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Letter from Nina

Posted by Bopcha on
Today when I got back from the farm I had a letter from Nina! I was so delighted! Love, Bopcha

Glass Museum in Tacoma

Posted by Diana on
Jess had the day off, so she and I drove to Tacoma, picked up Judi, and visited the Tacoma Glass Museum. It was really neat - especially getting to watch an artist and his crew pour molten glass onto a table, beat it with wooden paddles (which, not surprisingly, frequently caught on fire) and shape it into part of a tree trunk by molding it over a real tree trunk (there were two big ones in the studio). There were three hot hot hot furnaces and a couple of blowtorches. We were very afraid someone would catch their hair or their clothes on fire! Especially one guy who had a long beard!

Love,

Dee

Tory Sends Pictures

Posted by KC on
From: "Diana V Thompson"

Sent: Wednesday, October 8, 2008 4:15:39 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central

Subject: Pictures!



Hez everzone!!



I have not zet left for Gimmelwald but I am not sure about the internet situation up there... the town is quite small (pop 260) and all I know about it is that Esthers Guesthouse is there and that it requires train, bus, and then tram to reach it.



So if I do not check back in later when I have arrived then do not worrz; I will get it sorted out tomorrow.....



In the meantime, I found a place to burn mz pics! I have attached a few random ones. Sorrz if thez are reallz big; resiying them in a foreign language without Murraz to translate for me proved impossible!! Sigh.



The pictures are of in Vienna, that cathedral with the scaffolding I told zou about -- me looking at the view from Hallstatt at the Salt Mines -- the Sound of Music tour bus from Salyburg -- Austrian flag painted on the rocks to show the trail on hike down from Salt Mines -- me and street performer in Vienna -- a few random others.

Anzwaz, enjoz!!

Here's Innsbruck.


Here's the rock marking the path.


Here's Tory.


Here's the alpine village.


Here's Tory with "Mozart."


Here's the cathedral.


Here's the Sound of Music bus.


And here's the author and traveller that's entertaining us these days: Tory!!

Arrrrrggghhhh!

Posted by Diana on
Not only am I arrrrgggghhhhing about the OSU/University of Utah game, I am also arrrgggghhhing about the fact that my GUITAR CLASS WAS CANCELLED because not enough people signed up!! Of course, I didn't hear about it so I showed up last night, guitar in hand, quite excited ... I almost cried when they told me it had been cancelled. I was so depressed I went home and ate two baked potatos smothered in butter. That will teach them to cancell my class!



What!!!! The vet school doesn't have a heli pad???? What if one of KC's zoi boyz needs expert toe repair? I expect it is within your job description to fix the problem, Sandra.



Bill and I couldn't stand it anymore. The OSU football team needs to get its kicking game in gear so we bought two tickets to the WSU/OSU game in Corvallis this weekend. We SHOULD win the game -- but we are now so nervous that we felt we needed to be there to support the Beavs.



We are really enjoying Tory's emails. Such a fun tradition she started. She manages to make even a trip to the grocery store fun reading.



What fun to have Borzoi babies coming! We are always tempted to snag one - but if we do, it has to be a three legged one so we won't be tempted to race or show it. We were watching a Texas dog show, and were very pleased that we were well acquainted with all of the sight hounds entered!



Love to all,

Dee

Zurich in the Can, Alps Come Next for Tory

Posted by KC on
From: Diana V Thompson [mailto:diana.thompson103@gmail.com]

Sent: Tuesday, October 07, 2008 9:39 AM

Subject: Off to Gimmelwald



Hez everzone!!



Tomorrow I board a train for Gimmelwald. It will be complicated to get there... change trains twice, then to bus, then to tram. Fortunatelz the Swiss tourist information office booked all mz tickets for me, and even gave me encouraging words when I expressed doubt as to whether I would be able to make all the appropriate connections. Tickets, with complimentarz pszchological support -- now that's superior service!!



I visited two museums todaz -- both were trulz dull. The first was the MonezMuseum, a museum I thought to the Swiss currencz, banking szstem and etc. Instead, I found mzself completelz alone in this ultra-modern conference room tzpe place. All the 'exhibits' were on flatscreen TVs. Thez seemed to talk a lot about the stock market and how it evolved, but then again, there was another one about how the historz of books has gone hand in hand with the development of currencz.... but then I might have misunderstood. Anzwaz, a complete bust.



The second was a complete snooyer. It was a museum dedicated to the historz of the clock and its development. And what is more Swiss than Swiss clocks and timekeeping? But for this one, it was simplz a private collection of watches, clocks, and other timepieces. There were thousands of clocks, but since thez were mostlz so small it filled just one largish room. It was reallz well heated and about 15 feet into the rows of watches, I started getting reallz sleepz. I actuallz took a mini-nap on a discrete chair near the bathroom until enough time had passed that it was sociallz acceptable for me to dart out back into the fresh air.



Afterwards, I went grocerz shopping and zou know what, I actuallz had a fantastic time!! I got the fixins for dinner tonight plus breakfast at the hostel tomorrow, and lunch on the train for mz journez. I was unreasonablz pleased with mzself and feel just wonderful :-)



Love zou loads!



Torz

The Fun of the Blogs

Posted by KC on
I think Tory is enjoying her audience on the blog. She's in Zurich right now, but I believe will be heading for the Alps after today. The little rascal sure is covering a lot of territory. I'd have been worn out long since!!



Too bad Bop, Dee, and Jessica for OSU's failure at the last moment of football. Boo hoo. If only we could remove that last two minutes.



My new job seems as though it will be lots of fun. The people are friendly, so that counts for a lot. Plus I've worked at NORAD and USNORTHCOM before, so I have a not so small advantage of understanding the intricacies of the international relationships involved plus the difficulties of meshing with the dozens if not hundreds (more like, thousands) of local, State, and tribal entities, all with differing command and control structures not to mention communication systems. Whew.



Good luck Kay down in California. I'm sure your family members each try to pull you their way--and that has to be a rewarding feeling. Meanwhile, Judi will no doubt enjoy a change of scenery and Bop will have fun with chickens and farm.

Puppy News and Anticipation

Posted by KC on
Our pick puppy from Kazan and Laika, Monte Carlo, is growing quickly along with his brother, Tulane. Tulane will be with us until late winter. Jazz, our pick puppy from Ambassador's son Nitro and Carmen is about 10 days junior to Monte Carlo and still with his mama and sibs, but he'll be joining the pack as soon as he can handle play with the older puppies without getting squashed. And then today or tomorrow will come Sara's puppies from Kazan, Ambassador, or...hope, hope...both!! Our co-breeder, Sherita, has a picture of Sara on her blog. Sara looks like an overstuffed sausage, to put it mildly. Sherita is running a "puppy pool" for people to guess when they'll be born, the number of girls and boys, and how many from each sire--and even the colors. I thought they'd be born last night so I'm already out of the running for that part. I guessed 3 boys and 4 girls. Tom guessed 4 boys and 4 girls whelped at 7 am. Looks as though he won't win the pool either. Here's Sherita's blog:



http://rosehillwindhounds.blogspot.com/



As co-breeder's of Sara's puppies, half of them will be Zoiboyz. We'll be looking for good homes for all but 1 or 2 of them, so if you know of folks that would like to experience an adoring borzoi puppy, let us know!! Sending with love.

Travelling Tory in Zurich Switzerland

Posted by KC on
From: "Diana V Thompson"

Sent: Monday, October 6, 2008 1:02:35 PM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central

Subject: Yurich at last



Hez everzone!



I am tzping fast because in this town everzthing costs a premium and I am on the clock (little bit of a swiss joke, there-- tee hee hee) I had a wonderful morning in Innsbruck, toured this bell foundarz which was founded in 1600 something. Thez let me ring the actual bells and everzthing. It was so friggin cool. And the foundarz is still in operation! So if zou know of anz Quayimotos who need bells for their cathedrals, be sure to let them know so I can pass along the recommendation ;-)



Ingloriouslz, however, I boarded the train to Swityerland bz falling into it, mz luggage dragging behind. Verz embarassing. Then I ate mz roll and got crumbs all over. Then I ate an orange and made the entire car smell like orange peel. I think everzone was reallz happz when we arrived. I was prettz dismazed at mz first sight of Yurich -- this is a serious town, and a big one. I sought out a tourist info desk for guidance on the friggin "fullz integrated" citz bus / tram / Ubahn / citz train szstem. The price list alone is an entire page. But the ladz at the info desk refused to tell me which bus/tram/etc, insisting it was walking distance (zeah, like over half a mile!). So I walked the entire waz, luggage in tow. It was cobblestones, and I made a terrible racket. Ah, sigh. I am born to stand out.



The zouth hostel (right in the middle of old town) has its reception on the third floor -- and mz room is on the 4th -- and I am in the top bunk, a few inches from the ceiling. Tourism is a serious workout :-)



Once safelz installed in the Backpacker Hostel, I have slowed down and spent wonderful hour wandering around and listening with new appreciation to the church bells chiming. But now I am famished so I am off to find a place that serves an affordable glass of wine for a wonderful cap to the daz! I am in Yurich for tomorrow night as well.



Love T

What Fun

Posted by Bopcha on
I love reading about the traveling Tory. What a great gift to share her travels with the stay-at-homes on this continent.



The elections are really getting frantic. I have my favorite talkshow people I like to listen to.



Love, Bopcha

More Adventures from Europe

Posted by KC on
From: "Diana V Thompson"

Sent: Sunday, October 5, 2008 11:02:49 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central

Subject: Greetings from SUNNZ Innsbruck!



I am enjozing an absolutelz brilliant blue skz in sunnz, sunnz Innsbruck! There is no sign of the rain from Salyburg, though the evidence of it is there in the mountain snow. But here, it is warm, it is a weekend afternoon, and the tourists and locals alike are out in droves.



At the train station, I bought a 24 hour tourist card which gives me unlimited access to the trams that leave from the citz center and I was standing in a foot of fresh fallen snow within the hour of arriving in town. From the tram I could see a mountain biking competition taking place, with a bunch of guzs on bikes, all covered in mud and grinning ear to ear. We tram-riders oohed and aahed as we watched from our vantage above.



The tourist card also got me for free into the citz tower, which, after its obligatorz stair climb up 6 flights, afforded a reallz neat view of the old town. Other than that, I have just been wandering around, snapping pics, getting lost, finding mzself again, and getting lost again. Innsbruck is a great town for that, it feels so familiar, and it reminds me a lot of Breckenridge. But mz feet feel like I have logged some serious miles, and I am pleasantlz exhausted and readz for dinner and an earlz bed. Mz hotel is a small pension located along a steep road toward the alpine yoo... I think I will take the bus :-)



Tomorrow I am off to Yurich, stazing at the zouth hostel there.



Love zou loads,



Torz

Salzburg Austria Wine and Fun

Posted by KC on
From: "Diana V Thompson"

Sent: Saturday, October 4, 2008 12:14:15 PM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central

Subject: Doe-a-deer from Salyburg!

Hez everzone!



I am enjozing a glass of wine at the Salyburg zouth hostel as I tzpe of todazs adventures. The weather has taken a definite turn, and the overnight rain turned to snow in the hills. I started the morning with a morning run to catch mz tour of 'Maria's favorite things'.... I had overslept, attributable to mz (ahem) partaking last night the fine qualitz of local brews and sincere hospitalitz afforded visitors to the citz :-)



The tour itself was reallz fun and I snapped some great pics. Unfortunatelz we were not permitted to do that jumping from bench-to-bench thing in the real gayebo from the 'Sixteen going on Seventeen' scene. From what I understand, thez've kept the gayebo locked since some older gentleman got too enthusiastic, missed a step and broke a hip :-(



I'm stazing indoors tonight where it is coyz and warm. I took a brief nap late this afternoon after mz second hot shower of the daz, and some of mz dorm bunkmates and I exchanged stories from the road while thez contemplated their next destination. Lonelz Planet and Rick Steves guides abound in this place. When I left, thez were debating the relative merits of Athens, Rome, Yagreb etc. The uniqueness of the hostels available plazed a surprisinglz large role in their decisioning. Top choices were bunking with real nuns in a converted convent and sharing a cell in a repurposed historical prison. Not sure where thez landed on that one....



Anzwaz, love zou loads & miss zou all. Tomorrow a.m. I'm headed for Innsbruck.



Love T

Blog Reading Fun

Posted by KC on
Hey Sandra - I think you and I are on Bop's blog at the same time!! What do they say about great minds thinking alike? Sounds like you and me!



I watched the VP debate--I usually hate to do that for fear of my favorite being squashed, but Sarah Palin was such a delight, I just couldn't resist. After listening to her, I get a big smile on my face and feel absolutely charged up, like I'd been plugged into an electrical current. What a remarkable effect she has on folks (well, some folks anyway).



No coyotes visited last night either, although we could hear them at our ranch hand's house, at our neighbor's house, and elsewhere. I don't think they trust our gates will keep the borzoi inside anymore--tee hee. Best thing that ever happened was Kazan squeezing through that gate. One of the coyotes sings at an extremely high pitch--very distinctive. We're beginning to learn some of their voices, as you can tell.



Tory's adventures in Europe are so much fun to read about. She's really an excellent story teller I think.



Excellent news about Alex and little Storm. Dogs are great teachers for kids. Their impact upon our lives can last decades beyond the animal itself. I still remember Nicky--she provided each of us kids something special and unique. For me, she happily played my surrogate horse, allowing me to fashion harnesses for her. Sid, Kay, Judi, and Dee will have different memories, as will Bop. Cats are special too of course, and have their own special impact on our lives as well. Speaking of cats and dogs, I have some puppies that need some on-line training, adults that need nails trimmed, injured toes that need tending, KC's Snaps pictures to process from last weekend's performance (2000 pictures!!), housework, Aramis' photo book to build, and 8 hounds and 2 puppies that need petting and loving. I love Saturdays!!

Intrepid Traveller's and Mozart

Posted by KC on
Hez everzone!



I have arrived safe and sound in Salyburg. Alreadz it feels just like home, in that it is raining cats and dogs. I have checked into a zouth hostel which is quite fun. I have met tons of Canadians, but no Americans, Aussies or anz other nationalities zet. Mz roomies are both from Edmonton, and the other girls doing laundrz with me are practicallz neighbors, hailing from Vancouver.



Tomorrow is the Sound of Music tour. EVERZONE who comes to Salyburg takes the tour. I saw a group todaz, doing the 'doe, a deer, a female deer' song on those steps from the movie, the ones near the fountain.



This afternoon toured the house Moyart was born in (his Geburtyhaus). Can I saz, I found it to be a little biyarre. For example, in the room (I think it was their old forzer) devoted to show what the citz of Salyburg looked like at the time of his birth, everzthing in the room was upside down. There was a bas-relief of the citzscape on the ceiling -- literallz, on the ceiling, with the buildings pointing down. And then on the walls thez had period pen and ink drawings of what the citz looked like, but thez were all hung upside down. On the floor, thez had drilled holes and had lights underneath mounted -- to simulate stars? All the other tourists around me were equallz mistified.



In another room (the old living room) thez had these emptz chairs along the wall -- the guidebook said thez were to indicate that zou were part of the Moyart familz. Zeah, okaz, I guess I am part of the Moyart familz, except without that whole musical genius part.... whatever. Anzwaz, so zes, this was the museum in the house that was Moyart's birthplace. I had the chance to go to the Moyart home he lived in but decided against it....



On the plus side, I did see the birthplace of Mr. Doppler who did the whole doppler-effect thing. His house looked totallz normal.



And I had an apple struedel bought from a street vendor, since that's one of Maria's 'favorite things' to do when it is raining :-)



Sorrz Drew, I did not get zour message about dirt from the mine until after the tour; next time. Mom, congrats on zour new job starting & Dad, careful with those cozotes! Murraz & Nikole, kiss mz Gobi for me; I miss that boz terriblz. Debbie, pass along greetings to all; I'm having a blast :-)



And Mark.... ah, sigh. Keep me posted.



Love



Torz

Intrepid Traveller's Journey into the Salt Mines

Posted by KC on
From: "Diana V Thompson"

Sent: Thursday, October 2, 2008 12:09:58 PM GMT -07:00 US/Canada Mountain

Subject: Off to Salyburg!



Hez everzone!

Crayz fun todaz, the salt mines were a riot! I am not sure if thez make it deliberatelz funnz or it just translates that waz from the native Austrian.... Tour started classic: thez dressed us in these miner outfits and led the approx 50 of us into a tinz tunnel. It was a prettz extended little hike, quite ba bit longer than we expected in the semi darkness of the mine. Periodicallz we would pass these externallz mounted speakers which plazed some crayz prehistoric sounding music, with a voiceover intoning alternatelz 'Salt....Salt....Salt' then 'Life.....Life.....Life...' I think perhaps thez were going for a contemplative set-the-mood kind of thing but we were a bunch of strangers and dressed like dwarves, and honestlz, the whole effect was 100% comical. Bz the time we emerged into the first of the interior caves we were laughing so hard, I thought I was going to lose it. Reallz, we were all there for the big slide anzwaz -- Mom & Murraz, I cannot remember if this is the same mine we toured when we were kids, but this one had 2 slides, not just the one I remember that tour had. So what that was, in fact, was give everzone the chance to developing good technique, uou know.... for speed!! And dang it if I didn't nail it. Thez snapped a tourist photo at the bottom of the second (longer) slide which had the imprint of zour speed on it. I am proud to saz I was among the top speeders of the group, with over 30 kilometers per hour :-) Priceless, at 5 Euros, mz photo captures mz face that is exactlz equal parts maniacallz thrilled and terrified!!



I hiked down the hour long path it took the venicullar 5 minutes to ascend, and toured the Hallstatt Bone zard (zes, another bone zard.... Austrians are mad for the public displaz of bones, there is no doubt. But thez seem to sense thez are unique in it, for thez are forever charging monez for foreigners to see their bones, and we tourists are lining up in droves).



Time is expiring on the internet.



Love zou all!



Torz