Wilson, Kennels, ski-season, old friends, being followed: - Nurhan's take:

Nurhan's take:

Right now I'm umming and arhing about kennels. I'm looking forward to the ski season, by the weekend there will be enough snow in the local hills for some fantastic top touring/skiing into STF (Stavanger Turistforening) huts, and a friend has invited me to his cabin at one of the bigger 'local' ski centers (Hovden). Friends who made it to Røldal at the weekend talked about 'drømmer forhold' (dream conditions) fresh powder, and lots of it... Now Kin is lying by my feet, he was lying under the table whilst I was sitting at the table, but when I moved he moved; I'm wondering how he will take to being put into a kennel. I've only heard good things regarding this kennel (from both Newfie owners and owners of other dogs). I do have the option of asking friends (which is the preferred option), but at some point I will (probably) have to put him in a kennel and it's probably better to do it whilst he's younger then when he gets older... (Despite the proverb, you can teach an old dog new tricks, but some 'tricks' are easier when they are younger, and if I get him used to the idea it should work out fine).

Above pic is taken by:

Anu, who (along with her husband) are directly responsible for me being in Norway... long story and has nothing to do with Newfie's.

 Now 'sadly' I have to report that 'Wilson' who arrived at the castaway's party, after a surprisingly charmed life, has succumbed to inevitable...


Weather in Stavanger has reverted to the 'normal' winter weather, just above freezing with everything from the occasional glimpse of the sun (which we were very happy for earlier on a walk today), to rain, hail, sleet, & snow. Gulf Stream runs along the coast here which despite the Northern latitude, normally moderates the temperature. Go inland a few Km and the temperature normally drops. With the notable exception of the last two years Stavanger generally gets snow followed by rain, followed by snow, followed by... which leads to 'interesting' driving conditions. Last week's snow has mainly gone at low (coastal) locations and the ice that had/was forming on the lakes has receded again:

(This pic was taken a couple of years ago http://www.aftenbladet.no/lokalt/stavanger/Bil-gjennom-isen-p-Vannassen-2016784.html but couldn't resist including it, it's such a good picture {taken by Signe Christine Urdal}, the way the headlights and the flashing orange lights are still lit! The kommune tests the thickness of the ice, before opening the lakes for ice skating, here they were ploughing the lake for ice skating and the lake wasn't quite as thick as they had thought... two folk in the pickup got out okay).


This means that Kin still gets to do one of his favorite things:

'rescuing' balls (incidentally this ball really is a Wilson!).

Which is more than he got to do at the local river at the weekend, which is probably at the highest I've seen it (I might have seen it higher one year in the ten that I've been walking my dogs down there); Figgio elve was in flood, and as I white water paddle I'm fairly good at spotting dangerous things and here there's lots of opportunities for him to get washed into strainers (low trees across the river, branches/items that are stuck in the flow and these quickly become lethal (pinning is less of a hazard as the water level is so high, that his paws will generally be clear of any pin hazards-but is still a risk). I let him swim but only in a place where there was plenty of time for him to get out/me to get him out before he came to anything really dangerous... was a lot happier when he was out of the water; Karma I just didn't let him near the water on days like this, Kin I'm trying to let him see the power in the flow so if he did get off the lead his choice for swimming locations might be more prudent.

Kin & I have had some very good times recently, I'm just wondering how a kennel might affect him.