Orange

Amanda commented that Coulee is kinda orange. But she isn't usually this orange though is she?

Mixed Feelings

I finally got my 2008 Business Taxes done. It was nice to finally have confirmed that we aren't losing money! Yippee. I was celebrating this fact yesterday in my mind when I suddenly decided I should buy a camera to celebrate. :) I had been thinking this purchase over for a while and on the spur of the moment decided the company could afford to buy a camera. I somehow managed to forget that we are still paying off opening expenses, and that I'm making less than minimum wage but who wants to dwell on that! It was time to celebrate.

And no more messing around, I was going for a full-frame (aka "professional") camera. I phoned up Dad (aka "Mr. Conservative", aka "Money Manager") to make sure I wasn't being a complete idiot and he assured me I wasn't. So off I ran to get a camera. I walked into the store, got the camera I wanted and rushed home to wait for the battery to charge. While the battery was charging (the longest 2 hours of my life) I flipped through the manual and put a lens on just to look through. Weird. You can see big dark edges. Must just be a weird view finder thing. At least this is what I told myself.

Apparently not.

That photo was taken with my "good" lens. The expensive one that I bought. The one I was told would work fine with a full frame sensor camera. I am so disappointed.

I phoned the camera store to make sure I wasn't just being an idiot and he told me to come down with the camera and lens. Apparently for a second time, I wasn't being an idiot. They just won't work together.

So now what? Buy another lens? Buy a different camera?

Buying another lens is something I really don't want to do and it really increases the price of a new camera. One of the reasons a new camera was financially doable is because I won't need to buy any more lenses!

I have heard conflicting information about the other camera I was interested in (7D). No two salesmen have told me the same thing. But this guy convinces me to exchange the camera and get the 7D instead. He said I could try it out for a few days and bring it back if it wasn't what I wanted.

I run home and charge yet another battery. By the time it was ready, it was too late to try it out outside. This morning, I went out with the girls to try it out. So far, I have pretty mixed feelings.

Pros:

• 8 frames per second is pretty freaking amazing. It is so fast it is almost impossible to only take one photo when you have it on this setting.
• It has spot metering (which my current camera doesn't) and I LOVE it.
• It definitely focuses faster than my current camera

Cons:

• Coulee looks orange in all the photos - inside and outside. I might have to do a custom white balance all the time.
• I'm not that impressed with the quality at the higher ISOs. And this is something that the other camera is supposed to be good at.
• I got some good photos with it, but I'm just not convinced I couldn't have gotten these with the camera I already have.

I think the last two Cons are the clincher for me. It doesn't really improve upon what I already have and a camera that performs better at higher ISOs is a key feature for me.

Sigh. At this point, I'm leaning towards returning it. I'm not sure what my next step will be.

Winter Has Arrived

Lacey has mixed feelings.

It hasn't changed how she feels about her wubba though!

It still puts a smile on her face. As well as a bit of snow.

Typical

Coulee is fixated on the toy, Lacey is fixated on the other people and dogs at the park.

12 Days

I am not usually one to post Christmas stuff so early but I heard this on the radio this morning and thought it was great!

Sassy

This was taken yesterday...

She isn't feeling nearly so sassy today. Poor girl has had an upset tummy.

Pin Head

I've got the opportunity to send some pictures to a book publisher (I'm very excited!) so I've been going through some older photos. I couldn't believe the change in Lacey's head from just a year and a half ago!

Me Too!

Lacey made sure to pose for one picture so you would all thing she was photogenic too.

Photogenic

After being cooped up for most of the weekend, we went for a walk Sunday morning after I finished up at the dog show. The girls were thrilled to be out racing around. Coulee decided to grace me with her "photogenic" personality.

Some days I can't get a decent picture of her to save my life, and others I can't seem to fail.

I couldn't get her to do her usual giant running loop before I threw the toy today and instead she sat there in anticipation.

Other times, she managed to look a little more patient.

I Was a Showgirl

I had fun this weekend showing Tate. He was a very good boy for me although he was pretty feisty this morning and actually jumped up to take a cookie (that wasn't actually there) out of the judge's hand. :) While I had fun, I don't think it is something I would ever do (assuming I ever own a purebred!). The judging is so subjective, the people are so competitive and you end up with "Winners" and "Losers". I much prefer the way agility is done where each dog is judged on how well they do, and it doesn't depend on how well their competitors do.

But Jo, if you ever want to show Tate again, I'm your gal! Thanks for letting me have such a great experience. I'm very glad, there was no pressure and that it was all just for fun. That is the way I like it.

There's a Sign for That

There is a house on our paper route that has about 5 signs telling you what you can and can not do. "Don't walk across the lawn, it damages the grass." "Don't put the newspaper on the step, it stains the cement." "Please put the newspaper in the mailbox, it keeps it dry.", etc. The first time I went there I spent ages trying to figure out if there was a sign saying that they didn't want the paper I was trying to deliver.

Coulee peed on one lawn today. Any guesses which lawn it was? Tee hee!

I'm sure there will be one more sign to read next week!

Mama's Little Helpers

Both girls got to help deliver papers today as Marlin is away hunting and I had to do the route by myself. It was Lacey's first time. I know, I've been bad. I've just been taking Coulee. It has been going so well with her, I didn't want to ruin my good streak.

Lacey did pretty good, but she definitely wasn't having a very good time. For some reason, she hated walking up to the front doors. So at the top of every landing I would drop a treat. The first few homes, I had to point it out to her so that she would eat it. By the 30th house, I was still pointing it out to her. I'm not sure if she thought I had to say something for her to get it or what, but it was driving me slighty crazy. She would stand half-way up the stairs looking pathetic and I would say "what's this" and point with my toe. Only then would she come the rest of the way, eat the treat and then try and scurry back down the stairs. After around 60-70 homes, she still wasn't really getting it, so I decided that was enough and traded her for Coulee.

Things went much faster with Coulee but it still took me a full two hours to complete the route. At the end of it all I gave the girls a paper to play with in the backyard. I think Lacey enjoyed that part more than actually delivering them even though Coulee kept trying to eat her.

Any ideas where Lacey's right leg went in this photo below? Freaky!

I'm off to get ready for the dog show. I'm showing Tate today. Gulp!

The Best Hat Ever

A Night At the Movies

Is it possible to take a picture of yourself without a double chin?

Random Pictures

When you get the zoomies, you have to put on a funny face.

Can you say proud?

She wasn't as quick this time.

Coulee shows her true colours.

Family Affair

Marlin and I went up to Calgary today for a little bit of shopping and a little bit of photography. Marlin's sister Michelle had asked if I would take some family photos for them.

People are so much harder than dogs. Dried beef liver and squeaky toys don't seem to help.

What does help, is a gorgeous family!

Trees!

We went to the dog park in Fort Macleod today for something a little different. I thought there would be so many different sights and sounds that Coulee wouldn't really need to play fetch, she'd be too busy sniffing.

About 30 seconds in, she found a log and decided that it would make the perfect throw toy.

I think she also liked it because she didn't think the other kids would be able to carry it very far. She was right.

We had quite the scare when a moose ran out of the bushes and took all the dogs on a merry chase. (Coulee was so startled she managed to loose her stick! They were instantly out of sight in the tall brush and trees and left me hoping and praying they would come back to me. They all did. But probably after the moose out ran them.

Water Wubba

Apparently Lacey never grows tired of the Water Wubba, and I never tire of taking pictures of her shaking the crap out of it. I can't seem to help myself. She is not a dog that enjoys toys very often so when she does, it is a joy to watch.

Me and V

Poor Vito really can't relax here.

Vito Marlito

Guess who is coming for the weekend?

He gets to have fun with the girls all weekend.

He loves Lacey but I think his favourite game is stealing Coulee's toys.

If he wasn't so cute, Coulee might not put up with him.