look! Look!
~~~~
I must go out now!
There are crows to be catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-83275796512724417132009-02-01T16:55:00.000-08:002009-02-01T17:34:44.585-08:00More TrialsLong story short, the Parks department here in Kelowna has spent years making sure that dogs and their people never have adequate off-leash facilities. And until 2006, City Council let them get away with it. In 2006, City Council finally allowed dogs ON-leash to walk along the waterfront, but only after a trial period.
So this week, City Council will receive a report from the Parks people catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-42385558530991727582009-01-21T21:26:00.000-08:002009-01-21T21:27:34.741-08:00Disclosure PolicyThis policy is valid from 22 January 2009
This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. For questions about this blog, please contact cate.eales@gmail.com.
This blog does not accept any form of advertising, sponsorship, or paid insertions. We write for our own purposes. However, we may be influenced by our background, occupation, religion, political affiliation or experience.
The catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-67808017112593789172008-12-25T14:04:00.000-08:002008-12-25T20:07:43.869-08:00Merry Christmas SandyFor Christmas this year, Sandy got over a foot of snow, and it's still snowing. It's also been minus-a-lot outside, so there haven't been nearly as many walks in the snow as she would like.But today I didn't have any work to do, so we took a long walk in the snow, and when we came back, Sandy got her other present: a huge beef shank stuffed with peanut butter and coated with beef something or catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-29295793261619659222008-10-01T17:04:00.000-07:002008-10-01T17:14:19.608-07:00Happy Birthday SandySandy is 9 today.
She's the very best dog that ever there was (although maybe not always the best behaved) and I love her very much.
We went for a long walk today, and she got a cheeseburger (hold the onion, pickle, ketchup, mustard and bun) for lunch.catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-21017368215558377502008-03-16T19:48:00.001-07:002008-03-16T19:51:59.384-07:00Time For Hair And NailsIt looks like the snow is finally all gone, at least here. I can look up at the hills and still see plenty of snow. I'm fine with it as long as it stays there.Sandy loves the snow, of course. She rolls in it, she plunges through it when it's deep. Since I'm the one doing the shoveling and driving, I'm not as crazy about it. I'm happy to see the last of it.Sandy takes the absence of snow in catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-10861994851002032992007-08-15T22:01:00.000-07:002007-08-18T20:06:49.724-07:00Sandy and the squirrelIs this the same squirrel that starts chattering outside on the deck at 5:30am? Or one of it's co-conspirators?Either way, Sandy and the squirrel seem to have reached an understanding. The squirrel stations himself just out of her reach. In the event she really can reach him, she rushes up and stops just short, giving him just enough time to escape. This guy didn't know she could jump.catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-29638135034802826792006-12-13T22:53:00.000-08:002007-03-16T21:52:45.930-07:00Woof Woof Woof! Woof Woof Woof!Woof Woof Arf Arf Woof!Everyone recognizes that as the dogs singing "Jingle Bells," right?Christmas is a frustrating experience for Sandy. First of all, there's a tree in the house, but it's not for dogs. Then, there are all kinds of sparkly round things on the tree, but those are NOT FOR DOGS either.Worse yet, the tree is in the front window, blocking Sandy's view of approaching FedEx and UPS catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com1