Museum Day

General Store which was originally someones home and they raised 11 children in this one room!

 

One room schoolhouse

neat door -no finish on it , just weathered wood

Built in pie safe in main alleyway

Cracker House

open ends for ventilation in cracker house

childs bedroom

Kitchen

Ok it wasn't very big but it was very pleasant and I learned some stuff about Florida.  Cracker for instance is not a derogatory term but it is what they call the cowboys here because of the crack of the bullwhips. So if somebody is a Florida Cracker, it's a good thing.

Master bedroom

Main living room converted to bedroom for elderly aunt

All the walls are made of cypress and there are no 2 by 4s just planks holding up the whole roof. It's all board and batten .

No sheep training today

BUT , I did work the puppy on some obedience.  I got him to get into heel position for food of course and then we worked sit stand down and back. He has a lousy sit, but his stand is getting much better.

Dually got his first every bath and blow dry.  His collar was beginning to stink so I washed the dog and took the collar off. He was very good. Stood still for everything and now he smells as sweet as a flower.

AFter bath attitude

AFter bath face

I took at nap at 10:30 am .  I am not getting much sleep at night.  It's either the puppy or I have to pee or the damn microwave starts to beep.  That's about it. The bed sucks too and I am constantly researching the next  mattress.  I found a sleep number bed on sale at camperworld.  But I am not sure if I want one. There are some bad reviews but many good ones. The bed platform takes a full queen size mattress but I figure if I buy a full size one and I like it better than my home mattress then I can switch them.  I think that is a really good idea.  So now I am going back to " another " mattress store that has a great return policy and see what they have in full size.  Can't wait to get a decent mattress.

My last art class was tonight and I had to restart the picture of Dare that I started last week because I left it on my table and Dually walked all over it and scratched it all up.  It's ok because the one I started tonight is much better than last weeks. I wish I could keep going to class until I leave for  home, but they wouldn't take payment by the week only by  the session and that is for 8 weeks and I will only be here another 3 weeks.

There is a BC trial this weekend close by and I am considering entering.  How bad could Dare do?

Whelping room

I am in the process of trying to clean out a room in Norma's house to put up a whelping box. She has an aussie bitch whelping next week. Anyway, it's  a room that she had a fire in and put it out with an extinguisher so there is powder everywhere and burn everywhere.  It'S  a manufactured home so there is plastic that has melted to the walls too. Looks like a bunch of work done right. I doubt I will be doing it right.  I started it with her home vac yesterday and that thing must be 70 yrs old. No suction that is useful to me. I understand there is a newer shop vac nearby and that is what I will use today.


I worked Dare last night and I think he is finally understanding not to go to the head when we are driving on a fence line and I think it is the constant talking to him when he is right that is getting thru to him. He did blow  thru twice . The first time he grabbed and the 2nd time, you could just see him and his body language,saying uhoh shouldn't have done that. 

The pup's recall is getting much better.  I worked a little on luring him into heel position with food yesterday and sit , stand, down and back.  I don't think he understands them at all.


Dually is learning a standing stop on our daily walks. In the past when I said stop , he would lie down, so I am trying to fix that.

St Augustine

Ripley's chrome bumper horse

I drove to St Augustine this morning to meet Jan and go to Ripleys and out to lunch.  I wish I had more time to explore the town.  It was very touristy and busy as hell.  Lunch was good. We tried some fried shrimp flavored with Datil peppers(locally known and grown).  Tasty and the shrimp was fried beautifully.  Nice and moist blackened mahi mahi  and good chowder.

I have decided to go home the day after the next training session at Rogers which will be Mar 23,24 so on the road on March 25 and home by the 26 or 27th.  All the lambies and goaties and duckies can come home and the cat will be happy.

Dare did his dumb diving in thing again. So long line will go back on tomorrow.
I found a couple of bamboo plants on the side of the road that look like they will make good  training sticks.

Henry J house is sold

Oh Well--you snooze you lose.

I walked Dually 2 miles yesterday and a mile this am. It's not hurting my feet yet so I can continue.  It's a bit tricky getting back in the dog yard though. This morning, Edge came to greet him and he nailed him and then Dare thought he should get in on it. I grabbed Dare just in time.

I've been working Dare every day on the corner exercise,making him walk deep into the pressure and then take an inside flank around them. He's doing it very well. Unfortunately, the sheep are too light and bust out of the corner and he had to go too wide to get them back. The object is to get him to do an inside flank all the way around them.  Maybe I need to move back even farther.  Yesterday, he did something I was quite pleased with.  I was trying to sort the lightest sheep off into the pen and he held them there without diving in. Even doing the cutting horse thing AND NOT COMING IN! It seemed like a pretty big deal at the time.

I was going to go to Al today, but it got cancelled because they are expecting lots of rain and thunderstorms. Might be able to go on my way home in 3-4 weeks.  Home is starting to sound really good.

Found out there is a YMCA fairly close by and they have Yoga, but it's too late to join now probably.

I went exploring this aft.  found out where the YMCA is located and it was not easy to find.  Signage is not existent.  I stopped at Tijuana flats for a taco and just like the first time, I thought the food was lousy. Ok off the list. I stopped at a mattress store because the cheap mattress I bought when I got here is no good.  They called the main office of the chain I bought it from to find out for me what the return policy it.  There is no return policy. I am SOL.  But I still need a mattress.  Not sure if I will buy another one down here or wait till I get home. Although there are a lot more places down here to get mattresses.

I took Dually out for another 1miles walk and he looked a little gimpy on the way back.  Might have to cut the walk back a bit.

Worked Dare for a few minutes on all 4 sheep. 2 light ones and 2 who don't want to be light.  I worked driving since that about all I can do with them.  Worked on holding the line and I am talking more to him and telling him when he is right and I think it is making a difference.

Jan called me and she is flying in early tomorrow to Jacksonville so I am going to meet her in ST Augustine and we are going to go to Ripleys and then out to lunch.  It's a mere 100 miles one way. 

House on Hernry J

front of house

living room facing the front room

kitchen-minus stove and fridge

master bedroom bath

strange little room -3steps down from master

full bath on right side of house

shower in studio apt

kitchen in studio

pond

back of barn

rt side of big barn

left side of barn with approx 6 stalls

Dually to the vets today

 Dually got to meet the handsome and personable Dr Matt.  Very knowledgeable, but mostly a large animal vet.  He doesn't treat small animals much but he's good at diagnosing lameness. Anyway, he went over Dually and determined that he had a knee injury ,not the iliopsoas.  Not a bad knee injury but he'son crate  rest and hand walking and anti-inflamatories  for 2 weeks.  He's not going to like that , but tonight I took him for a leash walk up the street.  I think he liked that.  It's good for me too.

Also called and got a hold of a real estate agent and  we are going to look at some properties tomorrow.  They have already told me I can't get a bank mortgage because I have no income on paper. But they suggested private loan companies. Or someone else to sign on the mortgage.

I worked Dare on the corner exercise again.  He was a good boy,but still diving in when we first start out.  I can't get him to flank to the fence yet either. He doesn't see the sense in it and the sheep move no matter where he ends up.