Home is where the heart is

I've been home for a week now, hard to believe.

Friday I took my final, I did so well & was just entirely happy to be done.

I sold my car that afternoon.

Saturday morning I went down & got a new car. I drive the one home I wanted from the start :)

Sunday & Monday were primarily to relax even though both of those were filled with work.

Tuesday I went down to county fair. I went all day Wednesday to help out. I even got to pick Best in Show. I skipped Thursday, I had to get other things done. I went all day friday and half of Saturday. Through this week I discovered that I am getting old, that just two years away from fair is too much and I needed conditioning! I surely missed it though but had such good times :)

Saturday I did some judging stuff. Today I used what I learned and went through my litters again. I started with 10, ended up with 3. 2 broken does from Briana and 1 solid doe from Madonna.

Rylee is doing good with her litter. Finally out of the box and active.

Melinda! I put her box in on the 18th, rather late as she was due the 19th. She never attempted to nest, pull fur, no blood or placenta. She is on a 3rd level cage, so I never checked up on her because I simply thought she missed. I'm willing to admit that, everyone makes mistakes.
I went to remove her box today AND.... she has 2 babies. A solid and a broken. Since I never bumped her feed up, they are rather small/weak, but I'm hoping now that I know that they are there, they will get a good feeding tonight and start improving. I'd hate to lose them.

It's odd for Melinda, her only having 2. And not making any attempt at a nest. It has been cooler weather and she is a 5 time great mom, so I'm not sure what's up!

Just doing some show planning and trying to reduce numbers still. I lost my convention transport so I have some animals in need of quicker sale.

That's all I have for now. I will be busy with cleaning the barn(s) and regular life these next few weeks, but I thought I would update!

1.5 weeks left!

Almost done with summer session. Took midterm 2 today, so that leaves me with my final next Friday. I probably won't rush home, but I'm certainly anxious to get back :)

I went home this last weekend. I culled out 13, 4 older juniors and 9 babies. Madonna has 6 of hers, and 4 of Brianna's. Giving Bri a break in hopes of showing her in the near future.

Hank Tank & Grizz are going through some junior uglies. I put them in bottom cages and told myself I wouldn't look at them for 2 weeks (which I can't!)

Rylee is due today. I am quite positive she is waiting for cooler weather, though I am very anxious and nervous for her!

2 seniors leave on Sunday, that will give me a few more holes to work with.

and.... still working on this judging work stuff... I wish superintendents would get back to me, so that is my biggest struggle right now.

I bought 2 silver marten does. I'll pick them up next month.

The website went under a complete overhaul, so did the blog. So you should check it out :)

4 more weeks to freedom!

I passed the first section of Organic Chemistry. It was a brutal 4 weeks.

I celebrated by going HOME and seeing my bunnies! I was able to sell 3, and get a peek at my 19 babies. I have 3 to cull, and will cull all of the bucks of my 19 babies -- because I am SO buck heavy. I don't even want to be tempted with them.

I have a really nice Broken Junior buck for sale out of Melinda :)

I bred Melinda to Dominic. I really wanted her to be bred to Dream Maker before he leaves, but he just would not breed! Oh well.

I am in the process of deciding on who I want to work with, and figuring out what shows they will be at and what shows I can attend. So far, it looks like I could finish around Feb 2011. It would also only involve going to California 3 times.... lol

I have 4 more weeks of school. I'm already stressed out just 2 days into it, but I hope that it goes well :D

and....

I passed my ARBA judges test :)

The Homestretch Rant / Rave

Just one week of O-Chem 1 left. 3 days of lecture, review & final on Friday morning. I'm doing reasonably well... I'm certainly not going to get an A, but I have met my minimum goal, and with this series, that's all I can hope for!

Tomorrow I am headed to a friends to relax and register some rabbits.

Sunday morning I am headed to a nice breeder's barn to register some more rabbits.

All 19 of my babies are still alive and doing well in the heat. It really makes me happy when I have big thriving litters, but at the same time its stressful worrying about them and always having to worry about cage space and feed bills. There will be lots of culling going on, sad, but it has to happen for the improvement of the herd. Some people do not understand this logic. There is a difference between successful culling & regular culling, and culling successfully takes you a lot farther in the rabbit hobby these days.

My last rave is, if you haven't looked at the May/June issue of Domestic Rabbits yet, DO SO. It's more than excellent & improved.

The above are my raves.

Now for my rants.

For those of you who are wondering, no, I do not know the results of my judges test yet. I do know, from a breeder who called the office, that they did not pass, and that only one of the five applicants passed. That increases my chances to 25%, but I honestly don't think I passed, especially after hearing about the politics of the oral examination. For any of you considering to be registrars or future judges, I warn you... don't do it unless you are 100% dedicated and serious about it.

I have heard a LOT of youth say that they want to get their registrar's license, and I have heard a lot of the reasons being for the title and or to register their own rabbits. That is NOT a reason to become a registrar or judge and you will fail if you have that outlook on it.

It is something you something you earn and achieve because you deserve it.

I have also heard a lot of people say "Oh just re-take it" next time will be a piece of cake.

This is probably my biggest pet-peeve. One, it's expensive to retake it. Sure the re-take fee is only $50. But since our states are so large, arranging an exam and TRAVELING to the exam is expensive. It has been the theme that these are done at state conventions. The next one isn't until next year, and you must wait at least 6 months to retake it. I could see the earlies re-take being at Frozen Friends if they allow it. I spent a lot of money just to take mine at Ellensburg, and I transported to offset the costs of it. Two, it won't be a piece of cake the next time you take it. You get a different exam each time. They are equally as hard. Just because you pass one the first time, doesn't mean you will pass it the next. Who knows, the next time you could fail the oral! and Third, as I found out the hard way, they throw curve-balls at you, and even when you think you can/or have passed, you don't. I don't understand the whole thing still, when I figure it out, I'll let you know.

I do know that, the exams were mailed today. Which means I could hear as early as Wednesday, or as late as next Friday. I am saddened by the delay, and the time it has taken ARBA to get materials mailed back, but I am not going to be a sour member and complain. I can't understand the economy or the lack of hands/people and I respect the organization I belong to. I have heard a lot of members trash the office back in Bloomington because it takes them 4-6 weeks to get a registration back, or 8 weeks to get a membership card. Sorry folks... shit happens. Get used to it.

MY LAST COMMENT:

Voting ballots come out July 15th. Mail them in ASAP. Don't wait until the deadline.

I don't want to stray your decisions, I want you to make an educated vote, read the articles in the DM or see the wonderful website off the ARBA link.

I am voting for Mike Avesing for ARBA President

I am undecided yet on Vice President. I know Joey personally, yet I think Erik is very qualified/has lots of energy & new ideas to fullfill the position.

For District one, undoubtedly I hope that you vote for Roger Hassenpflug. I sure hope I don't have to explain that one.

That's all I have :) Thanks for reading.

300th post!

I just want to brag that it's my 300th post in oh.... in 4 years. Sad? Much so.

I have completely updated the website. I didn't have time to do it, but I did it anyways.

I have the new Checkered Giant page up and a page up for Convention Sales.

Madonna had 9 babies to Dominic. And Brianna (the smallest doe in my barn) had 10 babies. Pretty even distribution of solids & brokens.

I also bred Rylee to Stitch on the 3rd. I am very excited for this, and hope Stitch is not sterile :D

I spent Saturday making a run for the Checkered Giants and making their cages higher. I also went on a feed run, so my one day home was well worth spent.

Waiting to hear back from ARBA. Once I do, I'll know if I'm staying home these next weekends or get to head to Monroe.

That's all. Back to studying!

Washington State Convention

WOW. What a weekend.

Thursday night I left for my barn, and to pick up some transport rabbits and culls. I fit about 25 rabbits in my car comfortably, which was pretty impressive! I put them in Jill's barn for the evening and left Friday around 1. I got stuck in traffic in Salem, Wilsonville and when I got on I-205 there was an accident. I was about an hour and a half behind I figured. Somehow, I still made it there around 6:40, unloaded my rabbits and attended the judges conference. That night I set up my tent, studied for an hour and tried sleeping. Tried, being the key word.

Saturday, I made the whole effort of waking up at 5 am, had breakfast at 6. Fed/watered rabbits. Figured out and exchanged all my transports. Bought my checkers, a new carrier, Susie's ND buck, and did all that before 9 am. Took my test. That took a whole 2 hours. I was then able to show my Mini Lops.

Rylee was 5th of 21 in A, 1st & BOSV in B

Lea Ann was 3rd of 22 & 6th of 18.

There were about 150 Mini Lops entered (2000 for the whole show)

I wasn't even out of my test a whopping 25 minutes before I experienced the lowest filth of rabbit exhibitor conduct in my whole 11 years. These people know who they are, what they have done, the enemies they have created and the fools they have made of themselves.

At any rate, Velotta's Nell won BOB in show A. The Posey's chestnut buck won BOSB in show B.

My Checkered's... My new buck was 3rd in his class, and my doe, was 2nd in her class. She ended up beating the doe that the Silbernagel's are keeping. I am very happy with my purchase and my new direction. I can't thank Jeff & Terisa enough for this beautiful pair!

I culled out 2 Mini's, and I managed to come home with no new rabbits except for the new breed.

My trip home was entirely painful. I was hoping to get out of there around 10, but I was leaving WA around noon. That is after I had to pump my own gas. :)

Got stuck behind an accident/fire on I-84. I had to keep the AC on but when I had to shut off we were in the shade of semi trucks. I made it HOME before 9 pm, and then got into Corvallis about 12:40 this morning. I woke up at 7, so I didn't get a whole lot of sleep :(

Took my o-chem test at 10. If all goes well, I might go home Friday. I need to work on my checker run and cages, look at my new babies that are due soon, breed Rylee and perhaps another doe.

The website is currently being updated. Then it's back to studying!

Ouch!

WA State is next weekend. Test is in 8 days. Am I prepared? Slightly. I won't ever feel 100% prepared.

I have only entered 3 for WA State. Rylee, who is still holding that darned coat! Lea Ann, who looks very nice, and Compulsive Addiction, who is loosing his junior coat, but his new coat is coming in nicely. I don't think that should affect much... I am so happy with my replacements for Kristie, I don't feel bad for parting with her now :)

I am home from school, been here since Sunday night. I haven't really accomplished much except relaxation.

Today though, I got my rear in gear and cleaned half the barn. I cleaned all my carriers and equipment. I got out my tent, chairs and sleeping bag for WA State. Got the 5 big holes burned, scrubbed and pressure-washed. I have the two 6 holes and the one 9 hole'r left for tomorrow, but it was so nice getting those cages back and ready to use.

After all the cages get burned, scrubbed and pressure-washed tomorrow and put back in, I'll then blow out the auto-water line and get it hooked back up. It's due for a cleaning.

I spent a good portion of the morning building a run in the rabbitry for the Checkered Giant I am getting from the Silbernagels. I've always wanted one, but never had the gusto to actually go ahead with it. Owning a wooled breed inspired me to try something new out.... I think it will be an especially good experience to get a taste with the running breeds (which to be quite honest... I don't have a lot of hands on time with them).

I am getting some Dutch and Thrianta experience this weekend. I was also supposed to get really good Holland experience but I have postponed that until after WA State convention.

It's all a funny story, because I didn't forsee myself going for this goal until after college. But, college has been SO rough lately I need something to look forward to!

On the topic of looking forward, my juniors from Melinda amaze me! It was definitely a good cross, because I just can't get over this litter! Since Melinda is older, I won't feel bad if this is the last litter from her, though if she stays in good condition, I'd like to try one more time! I don't know if that would be greedy though.

Of the 7, I had a hard time cutting the litter in half. I was able to throw out a chestnut doe & buck, they were not "as nice" as their siblings. 1 Broken doe I am holding that I promised to a local breeder friend.2 Broken does, I like one over the other, but the second best doe is still really nice too.The Broken buck, is very nice! I want someone to buy him and respect him.

The Chestnut buck, OMG! I told myself I "had to atleast take a look at him, and not judge him by the fact it's a buck". Jaw dropped, he's gourgeous and I am keeping him!

I weaned Obnoxious's litter somewhat early. OBN is leaving on Friday to Karin Vail and I wanted to make sure her litter of 8 was well on it's own. So the 5 I'm not keeping are in with the 2 I'm not keeping from Melinda's litter and the 3 I am keeping have a cage to themselves.

Madonna & Brianna are fat, I can't wait to give them their boxes when I come home!

I'll be getting pictures before I leave, that is after the barn is spotless :) I'm sore, but tomorrow will be even worse!

I don't have anything else to add, other than trying to figure out how to fit all these rabbits in my car, moving my new roomate in on Sunday, and starting school on Monday... one week break was just NOT enough!

Just thinking

Topic: early culling / not growing out every rabbit in a litter

Rylee was the ugliest baby at 10-12 weeks. Deciding between her and her sister was hard because they each had their ugly parts, and deciding which was worse was hard!

She was ugly until about 6 months. Then she blossomed. How? I don't know.

Her parent's weren't that spectacular. I just bred the doe to the buck because he was being sold. Her parents were half siblings (both had the same sire).

She is now a (colored) 2 x Best in Show Winner (both at big shows/ with incredible breeders exhibiting (Betty Chu, Shumaker/Mesick, Webb, Peralta, Cathy S, etc)

If she doesn't win (BOB), it's mostly because she's under a judge who doesn't know where the points lay in ML's. Oh "this doe is "soft" in condition". Condition is 5 points out of 100. The icing on the cake. But when the animal who wins clearly is not as good in General Type (80 points) it makes you bang your head against a wall.

Rylee's show days are over with. She's now gotten a little soft in condition (no longer "tight"), but I know her type, her body are so irreplaceable. I will be breeding her after WA State Convention and will await her to give me her first litter. I had "bred" her in January to Stitch. I tried breeding her to Dream Maker when I got him. She hated him and smashed her butt on the cage floor. That was the good lord's sign that I needed to SHOW her so that she could bring me sheer happiness. It's Rylee, and her success this year that has drug me out of the hole of nearly selling out last November!

Now, almost didn't keep anything in Rylee's litter. Infact I culled everything but her sister because I had her sold. She now lives in WA somewheres. So does her mom, Mia. Her dad lives in CA with Bob Tapp. If I ever want Mason back I can get him from Bob (or any of his offspring, I currently have a Mason daughter).

How many of these early culls, would have gone on to be big winners like this? I almost culled Rylee, but I didn't because I felt the urge to keep "something" in the litter so it wasn't a "waste".

I went through one of my old CD's and pulled off pics of their Grandsire Keepsake, mom Mia, dad Mason and baby pictures of Rylee. The rabbit in the top of the post. Yeah, that's Rylee!!!

What was I thinking, right? :)

Pretty much done!

I have a final tomorrow, but I can fail it or get an A on it, and still get a B in the class. So I'm just going to relax a little since there's nothing really I can do about it.

I passed Stats (a relief!), got A's all so far. I'm pretty alright with how things turned out.

Oregon State Convention!

Was alright I suppose. Judges weren't great in A & B. In C Rylee won 1st & BOV. I'm not exactly sure why the Broken doe beat her, but I'm over the complaining stage, she's won far too much for myself to care. Compulsive Addiction won 3rd in his class! Lea Ann won her class of 9 or 10. The judge loved her and saw her promise!

I got rid of Sid, and came home with a little chestnut jr doe. (and my mom bought a Chinchilla, not the color but the rodent) I was able to get out of there early enough to make it back home before dark.

My next show is Washington State Convention. I entered 3. The same from this weekend. I am also camping. I can't afford a hotel, so $24 beats $200 :)

After tomorrow morning, I'm cracking down hard to study for my judges exam. I've never been so worked up about a test before, academic or not!