Welcome to Hairy Tales and Shaggy Dog Stories! BCCME President Val Maloney shares her insights and observations about life with Beardies, and discusses various topics related to wellness in dogs and people.
If you have any questions for Val or information you'd like to share, send her an email.
Bounce!
WOW!! We had a fantastic Bounce/BBQ in Maine last Saturday!!! The weather was perfect, slightly cloudy, a nice breeze, then later in the day, the sun broke through. Since this was the Bearded Collie Club of Maine's second annual, we were hoping for good things.
The wading pool was cleaned, tents put up, the grill was ready...all we needed were bodies--furry AND upright! People started arriving slowly, and Mac started getting excited. (he just LOVES company) We had an ex-pen that we put in front of our gate, so there would be no escapes when people came into the yard (kind of a holding pen<G>) You opened the gate, and went into the pen, closed the gate, then opened the pen to come into the yard. We have a few pictures of a crowd at the pen, and the dogs tried to figure out how to open it, but we won that round (haha). We also had a small fenced area for "jail" if we needed it.
In spite of traffic problems for the Massachusetts attendees, everyone arrived safely. The grill was started and burgers were flying. There was so much food! We had a silent auction table that added another hundred dollars to the treasury (thanks!!).
After everyone had eaten and we were sitting enjoying the afternoon, we had our annual meeting. Once that was over, Karen Norteman gave us a quick primer on what you need to do to get a CGC on your dog.
The dogs had a blast, running around, sniffing butts, playing with toys, and some even lolled in the pool. We had a total of 23 people, 2 kids, 22 Beardies, 1 Neardie and 1 very lovely , sweet Bouvier. Now that was a yard full! Except for a few minor disagreements<LOL> things went great and everyone got along.
My 4 guys were so tired....Traveler went to bed before I did, and he never does that. The next morning , they all slept an HOUR later than normal! Can't ask for better than that.
Make plans to join us next year, you don't have to be a member to have fun. Heck, there are lots of campgrounds around, plan your vacation around it.
Thanks to everyone who helped make it an even bigger success than last year.
Val Maloney President BCCME
The Downside of Animal Communication
There is a small downside to being an animal communicator (besides the sarcastic comments I pick up from my 4, and the occasional "It wasn't me!").
The other morning, Maddie decided that 6:30 was late enough for me to lie in bed (I normally get up at 7:00, but this was my morning to sleep late!). I tried not to move, didn't want to give myself away (Traveler will come in and stick his face in mine and wait to see if I notice him!).
Not content to go back to sleep, Maddie decided to do some "personal" grooming on my bed, right next to me. I stayed quiet, then "mentally" said ''Maddie, stop!" Everything got real still, then Maddie's tail started to thump, thump, thump..........Next thing I know she is rolling on me, working up to my head, where she started darting that little tongue in my face Smart girl figured out that if I could "talk" to her, I must be awake!
Oh well....I needed to get up anyway.
Mac at the Bounce and BBQ
The Mis-Adventures of Mac
OK, so we are going back and forth this weekend to the shows in Massachusetts. Last night we get home and bring in a few bags of things to put away, grooming stuff, insulated bag with water and drinks, etc. I am so tired, and not feeling that great. Saturday was SO HOT AND HUMID, and Sunday was cold, rainy, drizzly, etc. (I dressed for the day before!) Anyway, I'm not exactly my sharpest....
(no comments here!)
I am slowly putting a few things away, looking at my gifts that Traveler's breeder and my friend Lesley had given me (love her!) I walk down the hall towards the kitchen and glance in my bedroom as I go past. The floor looks kind of wet, and I think, "Gee, the dogs must have tracked in a lot of water from outside!"
Then I take a closer look, and as I near the door to my room, I see pools of water, and some wet on my bed! There is Mac with his "prize"! He stole a FULL water bottle from the bag and had been chewing away (he loves to uncap bottles; it's a skill), then dragged his treasure into my room, where he climbed on the bed to finish it off. I managed to grab it from him (maybe it was that shrill shriek I let out when I thought of a wet bed) and proceeded to grab towels and mop up the mess. Then, I saw that he had started at the top of the bed, and quickly grabbed the quilt to keep the water from going through to the sheets and the feather topper.
After a try with the hair dryer , I realized we had to stick it in the dryer to dry off....
Just a typical day in Beardie land...
Healing...
This is from a session I did on a collie that has passed. I have permission to share.
" Do not miss me so. I am still with you, and visit from time to time. We did have a strong connection, why would that leave us just because my physical body could not support me. You did everything you could and more for me. We shared times together, important times, and I was glad to be there to support and help you. It was my mission, and will be again. I do not remember the pain that you speak of. Once we leave, the earthly things are very distant for us. It matters not how we came to be here, but how we treated others, how we lived and how are journey took place. Humans must always learn this. It is important that they work on this, and at times, we choose to leave , to help in this understanding. We move from one plane to the next, in a body, out of a body, our spirits are the same. Our connections to those that we love and care for are the same. We are all energy (she was sending me a beautiful picture of 2 balls of energy reaching out and touching each other)
The healing work that you have started for the others is good. Don't forget yourself as well. When the body is healing inside , it helps to heal the outside. It is all connected...the rock is connected to the tree, which is connected to everything, and is connected to all living things. It is a circle, and when you heal one(yourselves) you help to heal all.
It is important to pass this on, to keep telling of what must be done. Peace and love can spread with this message, and that will in turn fill you with peace and love."
I thank Tiffany for her wonderful, wonderful words. I wish her love and Light and send her much respect( as she is clearly an elder)
She has given you much to think about! I hope you don't mind if I share her words...they need repeating, as she said. She does visit you, do you have a small garden? I see you working around outside the house, and she is around you there. She always liked the smell of the earth....."
"Dear Val: What a LOVELY message from my Diamond Girl, Tiffany! Thank you so much for doing the reading--please feel free to share her words--absolutely!! Carl will be happy to hear this as well. I really don't have a garden, but have several perennial flowers that thankfully come up every year in spite of me and my non-green thumb. I have a beautiful Bleeding Heart that also comes up every year, plus iris and lilies that line the front walk. Yesterday, I put the group photo of Tiffany, Josh & Della on my computer wallpaper; they are sitting in front of the house by a bunch of yellow daffodils that come up every year--I put it there for the first day of Spring! It's one of my favorite photos of the "furkids."
I did go out and get lavender spray and Rescue Remedy for Della, plus some joint health supplements for her and Josh (and myself for that matter), so the message is coming through loud and clear. Thank you, again, for a wonderful message. You've made my day!
The "garden" reference was for me to relate to Joan. Tiffany saw the picture of them with the flowers, and garden was how she relayed it. She was showing me daffodils, I just thought they were outside!
Thank you Maddie for the inspiration( not!)
" Madeline, Oh Madeline Little Fawn Beardie of mine... I know you love to hear yourself sing, But really- it's the most annoying thing!
You lift your voice, it soars and flies I think you wish to touch the skies. Over and over...and over it sounds It echoes and bounces and makes my head pound!
Madeline, Oh Madeline, Little fawn Beardie of mine, Wouldn't we have a quieter time If Beardies would only learn how to mime! "
Val
Not Just for Animals
The majority of my healing work is with animals. They love the Reiki and other energy work I do, and of course, like to talk.
But this past weekend I was reminded (as the Universe tends to do) that these are wonderful and healing for the owners and care-givers of animals as well.
I was at a Collie Specialty with my jewelry booth. As it turned out, I talked a lot about Reiki and communication and even did a mini-session on a dog that was having a few issues, not big ones, but they count. (this dog was going into obedience that morning and hadn't had a good trial since training.) While she still didn't do her best in the sit-stay, she had a great run and her owner was amazed. She will be in touch.
Later a woman approached me and said she had been referred to me by another vendor. She lost her husband 2 weeks prior (he had been ill for a while) . She was there with her daughter and their collies. We had a chat, and even though I touched her, I didn't consciously do Reiki. The next day she came right over to me. She said, " I don't know what you did yesterday, but last night I slept so good. I haven't been able to sleep well in weeks. I will be calling you."
It reminded me that we have to take care of ourselves, if we want to be around to take care of our loved ones, be they 2 legged or 4-legged<g>.
Of course all energy work responds as the individual needs, and we are all different. Some need a few sessions, some more, and others will walk away from one session with what they need. It is about balance, healing and love for ourselves... .
