October 2007 - Posts

• The new Dog House is almost ready !!

  We are soooo excited the new Dog House is nearly finished ! We ordered it a couple of weeks ago and the DH has followed it's progress like an expectant dad .  This will be our 6th and last RV. All bought primarily for the sport of dog showing hence the name Dog House. That was our CB handle when we got the first one and all of us traveled in packs to the shows.  We were all learning back then, how to show, how to rv... it was such great fun. Having a RV meant we could take the whole family and go across country to the Nationals.  Bob and I, two teen aged girls and both MILs...  the moms were a hoot. Both in wheel chairs , mine living with Altzhiemers , Bob's the world's first anorectic.  Travel in hotels and motles had been miserable. The moms were never comfortable. The dirls exposed to things we could not always control.  The dogs miserable at being shut up in rooms , not allowed to bark for fear the rooms next to us might complain. The hustle to get from rooms to show sites argh never again!  I became a wizard at cooking in the rooms bringing a hotplate and coolers, I know how to heat pizza with the hotel's iron and a piece of aluminum foil ... I admit you did learn many resourceful tricks. But RVing was , for us freedom! We could swing to National Parks or shop, the girls and moms enjoying the on the road sattelite systems and reading. Never a frantic search for clean bathrooms. And meals on demand.  I loved it . The first few years we changed to a new and bigger RV about every two years.  Starting with a used but immaculate class C, we ended up with our current rig a 35 foot class A which we have had for 9 years.  The RV doubled as our escape route when Hurrcanes were approaching, it can be beyond hard to get a motel to take you and your 8 dogs !! It has been our guest rooms when company showed up unexpectedly, the house it's self is packed to the gills so having a place to provide shelter and security was great. When Bob was working out of state we were able to maximize the per dieum by using the RV instead of apartments or monthly hotel rooms.  But after 9 years it's time.  And he has had that look in his eye for a while now. Knowing that unless we hit an insane lottery this is our last coach we wanted something special. But having yet another young faily to raise we knew it would not be the diesle of his dreams. We opted for the Georgetown  40 foot class A gas pusher with 3 slides. It will give us about 500 sq feet of our own space when we travel. We had been shopping for a bit and Bob fell in love with this one. He made good friends with the design team and they allowed us to customize the coach beyond the norm.  The day he ordered it he was unable to sleep ! and now he chats almost daily checking on it's progress,  smiling like a buffon at times. I took over 200 photos of the prototype when it rolled out. He pulls the stack of carefully selected snaps out and flips through them... making notes and grinning like a little boy.  Tonight he and 3 of the grands went through them... talking about the differences and celebrating the almost Christmas feeling that is captivating the whole house. I have a clip board of lists, and Monday we begin packing up the old rig in earnest/ It is very much like moving houses.  So much to do and many things we don't want to carry on the new ride , things we will need to replace etc,,, Got to admit it is contagious.... It will be a blast to drive to Ohio to pick it up.  Oh great now I'm grinning like a buffoon ! Posted Oct 28 2007, 03:36 AM by Bonita of Bwana with 9 comment(s) Filed under: dog showing, rvs

• Zen and the Rhodesian Ridgeback

  Ahhhhh Grass Hopper, This on my other list would be a Breeder's Tale.  Here it is a simple observation entered on my blog..... Zen as I understand it is a higher understanding of yourself and the Universe.  Rhodesians bring about the same result if you are very , very lucky and you don't have to sit in a funny position chanting a silly noise.  Rhodies allow you to become very quiet in your heart and head. They can sit in the sun and reagally doze as the Autumn leaves begin to fall and the grass begins to turn.  You simply can't convince me that there is no greater thought process going on... no one can look that noble and that content if they did not know the Secret of the Universe. Isn't it a Zen kind of thing for a sandwitch to vanish when no one is looking ? Sort of a Tree falling in the forrest .... at my house there is  a loud sound on the discovery of either ! Zen understands the way life changes and stays the same... so does my dog.  Zen knows everything changes ..yet nothing changes...so does my dog.  Zen allows me to know and love myself....  my dog has no problem with that. I think I have been doubly blessed , in my life I have dabbled in Zen but been owned by  my Rhodesians !! Posted Oct 13 2007, 07:55 PM by Bonita of Bwana with no comments Filed under: Rhodesian Ridgebacks, zen

• This is going to be a long day !!

  At 3:00 central time we will be at the vets to see if we can coax our favorite guy to take on a difficult case.  Our old girl has a huge tumor and has been given 3-6 months.  I have been doing a lot of research and hopefully have e plan of action for her tx.  I like him to do a debulking surgery (again) followed up with chemo. I promised her only the best quality of life and radiation would not fit into that promise. Trouble is David is not an Oncologist and may feel like he is not up to handling it. She is gently snoring near me, my husband is echoing that night time purr.  I will let her go when sheis ready, I know that look all to well ..but thankfully she is not ready yet. Keep your fingers crossed. My mind is racing with a million thoughts on the subject but for now I'm going to try to stay both brief and quiet ... Posted Oct 09 2007, 07:06 AM by Bonita of Bwana with 1 comment(s)

• Howl-o-ween!

  You would think with 5 grandkids living with me the dogs would get a break.... nah You would think as they are a powerful, hunting hound they would get a break...nope I confess I love to dress my dogs funny and take pictures!  This year is Kota's turn.  Kota is an 8 year old liver nose pup that I'm boarding for a year while his mom get's thier new life started and set up in New York City.  She was concerned he would suffer from the very long hours this first year would demand and asked me as his G;ma and breeder if He could come to Camp Bwana and stay. Of course!!  It so helps that the K man is a love. He has been lovingly and carefully socialized by his Momma so returning home to the chaos of a 7 dog pack was a piece of cake for him. He has lost weight from the non stop playing and took to the sleeping rotation as if he had always lived this way. Most importantly Kota loves to play dress up and the kids think he is awesome. I put a few of the snaps of COO-COO Kota in my profile, we think they are a hoot. as long as there is a cookie reward he plays along and just thinks we are giant dorks.  All of my dogs get dressed up at some time in thier lives.  I printed out his snaps and sent them to his mom in his "camp diary"  I hope she thinks they are as fun as we do. I know one thing, Kota may miss his Mom but he is not grieving,  he is just too busy to fret.  Plus being a well bred and well loved boy, he is too polite to let on if he isn't 100% happy. Hope every one has a safe and happy Howl-o-ween!! Bonita of Bwana Posted Oct 06 2007, 03:10 AM by Bonita of Bwana with no comments Filed under: Bwana Kennel, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Fall, howl-o-weenl, dress up

• The music of the night

  I often waake up in the middle of the night for a million reasons, Tonight it's the chorus of snores from the guys. I have to rotate who sleeps with us, 8 is just too many at one time. Jasmine ALWAYS sleeps with me and my husband. Tonight we have Kota and Zion. Kota is 7 and Zi is 7 months. Between the boys and my husband there is a Broadway musical of sorts going on... it makes me laugh as animators could not create a score like this, well may be Disney. OMG jazz just joined in and all of the rest stopped!! too funny, even in sleep she is a force to be reckoned with. Each snore is different and each is so very dear. What a wacko I have turned into... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzBonita of Bwana Posted Oct 05 2007, 02:21 AM by Bonita of Bwana with 1 comment(s)

• Up again, sleep interupted

  Here is is, the wee hours of the morning and my girl Jasmine wakens me to take a quick potty break.  Standing on the porch , I soak in the gentle night air, I watch the stars as she wanders about, doing her thing.  I cherish these early moments. Life seems simple and unthreatening. Her tumor is not a glaring reality in the near dark and things are calm, routine as they have been for over a decade shared with my girl. Upon our return to the bedroom we are greeted by Kota and Mtzee, the chosen ones who slept with us last night. My hubby and I agreed to limit the pack in our room   at night for a bit, rotating them to give everyone attention but to avoid overwhelming Jasmine. They nuzzle Jazz and bump me then resettle themselves in thier spots. Jasmine jumps back on to our bed as I watch to assure her success. That bed seems much higher than it used to some days. She curls up next to her Dad, as much as she adores me and there is zero question of that, I smile when I see her cuddle close to him. My restless legs won't allow her to reach a deep sleep and her Dad would cut his off before knowingly disturbing her. She quickly returns to sleep, gently snoring, I lay here with my lap top and think how lucky I am to have her one more day. She is like my other half. When hubby travels for work, Jasmine is still next to me. When we had a seperation, I cuddled to her.  You know how  older folk, when they lose thier spouse of many years, have trouble sleeping because the room is too quiet? It is Jazz' s breathing I tune into, it is her snores that lull me to my own slumber. I try not to think 3-6 months, instead I think wow we have another hour to snooze then a busy day ahead. Cruising this site I replied to a sweet person who had emailed me , and on her page she had a snap of her pup with fall decor on the porch. I guess this is supposed to be our last fall together, so in a few hours when the chaos of the house again reigns, I will make time to get some new snaps of  my Mina and I , the porch and pumpkins... poets wax on about the bittersweetness of the Fall,  my heart understands better now what they tried to share.  An old Don McClain song keeps playing in my head, ever heard Vincent? "Now I understand, what you tried to say to me..."  it seems somehow Jasmine's snores keep the rythym of the song as she has kept the rythym of our years.   Posted Oct 03 2007, 04:37 AM by Bonita of Bwana with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Fall, sleeping dogs, Don McClain