Little did we know...

... that our cat was so interested in education!

She's hooked on phonics and reading

She's hooked on spelling

She's hooked on even more spelling

And I guess she's Hooked on Construction, too! The Tonka truck makes for a fine bed.

Even little Billy is Hooked On Phonics, too!

It's amazing (and somewhat sad) at how little blog or facebook time our cat gets. And guess what? She even has a name, Lucy! But for some reason to me she is always "The Cat" or "Our Cat." Sorry Lucy! You are very under appreciated! It's hard competing with the rest of The Pack! 

Shaggy Dog Show!

Sunday we attended our first dog show! The local USPCA put on this event to raise money and awareness for thier work and boy was it fun. Right up our alley!

We have never actually gotten a dog from the USPCA but we have gotten a cat (Bronco) there, and I took a puppy I found there, once (still regret that!). I also referred two friends to the shelter to get dogs and even went with one friend to go pick her dog out. You CAN NOT BEAT A LOCAL UGANDAN DOG. Period. There may be bigger or smaller, prettier and more unique dogs out there, but you simply can not beat a local Ugandan dog for heartiness, protectiveness, smartness and loyalty. I am a dog lover and have had dogs my entire life, but I've never seen anything like these Ugandan dogs!

Ready to show!!! My grandmother was a judge, breeder, trainer and competitor of a variety of breeds of dogs 20 to 50 years ago. She passed on her love of dogs to all six of her children AND all of her grandchildren. Consequently, her great grandchildren have also been passed on this enthusiasm (whether they like it or not!) and mine are just two of them who have inherited their great grandmothers ability to handle dogs. So any dog event really makes me think of my Grandma Ruth, who died in 2005, just a few months after I moved to Uganda and Ella was born. Sniff.

The Dogs

After much prayer and supplication (not really ;), Bridger and Madea were the chosen Pack Members to represent The Uganda H Pack in this event. Why did we pick the homeliest, most nervous, neurotic dogs from our Pack, you may ask? Well....

1. Billy is dog aggressive on a leash, so he was out. I SO wanted to take him but he is REALLY, REALLY strong and the thoughts of me trying to juggle him, two kids, all our stuff and another dog while he he lunges and spazzes at other dogs, forced me to cross him off our list. The point of this whole thing was for the KIDS to show the dog, and that wouldn't have happened with Billy.  Sad, because it would have been a really good training opportunity for him, but....

2. Ranger was top on my list to go because he is such a calm, gentle soul and either kid can handle him. He's always been really mellow. The problem is, Ranger has a serious "medical condition", known as severe car sickness, and the thoughts of Ranger throwing up in the backseat to and from Kampala in the heat, traffic and Kampala smog, sort of nixed that idea. Hence Ranger was crossed off our list of show dog participants.

3. Sanyu was also top on the list to go, as she is easy for the kids to handle and not aggressive on a leash. No worries about her lunging at someone. But several weeks ago (as in three?) she somehow cut the pads on BOTH front paws. She is a lot better, but not completely and I didn't want her to attend a dog show in pain, therefor crossing her off our list, too.

4. By elimination, this pretty much left Bridger and Madea as our dog show representatives. Bridger was my first Ugandan dog, and I have had him for over seven years. He was my one and only for 2.5 years before I got Sanyu, then along came Ella, and the rest is, well, history.

Needless to say, during that 2.5 years that dog went everywhere with me and got a lot of good training. In the last three or four years his job changed from being constant companion and therapy dog, to being head of Hland security, protecting me and the kids. This is a job this dog takes SERIOUSLY. He has a big bark and diligently patrols the compound. He is not a dog who I "think" would attack an intruder, he is a dog who HAS attacked, on many occasions (only they weren't intruders. A painter, the satellite dish man, the guard who the dogs didn't like...). This dog keeps us and our home SAFE. So... kid hand able at a dog show? Really? Yes! He is smart enough and well trained enough that he can turn it on and off. I figured that if we were off our territory in a public, relaxed environment, that he would be fine. And thankfully, HE WAS!

5. Madea got to go, simply because we needed a second dog and I knew it would be good for her! She is the most neurotic, high, nervous energy dog we have and is real fear biter. Perfect for a dog show, right?!!! Ha! She's small though and the kids can handle her, and with Bridger's calm and balanced presence I figured she'd be fine. And she was! A little nervous, especially at first, but towards the end she wasn't as anxious and I was proud of her! Plus, she is so little and white, and her ears are SO big and her nose is SO pink, that well... she is kind of cute :)

The Handlers

Being a showman myself, a descendant of my dog show judge and competitor grandmother, and a huge fan of the Westminster Dog Show, I dressed my two little Jr Handlers for the event! No shorts and plastic shoes for us! Bring out the wedding dress! In Ella's confusion at being gussied up, on a Sunday, and hauled to Kampala with a bunch of dogs to a fancy hotel, we got there and she asked, "So where do we take them for Sunday School?" Ha!! She thought we were taking the dogs to Sunday School... :)

I started out dressing Mr Frank as a cowboy, but he doesn't have any good cowboy jeans (outgrew them all or blew out the knees!) so I substituted slacks, and he quickly turned into a Ugandan businessman! Which really fit our purpose perfectly and he looked like quite the little dog handler! His great grandma Ruth would have been proud :)  I sure was! 

The Events

Frank entered in two events and Ella entered in two events. Frank in the Dog and Handler Look-a-Like contest with Bridger (pictured above) and the Dog and Child Partnership class, also with Bridger.

Ella was entered in the Dog and Child Partnership class with Madea, and the Best Dog Tricks class, with Bridger. Out of five dogs, Bridger is the only one who knows any tricks, and he only knows one! So it was his best trick!

Awaiting their classes

Frank and Bridger in the Look-a-Like contest, walking to their victory! They won 1st place!!

Frank and Bridger receiving their prize. I especially loved all the women lined up looking at Frank. This always happens to Frank! Women (especially older ones!) always just love Frank! It's a hoot!

Waiting in line for the Dog and Child Partnership class.

Ella looks so big here, and Madea looks so tiny! A real little pink nosed peanut, our Muddles! You're supposed to wear clothes that compliment your dog and I'd say that Ella's dress complimented Madea, who sported a purple collar and leash, perfectly!

Frank and Bridger in the Dog and Child Partnership class . Bridger looked quite stunning in his bow tie.

 

Waiting in line with the other competitors. This was the first Schnauzer our Pack members had ever seen. They didn't seem to impressed... ;)

Dude, this is serious business!

Frank receiving his prize for 3rd place!!! There were maybe six competitors in this class. Can't remember exactly. I was too overcome with glowing pride and emotions...

At this point, Ella was getting pretty worried. Frank had won two events (back to back no less), and she had won nothing. She was trying to sport a good attitude, but the fun was starting to wain...

This is, um, ELLA and Bridger in the Best Tricks contest. See how involved Ella is? Yeah. Bridger actually WON this event! His one and ONLY trick and he WON! I must say, as silly as it seems, he did his trick WELL. He just sat up and stayed there for quite a while. It's always cute when a big dog does this, and I guess the judges agreed! 

Ella and Bridger receiving their prize for the Best Dog Trick. Let me tell you, the prizes were phenomenal! Dog food, bowls, balls, etc, aren't cheap here and we won dog chewies, dog food (two little bags AND two big ones!), tennis balls, and some other fun stuff!

MUCH to our surprise, as we were heading into the parking lot to leave, juggling all of our prizes, BRIDGER was announced BEST IN SHOW!!!! He'd accumulated so many wins with his two little handlers, that he won BEST IN SHOW!! This completely redeemed the day for Ella as she also got to "win" twice, just like her brother :) And just what did Bridger win for his Best in Show?? An hour 4 wheeling safari along the Nile in Jinja!! Oh yeah! Needless to say, the dear dog is giving it to US!! Yay Bridge!

The stunned and happy H's gathering their things to go, after a fun and happy day at the Dog Show! Madea's tail is even up!

Home a month already?

Wow! It’s hard to believe that we’ve been home a month now. We had a lot of fun in Montana but, well, it’s just good to be home and back to real life. I at least have adjusted QUICKLY to our new home (we moved into it one week before we left for Montana!). I love it out here. Fewer people, hardly any cars, and OPEN SPACE to run my Pack. I do not have to worry about the kids riding their bikes and getting hit by a car and they can actually play out of the compound by themselves – a first! The area is still very much developing and there is construction and houses going up everywhere. There’s a sense of camaraderie amongst those of us who are actually living out here.

I wondered how we’d adjust from living in the States, with 24/7 power, high speed internet, a finished house with CARPETING, hot showers, a washer and dryer, and a fridge AND freezer full of preserved foods and yummy snacks, to an unfinished, concrete house with no screens, no electricity, no hot water (hello bucket baths!), no washer or dryer, and no refrigerator or snacks. For me its been no problem AT ALL. In fact, one month later and I haven’t made any moves to get the vents screened in or the roof finished. Ha! I’m one that gets used to things fast so in ten years the house may still look much the same…. Just kidding!
I took my first hot shower Tuesday at the swimming pool, and realized that it was the first I'd had since leaving the U.S a month ago. I guess I haven't been missing them too much!

The kids had a slightly harder time adjusting. I’m not sure if it was to the house but more to our way of life again. After being spoiled in Montana for 4.5 months it was a bit of an adjustment to be treated like normal kids again! And doing what you’re told… ;)

We are finding our groove in school though. This year I have two kids in school, instead of just one, and we’re figuring out how to make it all work. I’ve had a LOT of things to catch up on at work and have had to work some extra hours, so trying to find a healthy pattern of working 30+ hours a week and doing school with a 2nd Grader and Kindergartener, took a bit of experimenting. But, I think we’re finding our groove!

Ella is doing some sort of “pre” 2nd Grade work, before the beginning of the Ugandan school year in February. She’s half way done with 2nd Grade Hooked on Phonics, over ¼ of the way through with Hooked on Spelling (1st and 2nd Grade), and started 1st Grade Math. I just didn’t have enough hours in the day last year to work in that fifth subject! By the time we start her 2nd Grade curriculum in January she should be well prepared. She’s learning to do her work independently of me, and some of it during the day while I’m at work. Yay!

Frankie got started reading over the summer (!) and is almost half way through his Kindergarten Hooked on Phonics. In my mind, reading is WAY over half the battle, so I feel like he’s ahead and the pressure is off. He’s a keen observer of Ella’s math (Math U See) and because I taught 1st grade last year with Ella, I know our curriculum and what he needs to know to be prepared for that, come next September. I’m taking it easy on him though (no writing yet), because he is still very young. He turns five in a few weeks.

As can be imagined, after being gone from work for so long and coming home at the end of the financial year, work has been pretty hectic! We are starting some work that has never been done in our branch before (finishing a New Testament and all that is involved in that!), so there is a lot of learning and educated guessing involved when it comes to the planning, budgeting and coordinating for it. My job as translation coordinator is to make everybody happy and stay on the same page – the funders, the consultants, the translators (16 of them!), and my bosses. Ack! Just imagine the disaster that can be when you throw a jerk in the mix! I really do love my work though, and there have been some VERY good changes in leadership in the last year. I’m cautiously optimistic! It helps SO much that my opinion is being considered and respected now. Because after all… this ain’t my first rodeo, folks ;)

So, we’re glad to be home. On one hand I haven’t gotten ANYTHING accomplished – I haven't taken Ella to the orthodontist, I haven't voted, no screens nor countless other building projects have been done, or even finished unpacking the house (!). But I HAVE gotten guinea pigs (fulfilling a vow I made to myself ;), AM getting things squared away at work, AND have gotten the kids through a good amount of school. We’ve also explored our neighborhood and are well on our way to getting our Pack balanced again! The kids started swimming lessons again, too : )

And then there were FOUR!

Nope, we haven't added another human to our family, through adoption OR marriage. Instead we have finally gotten our long awaited for GUINEA PIGS!!! FOUR of them, to be exact!

I've been wanting guinea pigs for my kids (and myself ;) for YEARS. Ever since I brought Ella home 4.5 years ago I KNEW that she needed a guinea pig. Then Frankie came home 19 months later and I REALLY knew that we needed some pigs! Instead, we had my infamous hedgehogs from South Sudan, which also make good pets - but not exactly for little children. Not quite as cuddly, you know!

Several years ago I read in the agriculture section of the newspaper that people were raising guinea pigs (for meat of course) in Arua. Arua is clear in the north west part of the country, more than 300 miles away, so it's not a place that we go to a lot. In fact, the last time we were there was Christmas 2008! But I took that bit of information and tucked it in my head, for a rainy day.

Fast forward four years. During our time in the States this summer my sister brought her guinea pigs from Oregon for the kids to play with. Our family goes way back with guinea pigs, as my sisters and I had them when we were youngsters growing up in Wyoming. We could always be found with a guinea pig in a bag strapped to our bike handles, hanging off a saddle horn on our horse, or floating down our canal in a boat. My oldest sister regularly smuggled her pig into church. Where there was an H girl there was a guinea pig! Throughout their high school and college years my sisters ALWAYS had a couple of guinea pigs who would inadvertently be left now and again at the Bridger Homestead for their little sister to care for. In fact, my Mom even had a guinea pig whose cage sat on the kitchen counter and she flipped scraps too. So to say that guinea pigs are in our blood would be an understatement!

After this summer I knew that I needed to get serious about properly providing for my children, and get them some guinea pigs. The time had come! In preparation I bought a small fold up dog crate and water bowls in order to make a secure guinea pig habitat, knowing that The Pack would be more than thrilled with the idea of guinea pigs too! I hauled my guinea pig crap all the way from Montana - how's that for dedication and planning?!!

I didn't know how long it would take for me to actually acquire some piggies from Arua, or if they were still even raising them there. Our faithful gardener and day guard, Solomon, is from Arua and I knew that he would probably be heading back sometime this year, for a visit. I had hoped that by Christmas my kids would have some. Imagine my delight when shortly after our return, Solomon asked for a weeks leave to go to Arua to see his mother!!!! YIPEEE!!!!! After showing him a picture of my sisters guinea pigs so he knew exactly what he was going after, he agreed to get a couple breeding pairs for us. I could not believe our luck! Home less than two weeks and we were getting guinea pigs!!!

So, without further adue, meet our guinea pigs!

Two boars and two sows

The young boars, Spunky (L) and Pilot (R)

Little Tinker Bell, the tiniest baby!

Lilac (AKA Mama Pig), Pilot, Tinker Bell and Spunky. Lilac has had little ones before but these are not her babies.

It's important for guinea pigs to be read to

Frankie givin' some lovin' to Lilac

Literacy is important for guinea pigs, too!

Our awesome, imported cage, complete with a Pigloo! That the guinea pigs all like to sit on...

One HAPPY guinea pig owner!

This Tonka truck has carried hedgehogs, puppies, kittens and bunnies so of course L'd plunk a guinea pig in there!

The Pack was definitely trailing!

You go, girlfriend Lilac!

Pilot loves him a little munch. Him and Lilac were at a restaurant. They are Vegan.

You gonna smoke that, Lilac?

Frank was the cook and Ella, Bridger, and the guinea pigs were the customers

Frank plunked this down and said, "Here's your chicken soup!" Ha ha!!! Sure enough! A plastic chicken in a pot of water. Of course!

These pigs have nice wheels!

This is the first time that I've had guinea pigs of my own as an adult and I must say, I'm really enjoying them! They LOVE all types of fruits and veggies and squeak LOUDLY whenever they hear us come through the door, rustle a plastic bag, or when we walk outside by the window! They are so cute and personable and don't hide in their Pigloo all day like they did at first. Real little characters, these pigs!