Garden City Show, June 25 and 26

I haven't had time to do my blog, not because there was nothing to say, but because there was so much going on. My friend Susan and I did a booth at the Victoria Pet Expo a week and a half ago and I can modestly say that our booth was by far the most popular. I'll bet the kittens on display had nothing to do with it!!! What a contrast our cage with Ragdoll kittens and Susan's with pretty much the opposite with Abysinnian kittens and a Somali. We were promoting our upcoming show on June 25 and 26th. Corky and I are the Show Managers again for the 10th year and it does take a lot of time and effort to pull off successfully. Can't say I will be sorry when it is over again for another 6 months. Be sure and stop by. I will likely be very busy, so don't think I am being snobbish if I don't have a lot of time to talk. Under the serene exterior of the show, there are always hosts of little forest fires going on all over the hall. We have 12 Vendors and a full hall of cats and kittens with International Judges. It will be the first time for the Georgia Peach, Kim Tomlin to do our show. We plan on showing her a good time. We will be doing a buffet and tour of the Butchart Gardens on Sat. night. We have done it before and I never tire of the magical evening. I always think that I would likely rather go my room and put my feet up with a good glass of wine, but as soon as we go through the gates at the Gardens, my spirits lift and everything becomes very serene.
We missed the first two shows of the season as my only brother Big Bob had a stroke and is not doing that well, so I want to spend more time with him this year.
Happily Yukon got his International Win, which in the International Cat Show circles is a really neat achievement. Only 50 cats out of the thousands showing get an International win. Burgunday, Bonzai and Yukon also have a bunch of Regional wins and awards coming at the Regional banquet and show in August, so things in the cat end of things are going well. We've met a lot of neat people lately looking for kittens. You get to meet some of the nicest people in what we do. Grand kids are all doing well and 3 of them will be cleaning cages at the show this weekend. We would not be able to do the show without the help of my kids and Grand kids. Donnie will be putting up signs on Friday night and Serena will be helping all weekend where ever help is needed.
We are also getting fencing around our 10 acre parcel in Skutz Falls in Lake Cowichan, so besides working with the farm stock and cat and dog stuff we are pretty busy. Look forward to meeting and greeting all our friends in the next few months. Wish us luck with the show.

Back home again "for now"

Back home from the trip to the Calgary show where Yukon and Ambrose and Acacia did very well. Best in Shows for Yukon, Ambrose and Acacia which was pretty good for Acacia's first show. Hard for the girls to show against the big boys like Ambrose. The best part of the trip was getting to hang with Jassenia, my one and only Grand daughter (have 6 Grand sons) at the show and the hotel. Got to visit with Sherean and the family (Rownan and Rueben as well as Jassenia. Corky, being the great guy he is, drove home with the kittens while I spent some time seeing Tina, Zach and Ty in Lethbridge. Got to see Zach and Ty playing their Junior triple A hockey and then see Tina working with her 2 new Performance mares, Fancy and Seven. Got to get Zach and Ty together with Jassenia and Rowan for a visit in Calgary and then did the Zoo with Zach and Ty. All in all, a really good time. Had a fabulous meal with Sherean and family.
I left from Calgary in the early hours to fly to the show in Conneticut which was the last 3 day show of the Season. Yukon made quite an impression on the East Coast Breeders who were all really nice and it was great to put faces to names. Yukon was the 2nd Best Cat in the Show and he once again managed several Best in Shows which put him in to the International Winners Circle. He didn't miss having to show against Burgundy, but I was not going to fly with 2 cats under the seat for 10 or more hours.
Home again with lots to catch up on and preparing for our June Show in Sidney and deciding if we can get away for the Tukwila Titlist show.
LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE CANUCKS!!!! YEAHHHHHH!

On the Road Again

Corky and Marilyn are on our way to Calgary for a show where we will get to meet all our cat show friends, many of whom have not seen Corky for awhile. We also get to visit with 4 of my Grandchildren and their families which is a real bonus. Jassenia the oldest of 7 Grandchildren and the only girl will be stewarding at the Calgary show and hanging with Grandma and Grandpa at the hotel.
Corky will be driving home from Calgary, but Marilyn will be visiting with the family and then heading to a show in Conneticut on April 28th and coming back on May 4th. I will be checking emails while on the road, so please send us an email to stay in touch. I tried downloading pictures of kittens that will be available from the end of April, but not sure if I will be able to activate the thing as it doesn't seem to be working on my home computer. It is called a Passport or something and has my files on it according to the fellow from the computer repair, but typically, I can't seem to make it work. Maybe it needs a drive in the truck first to be ready to open its' secrets. If, for some reason it does not work, we have some lovely blue and seal bicolor male and female kittens coming up as well as some cute as a button blue and seal mitted males and females. Kitten pictures on the site accurately reflect the type of kittens available as they will be brothers/sisters or cousins to the ones on the web site. As everyone knows, we guarantee our kittens for 3 years and they come from DNA negative HCM and PKD mums and dads.
We will have more news when we get home and I will post while I am on the road if there is anything really exciting to pass on. Take care everyone, Marilyn and Corky

After CF of BC show

Back home from the CF of BC show in Vancouver. 3 days and 18 Rings. Once again, the show went well for our cats with some good placings, Best and Second Bests in very tough competition.
Everyone was very sad about the recent events in Christchurch and in Japan. We had a Japanese judge at the show which brought things home. We had a minute of silence for all the victims of these tragic events.
I am very happy to have Corky home and he had many stories about happenings in NZ. Children texting their homes from under the rubble, a gentleman who left for town but has not come back yet. So many heart wrenching events which will be multiplied in Japan. Our hearts go out to everyone affected.
I had my Grandson Colby with me, helping with the show, and my friend and neighbour Susan Marshall was the show manager with her foot in a cast and in a wheelchair. She had her 2 daughters Tiffany and Kristina also helping with the show.
We are planning our Garden City Show on June 25 and 26th and would welcome any one who would like to volunteer and participate. We are hoping to revive our magical evening with a buffet meal and tour at Butchart Gardens on Saturday night after the show. We have a lot to be thankful for. Take care everyone. Marilyn www.ragdollkittens.ca

Before the Storm

They are predicting a big wind storm tomoorrow, so thought I would get a note off before we lose our power and go off line.
We had a great show at Ferndale with Best In Shows and both boys did well.
Corky is in New Zealand (Christchurch) where he is visiting family for two weeks. His family is pretty much ok although some inlaws did have their houses collapse. I am sure Corky will be a great help while he is there.
Our Garden City Club members seem to be having some interesting times. Susan Marshall had a big butcher knife flip up and slice the tendons on the top of her foot. She apparently is doing ok.
With the past snow storm while heading in to the Collision garage to pick up our 1 Ton truck that had suffered a rat attack, a big branch came through the back window of our little car and I got some bumps and bruises but all is well.
I'm off to take care of the farm stuff before it gets dark, so if we lose our power, people will have some idea of what is going on around here. Wish all the best for everyone with our challenging weather. Beats an earthquake, though. Take care everyone.

After Portland and before Ferndale

Marilyn is back from the Portland show that highlighted a huge number of entries. SGC Ragalong Burgundy was lucky enough to snag a BEST CAT in heavy competition along with a 2nd Best and several other finals. RW SGC Ragalong Yukon Gold also took his share of finals home. It is tough bringing your own competition, but both cats are just too good to leave at home. It was unfortunate that after such a great show, the Portland show crew suffered a bad accident on their way home when a drunk driver literally ran into the back and right on inside their show trailer which contained all the club's show supplies. Thank goodness there were no injuries.
Marilyn is getting ready to go to a show in Ferndale Washington at their new location on Feb. 11th.
Corky is headed to New Zealand for 2 weeks on the 24th of February, so Marilyn will be super busy for those 2 weeks.
All the family is doing well. Grand kids are all coming along well and Zach and Ty in Alberta are burning up the hockey rinks. My daughter Serena's kids, Jaden, Colby and Dusty are busy with Rugby, much to Grandpa's delight. Jaden will accompany Marilyn to the Ferndale show. We always have fun together.
My poor daughter Sherean and her family are currently under tons of snow in Strathmore, Alberta. The kids won't be able to move around too much.
So, no complaints from this end and I hope everyone is having a great year so far.

Christmas is a comin' and we are not ready!!!!!

By now, most years we would have our Christmas cards done and out, "some" baking done and a tree up. So far this year, what with shows in Calgary, Kelowna, Vancouver and then managing our show on Nov. 27 and 28th followed closely by a show in Tukwilla, I have not done "anything" yet!!!! The show in Tukwilla went well with Burgundy taking many finals up to and including a Best In Show. Yukon grabbed a couple and our new kitten protoge Ragalong Sir Ivanhoe also got a few. It's tough bringing your own competition to a show with Yukon and Burgundy, but they are both so nice, I can't leave one behind.
Because things have been so hectic, I wanted to use this time and space to wish all our wonderful Ragalong Kitten Owners and Graymar Great Pyrenee Puppy owners a wonderful Christmas wish and a Happy New Year's and let you all know that just because I have not got to the card thing yet, we are thinking about you all and appreciate, greatly, all the wonderful pictures and updates. Just got a warm and fuzzy email from Powell River with 2 wonderful warm fuzzies cuddled up together that warmed my heart.
We are going to the Chemainus Dinner Theater with my daughter and her family tomorrow night and staying over til Friday, so that just might be our Christmas fling. We are having Christmas dinner at Serena's so I may never get a tree up or baking done. Thank God for Kelly Hayton who brought absolutely fabulous baking to the Tukwilla show. Christmas cupcakes complete with red and green butterflies. I bought a bunch, so might have to settle for those for my Christmas offerings. Thank you Kelly for your wonderful creations!!!!
My oldest daughter Tina has bought herself a house for Christmas, so they are going to have a wonderful time breaking in their new home. We want to take a flight in the New Year to go and see Zach and Ty playing their hockey. They are burning up the ice apparently. Sherean, our middle daughter and her family Rueben, Jassenia and Rownan are busy getting their home ready to sell so they can buy a farm in the Golden area. She has created a Garden of Eden out of dry prairie turf. Anyone who gets their place will love what Sherean and Rueben have created.
Corky has been busy holding the fort while I have been getting our boys out to the shows. For Christmas he is getting a trip to New Zealand at the end of February to see his family for a couple of weeks.
All the warm fuzzies are well and Daisy has a wonderful litter of nine fat, fluffy Pyrenees puppies and everyone knows, "nothing" is cuter than a Pyrenees pup, so we get to play with them every day.
Just in case I don't get time to get back before Christmas, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone.