Happy Birthday to my mom, Joan Hjelle. As usual, I forgot to get your card in the mail in time! We hope you have a great day!!!

I have to admit (I think I already have) that I have really liked the early Spring as I’ve been sleeping in my own bed for almost a month now and last year on April 27th, I had my last snowmobile ride to my truck on a Sunday because I was still staying in town! I’ve also really enjoyed whoevers (nice English, huh?) idea it was to move the daylight saving time up a few weeks. It’s been so nice to have the longer hours of daylight AFTER work. As it is, by the time I get into town and dressed for my workouts, around 5:15, the sun is just starting to come up over Lake Superior. Makes for a nice run/sprint on the treadmill while jammin’ to my MP3 player!

Mark has been getting in some loooong days too. Yesterday morning he and Takum left here around 7:00 a.m. headed for Sawbill Outfitters  and didn’t return until 8:00 last night. Being the good wife that I am, I had a nice rip-roaring fire in the sauna and hot water on the stove all ready to go for his shower when he walked in. Today is going to be a loooooooonger day for him as I’m headed over to Grand Rapids for the night for my almost monthly work meeting. After this month though, I should have a month, if not two off from work travel. Lucky for Mark so his days won’t be quite so loooong.

I’ve been a bit remiss by not making an announcement here about how successful Mush for a Cure was this year. Considering the economy is in a slump and we didn’t have enough snow to do a sled run, Sue and I were hoping to have the check we sent to the National Breast Cancer Foundation be as much as last year. However, with everyone who was involved with this event giving 110%, here is a photo of the check we mailed last week:

Thank you everyone, you are awesome!

I’m not talking about Mark and I in the title, I’m talking about Takum. He spent all day Friday and yesterday with Mark while he and his crew were working at Sawbill Outfitters installing a Wildfire Sprinkler System. While Mark was up there for part of the day on Thursday he ask owners Bill and Cindy Hansen if it would be OK to bring Mr. Takum with. Bill and Cindy, who are dog lovers, said “sure” . So while Mark and the crew worked on Friday, Takum got to play with Homer, Roy and Phoebe Hansen for the day. He had so much fun on Friday Mark took him with again yesterday.

Mr. Takum likes to ride…IN  cars or trucks or ON snowmobiles or ATVs. Whenever someone stops by on and ATV these days, they leave here with Takum prints on the seat. He has so many jobs, and riding is one of his favorites!

While Mark and I made the quick trip down the beaten path to pick up Moon and Cassie on Saturday, we left the kennel in some very capable hands for the day. On Friday night we had a mini-handler reunion with Tara, Mel and Rob all came for a weekend visit. We need to thank them for taking care of the morning chores on Saturday so we didn’t have to do them before we left at 6:00 a.m. which allowed us to sleep in until 5:00! After we got home on Saturday night we fed dogs, showered and just like old times all came inside to play Small Change. We did OK, with Mel handling the phone calling while I was up to my elbows in dinner. It was great to see them all again and aren’t sure when the next time will be. Mel is working full-time managing the Food Co-op in Brainerd, Rob will be starting his seasonal chef position at Madden’s Resort and Tara needs to report to work May 10th in Montana. We can’t wait to see everyone again guys, feel free to let us know when you can “handle” another visit!

Here are the latest additions to the kennel, Moon and Cassie! We had a whirlwind trip to the Duluth area yesterday leaving here at 6:00 a.m. hitting Menards in Hermantown around 10:00′ish, meeting Maggie in Brookston to pick up the dogs, then over to our old neighborhood of Fredenberg to drop beaver hides off to Trapper Al and the Blue Max for lunch before heading back up the shore returning almost exactly 12 hours after we left…6:00 p.m. Whew!

Now about the dogs…Moon is a soon-to-be four-year-old lead dog that ran in former owner Maggie “Mad Dog” Heilmann’s race teams this last season. With Moon being four years old, she is the oldest dog we have bought in ten years but she has a bloodline on her father’s side that is a bloodline that has been winning many of the mid-distance races in the last couple of years.  Cassie, who will be two this summer doesn’t have race experience yet but her bloodline is another line that is winning many mid-distance races too. Last winter the “big” mid-distance races such as the Beargrease 150 and Midnight Run were won by drivers with either Moon or Cassie’s bloodlines and just about all the dogs in the pedigree have an “L” behind their names signifying they are lead dogs. Cassie is a bit shy, reminding me a bit of Tucson when we first brought her home, although Cassie isn’t nearly as bad as The Princess was.

Oh well, time to get some coffee on the table. Tara is coming over from the Little Cabin along with  Mel and Rob (handlers from two years ago) who are staying in the Bunk Barn are due for coffee any minute.