Can't think of catchy title

Got back from the ARBA national convention about 10 days ago. I was away from home for 9 days- I can't remember the last time I was away for so long. I had best of variety and best opp sex of variety in White Americans which for a national show is good. The convention was held in Grand Rapids, MI- right across the river from the Gerald Ford museum. I did not go visit. Probably the worst thing about the convention was the parking- you paid 6.50 every time you left so when we would get there in the morning, we would stay there until everything we needed to see/do was done for the day. I went to a judging conference, purchased such items as feed cups and breeding chart, was consulted on various aspects of guinea pig health and pulled a stone from an aby sow's urethra (yes, that was rather spectacular) with a fellow collegue. The little gal who owned the pig is an aspiring vet and when it was all over I told her this was a fine lesson- to remember that the difference between being a hero or a heel is sometimes a very thin line. Going and coming I went through Ravenswood, WVa and thought of RS. Athens was my halfway point in the trip which was two days driving each way. My mother has started her radiation treatments and seems to be doing well. I think some of the problems such as skin burns don't necessarily show up until later in the treatments or after they are finished.

SURPRISE!

Sometimes they fool you. We have been feeling this sow,, yeah, she's a little bit pregnant,, not due for awhile though. When I opened up the cage door this morning to feed,,look what greeted me! I moved them to a maternity tub to make sure they bond good to mom and not to dad (no grub there, son), or the other sow (that well is dry too!) I am wildly busy this week.. I leave for Michigan on Friday, will be gone at least a week I think. National Rabbit and Pig Show. I have five entries,, but the one sow that I was most hopeful for has turned up pregnant! This is a sow that has won one best in show and about three reserves and routinely kicks ass and takes names,, but is notoriously hard to settle. She had been living in peace with a boar for about six months,, no action,, so I pulled her from the breeding pen and put her by her lonesome. This past week,, she is very full,, and I could probably still show her, but these pups are more important than any award she might get,, so she stays home. I do have a replacement for her,, but side by side, a poor substitute.

Stuff

It's been a trying week. Father in law passed away in his sleep- a blessing since he has been bedridden and mainly helpless since massive stroke in January. Due to many factors which I won't go into, my daughter and I were unable to attend the memorial service and we had to fly son up from another city which was not in the original plan. (In laws live 12 hours from us.) Husband was already scheduled to go up, a strange turn of events, so his airline tickets and plans were already in place. My mother gets her basic total body scan next Friday and finds out if she is going to be required to do chemo in addition to her radiation. Originally that was not even thought to be a possibility, but is on the table now. One of my favorite sows, Gladys is toxic with a bellyful of babies which today I can't get to move,, so it may be a bellyful of dead babies. I am force feeding her and giving her fluids, but these situations are always grim.

Greensboro

Last Saturday in conjunction with the Guilford Co fair, the Sandhills Rabbit Fanciers and the NCCavy Breeders Assoc. held a double show. It was not a large gathering,, only 70+ pigs, but,, I won Best In Show both shows with an American Solid Silver Sr. boar. This is not an animal that I bred, but rather bought back in January and he has come along nicely. For a reward, he got a sow,, which he is ignoring. Some cavies are,, well,, just pigs when it comes to breeding,, lots of noise and disorder,, some are gentlemen,, you never know when the deed is done, you just see the sow getting more rotund,, and then, there is a rather substantial group that simply isn't interested in females at all. Hopefully he is not one of those. The next show for me is the national ARBA show in Grand Rapids, MI,,, I have been trying to find an Appalachian State tee shirt to wear.

Happy Anniversary

My folks have been married for 56 years today. When I called them,, my father always says the same predictable thing,, well, Mom has had X number of years to regret marrying me. The truth is that they have been a blessing to each other, and they know it. They each can be difficult and stubborn, but have made each other's life fuller and richer. It is a great boon to be born into a stable household and I recognize this more and more the older I get. June and Alan- many happy returns- I love you and you me. Thank goodness we say it.

Tennessee State Fair Shows

It was an 1100 mile roundtrip out to Nashville this weekend for the shows at the Tennessee State Fair. I had one best in show with an American Satin Cream Sr Boar. The big news is that TM Mandolin was best jr of breed in both shows! Very promising little sow. Next weekend, the Guilford Co fair, only about 70 miles from here.

A Post that seems surreal

My mother's breast cancer has recurred. 20 years ago she had a modified radical mastectomy and had the right breast and a million lymph nodes removed (they weren't doing sentinel nodes at that time, they just took every lymphnode in your armpit that they could find). About 7-8 years ago, she got cancer in the other breast and had that one also removed. Six weeks ago she felt something strange above the scar on the right side, doctor was unable to feel it, but had her come back in a month and he thought maybe he could feel something. Anyhow, he went after some tissue and to his credit came up with the little tiny bit that is cancerous. Very small. So she is having a wide local excision next Wednesday. And radiation. And, I simply cannot get my mind around this. I thought she was home free on this issue. It's like the Grinch that stole Christmas.