Christmas Day ...

So, what did we do today, we relaxed mostly, but we also took a 6 dog team for a 3 miles run.  It was a lesson in patience!  The team started out with Muktuk in single lead, with Hannah in single swing.  Then, Patton & Panzer together in team.  Shammu was the next one in team.  Bringing up the wheel was Yeti.  Tom got the sled ready and I got the dogs ready.  We got them hooked up and took off.  We didn't make it far before they thought it was too much work!  Boy, do we need to get them out more!  We got them moving and made it about a 3/4 of a mile into the run and the team came to a halt and were all furiously trying to eat something ... discovered that our neighbor must have stopped his team for a snack in that spot and some of it was left on the trail!  Tried to get moving again but Tuk wasn't moving in the right direction.  We tried Yeti in lead ... he was the most enthusiastic of the group ... that worked for about 10 feet!!  Then, we put Shammu up there!  Again, that worked for about 10 feet!  Next up was Panzer!!  She held the line tight and followed Tom down the trail (he was now walking in front of the team to keep them moving in the right direction).  After we got turned around, we both got on the sled again and off we went with Panzer still in lead!  She actually led the team the rest of the way home!!  If you know Panzer, you know what a ridiculous thing this move was, but it is those dogs that you never think will do something like that that pull though when you really need them to!!  Thank you Panzer!  Now, to get our butts back out there to clean pens and feed them!!

I sincerely hope that you had a very Merry Christmas.  Someday, I hope to have my Christmas Spirit returns.  I am not a fan of Christmas any more.  I remember a time when Christmas was a very anticipated and exciting time of year for me.  In the years I have been away from family, it has become just another day.  Just as any other holiday has.  Sure, we could do it up and decorate and buy lots of presents but it's just not the same.  So, for us, it is just a day of being home and not at work, so, really it is a good day for us.