"While it is February, one can taste the full joys of anticipation. Spring stands at the gate with her finger on the latch." ~ Patience Strong
Ahh...February and all its special days. There was Ground Hog Day on the 2nd, (and I never did find out if the ground hog saw his shadow or not). Here in Illinois, we celebrate Lincoln's Birthday on the 12th and then, of course, Presidents' Day on the 19th. Valentine's Day will be celebrated next week.
Oh my gosh, I almost forgot the beginning of Lent!
For us, the dog shows begin in February. Of course, dog shows happen in January too. I rarely enter those shows.
Before I write anything else, I want to give you my new email address: joyslynslhasas73@gmail.com
I hope you all use it and contact me again with your Lhasas' photos and updates. It has been lonely around here! I lost my entire contact list, including those on the waitlist -- so if you know you were waitlist for a Joyslyn's puppy, please get in touch again using the new email address.
If you receive email supposedly from me using the outlook.com address, delete it. I no longer use that account, so that message is not from me.
Many thanks to those who emailed me at the wiu.edu address, but that is my old work email address and I'd prefer to use the new one for the Lhasas.
I am finally okay. Ever since the hack, I reminded myself of that commercial where the woman holds a paper plate with a smiley face on it to cover her own sad face. I too was just going through the motions, putting off all but essential chores, feeling down, feeling stressed, and staying angry.
(Fact:I eat too many carbs when I am stressed. Not a good thing! Pam, Paul, Rusty, Josie, and Lil One sent me chocolate covered caramels. Now, I dearly love chocolate covered caramels, so I give heartfelt thanks to them for the gift! However, I took the advice of a smart friend and put the package in the freezer. I allow myself 2 a day -- and I have to be patient while they thaw out. It is a nice thing to look forward to each day. Otherwise, that entire package would have been gone in a flash!)
The following quotation is attributed to John Lennon: "Everything will be okay in the end, and if it is not okay, it's not the end."
It's not the end yet, but it is getting there.
Another new (and negative) thing I learned about myself recently is that I dislike change that challenges me to learn something new at which I am sure I will fail. I'm not proud of fearing failure, but it seems to be a fact in this particular case. I feel guilty because my fear caused me to let people down.
A good thing that happened was that Show Sight magazine published an article I wrote on Lhasa Apso coat color change. It is in the January 2024 issue, beginning on page 254. If this link does not work, just google the magazine name and issue number.
Puppy News
If all goes as planned, we will have a spring litter. I have always trusted my boys to let me know when a girl is ready to breed, and that has always worked out. However, the "modern" way is to do progesterone testing. So at the urging of some friends, I am trying it this time. It is expensive!!
Adult Availability
We will have a retired female champion ready for a new home this spring. She is gold. She is special!! Again, I had a waitlist which has now disappeared.
I have also been asked to find a home for a golden male Lhasa who has lived in a pet home for 6 years. I'll have him here with me at the end of February. I'll post photos when I get him.
Inquiries about either of these Lhasas are welcome.
Miscellaneous
I recently accepted an invitation to a Zoom meeting to discuss low entry breeds. AKC recognizes the Lhasa as a low entry breed, which basically means that there are no longer many Lhasas competing in conformation shows. There are many other breeds in the same situation. During the meeting, which was only an hour long so we did not have time to get too deep into the topic, we talked about our breeds and what makes them special. We talked about some reasons why our breed was no longer popular with exhibitors, especially young exhibitors. It was a good beginning conversation.
We have shows coming up this month and next. I will be showing Ebony and Deacon. I am especially looking forward to the show in Louisville, where my friend and co-presenter Jan and I will be giving a judges' education seminar and workshop about our breed on March 15.
This was featured in the TCLAC newsletter, and I wanted to share it.
Notes and Photos From Others
From Marsha M: Hi. Just wanted to tell you Jimmy is 11 years old today and doing well. He’s a good boy.
From Nanda: "Hello! So sorry your email got hacked. We’ve been there. It sucks! We did get an email asking for help to buy a $200 Amazon gift card … these scammers are so annoying. Ty is 3 (01/21)! He is gorgeous, funny, delicious, loving, super cool, happy and healthy! He is 100% Kris’s dog. But Gigi is all mine!!!!! Thank you for trusting us to love and care for them. To say we love them is an understatement… we are completely obsessed.
In a later message Nanda sent this picture of Ty at "work." She wrote. "He knows we are supposed to be quiet due Kris’s meetings so if you walk by them, he (Ty) totally gives you the evil eye. And if you try to reach for something on their work space or if you come closer he checks you out like a tsa officer. He takes his job of protecting [Kris' company] very seriously. But the minute you put him back on the ground, he’s all play. Go figure."
Cathy sent this picture of her Willow.
From Mary R, "Belle turned 15 XMAS Day. I have never had a Lhasa get to that age. There are health issues as with any senior dog; her attitude is always willing to try; getting up and moving is sometimes tough--her knees, but once up she is on a roll. Her vision, hearing are both minimal...She wants her independence and is proud to have it. Her sense of location amazes me. We have ramps at each deck entrance. I watch her carefully or just carry her to the yard but she most often finds a ramp...She has to have her crate pad folded a certain way. I finally gave up straightening it and folded it the way she likes. she cuddles into it. If daylight and we are outside, I put my arms high in the air. She runs like a locomotive to me. I have memories of her in agility: the instructor comment: “YOU are going to have to move with this one!” She was fast and fun.. She always has a happy attitude and wants to be with the other 2 dogs. I think her “security”. Rafe is especially patient with her inquires into his crate. He won’t tolerate one of the cats near his den but he lets Belle do any investigation. He is very soft with her. I just try and make each day the best it can be for her. She has given much to my life and my household. We could all take lessons from her attitude."
These 3 photos are of Belle. The first two when she was around 1.5 years old and the third at age 15 years.
Here is a photo of Rafe's brother, Gabe. His owner, Mary D., sadly reported that Gabe passed away recently. I was so very sad to hear that news. I know how very much she loved him and he adored her. When Mary called me with the sad news we shared memories of when we met and of Gabe as a puppy.
Judy G wrote, "Winter received her first leg in Rally Intermediate. ...She is a one-of-a-kind! If you ever have another 'wild child' please let me know. Just being with her makes everyone happy."
Judy L posted this picture of her Gus and Lippy on my FB page.
DJ sent this picture of Charlie.
From Lisa about Duncan, "Duncan is a fun but cerebral dog. I can see him trying to figure things out. For instance, I was watching a movie where there was a train on railroad tracks that blew its horn. I think this may have been a new sound for Duncan. He stared straight at the TV and then tilted his head ever so slightly before looking at me.
He definitely knows what he wants and how to get what he wants. Love my little mountain lion.
After writing to notify me about the hack, Vivian, whom I had not heard from in years, wrote this: "On the bright side. I had a VERY good time looking at everything on the internet about you and our wonderful Lhasas. The pictures, history, memories, and chat items were super satisfying and brought me great joy. It was like a wonderful sit-down chat with an old friend. So, a small bright point to a horrible intrusion into your life!"
You may recall that a few months ago I wrote about two Lhasas who needed a home together because their owner had fallen and sustained a head injury and was not expected to live. Marsha & David S. took the dogs and Marsha tells me Baron and Willow thriving and fitting into their new family well. Both were over weight when she got them but now are down to more reasonable weights.
Something to Ponder on Leap Day
"During a Leap Year, as Leap Day approached, I began to have this sense I was to get what I always seem to need: an extra 24 hours in the day... Then I started to think Leap Day should be designated a holiday so people can take advantage of the extra 24 hours however they wished... By marking this bonus day in some special way, we would celebrate time — really consider what it means to have time here on Earth — and thus, be present with our life and our time together." ~Kara Douglass Thom, "Look Where You Leap," Winning as a Fit Mom, 2015
No, I am not going to forget Valentine's Day! Here is a greeting from my heart to yours, whether we have been friends for years or are friends who have yet to meet. One thing we all have in common is our love for a very special breed, the Lhasa Apso. Lhasa Love!
Thanks for reading!
Joyce
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