I Can Drive Again!

12 days of hoofing it everywhere was probably good for me in a lot of ways – not the least of which is keeping me humble – but it sure was nice to take the car today and drive to Boulder Ridge!

Loki has loved the walk to and from work all this week (I had a friend park my car at work on Monday, so Loki has had his “home away from home” as usual) -but his delight at getting to run free was obvious. Now he’s snoring at my feet.

All Saints this weekend – I might visit my Aunt and her family if the weather holds tomorrow, because I can drive again!

Obedience Training

I have to admit something. I haven’t been very diligent in training Loki…. Reason being that he really hasn’t required all that much of it.

Being one-handed has, however, made it clear to me how important it is to have control over your dog. Today I taught him how to walk without a leash on my left-hand side and to stay and sit whenever a car was approaching from either direction. He doesn’t score 100% yet, but he sure learns fast. When we got home and he wanted to go out on the veranda, he sat down so I could put his leash on – without me telling him to do so!

Not bad, when something good comes out of a stupid accident!

Serenity

…has many faces and this is one of my favourites.The first ice under the setting sun and as an added extra – a dog checking out what will soon be a wide expanse to run over. Raikko is fearless on ice and I have to admit that this is not a sign of superior intelligence in a dog. They can actually rip out their claws if they get caught in a tiny crack on that shiny surface.

This week is also shaping up to become “one of those” where the surprises are more  rule than exception. We’re beginning to see the contours of the new administrative organisation, but since we don’t know much more than that, it feels very much like the old saying about “waiting for the other shoe to drop.” The work must be done so during the day it’s easy to keep busy – but I’ve started waking up way too early in the morning. I’ve actually thought of taking Loki for a late-night walk in an effort to stay up longer… The trouble is though, that I zonk out before 10PM almost no matter what I do!

Back to the title – walking in surroundings like this goes a long way towards keeping – or even restoring – sanity!

Getting Big

This was Loki 3 months ago…

… and this is what he looks like now…

Isn’t he handsome?

Snow

We got a good 6-8 cm overnight. I’m to drive some 450 km today on roads that may be very slick under the snow. This is Loki’s first encounter with snow and it took him a few minutes to get off the porch, but once he got the hang of it he was off like a bullet.

Do I think this will stay? I hope not!

Another One Gone

I have no idea where September went to – but this is the last sunset of the month.

No, that isn’t ice or fog over the lake – merely the wind creating ripples on the water. It looks really calm, but the wind was really wicked on top of the mountain.

Off for a day-long course in one of the coastal cities (courtesy of the union!). Wake-up at O dark hundred and then a quick walk with Loki before he left with my friends to spend a few days at their cottage… The apartment feels very empty without him, but since I’m going to be really busy the next few days it’s better that he’s at their place. Better, but not fun!

Fall Colours

The leaves have changed colour rapidly the last few days. We had our first night with frost just yesterday and there is no denying that fall is well underway.

I always marvel at the wooden bridges they built along country roads as late as in the 1940’s. There are a number of these along the old road to what used to be the nations bigggest lead mine – a road that was used to freight heavy material to the mine and even heavier ore from there!

But one of untold tree stumps along the shores, reminders of how the lakes were made into water reservoirs for the power companies. In the background you can see some of the very secret facilities used by the cartesting industry – the biggest industry in the county during the winter.

While I was busy taking pictures, Loki found something absolutely scrumptious – to roll in….  Something he thought smelled totally divine – but something I could only identify as dead. VERY dead, at that…

The trip back to town was made with the side window open and once at home he was dumped in the tub for a thorough cleaning. He didn’t at all think that was fun – after all, he’d just put on some perfume HE really liked the smell of…

Father and Son

I’ve been looking after Loki’s father for the last few days and we’ve been walking along the shores two evenings now.

Raikko just loves digging up rocks and then either carrying them in his mouth or moving them around with his nose. Loki thought it looked like fun, but Daddy was not amused when he wanted to join… In fact, he gave his son a good talking to and really put him in his place!

Yesterday Loki was attacking the foam along the shore but unfortunately I didn’t manage to get a picture of him with a white “beard” of the stuff.

I’m hoping that Loki will learn a thing or two from his Dad – and not just the bad stuff. Raikko is mostly well-behaved but sometimes he forgets that…

In other news: I managed to sprain my ankle AND twist my knee yesterday…. I stepped wrong while taking out the garbage and landed in a heap with the contents of the bag draped like garlands all over me. As this was around 9 PM, I don’t think anyone saw me (no one came to my rescue, at least) and it took some doing, picking up myself and the garbage while in pain.

Excruciating pain, I might add.

This is the same ankle that got mangled during a softball-game about a hundred years ago and the knee that took the brunt of a skiing accident almost as long ago, and the rest of the evening was spent with an ice pack on my knee and a package of frozen mixed vegetables around my ankle. As the saying goes – “poverty is the mother of all inventions” and I couldn’t think of anything else that would wrap nicely around my ankle!

Oh well! This too shall pass!

Skärrimjokk 3

We finally arrived at the third and most impressive fall. The walk there took a good 2 hours – and yes, Loki walked like a real trooper all the way there and then back.

I’d like to get back to this spot during spring flooding, but I suspect it would be a pretty wet adventure.

This is where we turned around and went back to the tent. The descent took about an hour and Loki crashed almost immediately. Poor little guy! I thought for sure he would be tired the following day – but nah! He was rearing to go at 8 AM!

Bear or Dog?

Yesterday I decided to explore the trails prepared by the local Ski Club. I thought it would make a nice change to walk in that area instead of along the trails I normally use. Wrong. The trails are excruciatingly boring this time of year – which came as a surprise. Maybe because I’ve only used them during the dark of winter before…

Loki looks a bit like a bear cub here and he sure likes blueberries as if he would be part bear. Then why shouldn’t he eat berries? After all, he likes cucumber, peaches and plums – but isn’t at all sure what to make out of dry dog food! Can’t say I blame him and I can hardly wait until I get my hands on some leftovers from the butcher. I should be able to pick up the first load in about 3 weeks and in the meantime I have to ” dress up” the dogfood…