GOBIBLOG#13

Ho Ho Ho Sports Fans,

Here we are in the middle of winter, and once again, I am painfully behind in my paperwork. There is so much to write about since my last Blog, the AEC wrap-up one, that I hardly know where to begin, and besides, Mom only gives me limited computershare time. What I do know is that it’s really cold outside, and we’ve been battling all sorts of middlewestern weather since Thanksgiving – rain, sleet, hail and snow. All of this wreaks total havoc on dachshund undercarriages. I’m very thankful that Mom is sensitive to our anatomical difficulties vis a vis snow. She even shovels a path for us when it gets too deep. Thoughtful Mom!

From all reports, the USEA Annual convention was great. It was in Colorado Springs this year. (Why anyone would want to go all the way to Colorado to spend four winter days sloshing around in spring water is beyond me, but I’ve learned not to ask. I just assume it’s a weird human thing – or maybe they go to have nightcaps?) Anyway, Mom said the meeting was in the Rocky Mountains, and when it wasn’t foggy, the scenery was really pretty. She did say it was hard to breathe because it was so high up that there wasn’t as much oxygen in the air as she is used to. I’m really glad I didn’t go. I can’t imagine being in the water all that time and not being able to breathe. Yuk! Mom did let one interesting fact slip though which I’ll pass on to you here. Because the air is thin, people don’t have to drink as many nightcaps in order to get loud and obnoxious. I didn’t know that. Did you?

Mom went to a bunch of meetings, and she said there were a lot of very intense discussions about some of the problems that have been noted in the sport of eventing this year. She was very pleased to discover that most of the people there, no matter how they participate, are willing to work hard to see if they can help make eventing a safer sport in which to have fun. Too many horses and people have gotten dead in the past season, and that takes the joy out of it.

Mom did get to hang out with many of my good friends while she was in Colorado, and they all spoke highly of the AEC’s and of course of the important role that I played in their success. Not So Mean Dan, Nice Jon who feeds me pizza, Chris from the South and Ritch the Designer were all there as were Sharon who scratches my ears, Shealagh the Hottie, Sheila from Arizona, and Malcolm the insufferable Brit along with Mrs. Malcolm (who’s neither a Brit nor insufferable). Janie and Mort who run Rolex weren’t able to go this year and like me, they stayed home. Burghley and Blair stayed home too even though their Mom was there. Seema, the lady who adopted the Baby Elephant at the St. Louis zoo in my name, was there too. Mom says she’s very nice and wears a beautiful gold necklace.

Ritch the Designer is already talking about some of the things he wants to do for the 2008 AEC courses, and I guess before we know it, that time will be upon us. It seems just a minute ago that Not So Mean Dan put the cross country courses to bed, but that was in late September. Mom and I sure have a lot to do before then so I think it’s going to be a really busy spring and summer! Worse luck, Mom isn’t planning to return to Thailand this year so once again, my dreams of getting my own elephant will be put on hold. Sometimes I think it will never happen, and that makes me kind of sad.

Thanksgiving was pretty quiet here. Mom went to visit her friends in Kentucky so Linda and Splash came to stay which means that I basically was in charge. My relationship with Splash is really heating up! Because of this, I don’t really mind it that much when Mom goes out of town. Keeping the house in order, though, isn’t as easy as it may sound. You try keeping a ditz like Sluggers and a dim wit like Bruiser in line! All Sluggers wants to do is raid my elephant herd, and Bruiser’s main ambition is to sneak upstairs and crawl into Mom’s bed. It’s wimps like that that give dachshunds a bad name.

Around the time that Mom came back from being in the water in Colorado, boxes started arriving here filled with Christmas presents. Most of them were brought by the UPS man who I love to bark at. I think he’s actually scared of me! A lot of the packages were addressed to me, but Mom wouldn’t let me open them. She moved them all into the room where the birds live (which is also where I keep my elephant herd) so I had to content myself with looking at them and trying to imagine what was inside them. When Christmas morning finally got here, I was thrilled to discover that all of my friends had remembered me in one was or another. There was a decided elephant theme – several stuffed elephants for me to add to the herd, lots of regular cookies and a package of elephant shaped cookies from Seema who wears the pretty gold necklace. There was also an elephant Christmas tree ornament, a pretty jeweled elephant box, and an elephant pull toy. The salmon treats my friend Sheila from Arizona sent were really yummy, and they were made even better because they smelled so strong that Mom almost hurled when she opened the package. I’ve learned that a dachshund’s idea of what constitutes a fine perfume isn’t always what a human would choose to wear to a party, and salmon treats seem to fall into that category.

I think in my last Blog I mentioned the photo shoot of us dachshunds that the Maui Jim Search and Rescue Dogs people arranged for Mom. Well, they had some of the best photos made into a real book for her, and it is sure to become a best seller if it’s not already. I am featured on the cover as is only right. Mom spends a lot of time mooning over the book, and I must admit I enjoy admiring how photogenic I am! (The picture with this Blog is taken from the book.) Being a model is really hard work, though, and as a result, I have a new found respect for Heidi Klum who I like to watch on TV because she’s such a hottie, just like Shealagh the Hottie. Luckily, Jen, the photographer, provided really great treats so the day went by pretty quickly, and the results are certainly worth it. I wonder if anyone gives Heidi Klum treats when she’s working?. Does anyone know? Maybe I’ll send her some of the salmon treats that Sheila from Arizona sent me. I’ll bet she’d like that!

We had whole bunch more snow last night so I’d better go stand by the door to my outside yard and look pathetic so Mom will shovel me a bigger path. I really enjoy doing that, and I also enjoy the down time when Mom isn’t involved in any events. It’s quiet and there’s lots of time to take naps and con treats out of whoever happens to be around.

Have a wonderful winter. Stay warm, and if you happen to see a stray elephant who needs a good home, remember me!

Lots of love

Gobi