Our two apartments are newly remodled this spring.

The kitchens got beautiful laminate wood floors. The living rooms and bedrooms got plush carpets. A soft yellow paint brightens the red room and pleasant beige paint adds warmth to the blue room.

The last few weeks have been sunny and warm.

Two pairs of scissors and a container of dilute antiseptic are set out on the counter. Two small strips of flexible bandage material are cut for each pup and laid out next to the scissors. I am ready to remove the dewclaws from the pups.

When the pups are born each one is given a quick quiet check.

Rain, rain go away....  At first it wasn't so bad.  The rain filled the rain barrels next to the green house and watered the beds in the garden.  All the plants greened back up and I didn't have to mow the lawn because it was too wet.  The noisy patter of the drops on the roof kept me busy with the neglected inside chores and made it easy to sleep at night.  But after two weeks of steady rain the petunia flowers were melted and moldy and there was standing water everywhere.  The dogs don't mind the cool weather and really seem to enjoy running when we gave rides.  Their double thick coats provide a lot of protection.  They just shake all the water off. 

The first two weeks of rain resulted in a lot more visitors to the kennel since it prevented fishing and flight seeing.  But now the rivers and creeks in the area are dangerously high.  The Parks Highway sixty miles north of us is closed because the Troublesome Creek bridge has washed out at the north end.  Willow Creek five miles north is close to swamping the camping parks on either side of the banks.  Little Susitna River six miles south of us was close to running over the highway yesterday.   So we have had few visitors the last two days because no one is traveling on the Parks Highway.

August is normally a rainy month here in Alaska.  And lots of folk are saying, "This is just like the old days".  What can you do about the weather?  So I'll finish up my inside chores and put on my rubber boots, rain gear and rain hat and take the pups for a walk to watch Nancy Creek flow across the dog trails.

We have been busy the month of June with visitors to the kennel. We’ve had bus loads of people stop and single couples stop on their way north or south. The cars and buses drive up the circular driveway and are greeted by the retired dogs; Ruger, Taz and Vinnie. Ruger, Taz and Vinnie are sure the people come to the kennel just to give them ear rubs and pets.

No I guess you can't have too many!