2. A classic case of selective hearing: I asked my twin, who knows the dark side of my mother best and has lots of common sense, if I should sneak the little rat I've fallen in love with into the house. She said no. So I asked my other friends (the ones who go as crazy over animals as I do). They said yes. Guess what I'm going to do?

3. I totally cannot stop listening to the Bangkok Five. Like, seriously. Especially Outlines of Us and Party Machine.

If I feed you full of drugs
And fill you with champagne
Rock the bars on your nipples like your girlfriend can't

(that last line confuses me)

4. Their show on Saturday was A MAY ZING. Seriously awesome. And then we went out to eat with them afterwards and they are such cool guys. And Frost's girl? SO CUTE! And sweet =) I can't wait for them to come back!

5. I just ate an orange. It was amazing. That is all.

Today's been a good day for the animals.

As I was mowing the lawn one of the foxes ran out across the yard ahead of me. I'm hoping it's a mating pair we have and I'll get to see some cubs!

When I got inside, I found a chipmunk stuffing his cheeks with the old hamster food I'd put out. He was too quick for the camera, but this pretty little squirrel (who'd been sunbathing, laid out all flat n cute, on the deck earlier) stayed for a picture.

I took the pig girls outside for the first time today.

At first they were pretty scared.

I held Izumi on my lap for a bit to calm her.

Hizuki didn't want to stick around on my lap and dashed straight into the cage I had out (thank god she didn't go the other way!). I need to get something better to go out in.

Soon Izumi went to join her.

Hizuki is usually my timid baby and Zumi is bolder, but today it was backwards. Zuki was content to bask in the sunlight.

Zumi, on the other hand, soon dashed into the box to hide.

They only stayed out for about 5 minutes. I didn't want to overwhelm them.

When I got inside the cats demanded attention. Kitty wanted food (as always) and Kir vaulted herself into a box that was not, in fact, settled stably on the floor. It rocked over a bit and she did a graceless somersault inside it. Of course, she MEANT to do that =)

FYI- I love this layout, but I HATE that the posts are transparent. Look at how it dulls my pretty pictures. I don't know if I can fix that without paying to mess with the coding. Grrrrrrrr.

Now, here we are in 2008 - with over half our show team - Torti & Whites.  What was the sudden influx of what seemed to be an elusive variety for us?  - the answer remains mostly with Red Rock Frank Mills - a phenomenal black & white coronet boar that was also a tort carrier.   Frank now resides in Germany, but before his departure, he sired a slew of Torti & Whites of the highest quality.

 2008 is a year of change in a colour direction.  We pride ourselves in the quality of our black/whites and agouti/whites which have shown great consistency for many years now - but now - in 2008, it is time for the torts to come back out in the limelight and show off those colours!

Heather of Red Rock

Lost Boy # 1 - Red Rock Gilmore

Sired by RR Giles (resident of the Netherlands); grandson of RR Gilligan and thereby, gr-grandson of RR Gilbert.   He was shown once last fall at an Ontario Cavy Club show not far from home.  He was Best Junior of Breed with excellent comments.  As I have his full sister, "Manitutshu" - I had posted him for sale (privately) to 3 different overseas shipments (he was available to the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark/Norway).   Whether he was too old, or not attractive enough - no one was ever interested in him.   As he matured (the Gilbert line is notorious for being late bloomers), he began to fill out and that dense coat (which Gilbert was so famed for) began to pour on in.  Gilmore at the age of 5 months - was taken off the sales list.  It is good fortune for me that fate had it, that no one was interested in him.  He is now in breeding - where he should have been along to carry forth the amazing sire power of the Gilbert line.

 Lost Boy # 2 - Red Rock Love in a Mist - "Liam"

Liam was profiled for a short time on my web site (prior to its restructuring) and he did grab attention for a short while.  He is a pretty boy - sired by RR Bill Bobstay (now known as Tom Bombadil in the Netherlands) and he is out of RR HMS Grace Dieu.  Therefore, he is line bred to my great champion - RR Little Buttercup (Bill and Grace being half-siblings, sharing the same dam).   Liam turned out to be a very substantial boar with a thick coat.  I never pursued showing him as he has only a small amount of white and red (mostly agouti).  Although he had enough to be shown, I am a realist and knew that judges would ding him on distribution of markings.  With Coronet competition intensifying and markings could make or break a win, I decided to place him in his most valued position - with a harem of sows.  GOOD decision and I am sticking with it ;-)  Again, similar to Gilmore's story - he was almost sold.   Someone had expressed interest and I was tempted at the sale - but great fate had it that the potential buyer didn't pursue.  I took that as a sign and Liam was here to stay.   His size, coat, and beautiful pin-point crest are wonderful attributes to keep - as well as his laid back personable attitude.  What a great lost boy!

 Lost Boy # 3 - Red Rock Madness

RR Madness is a boar that I never advertised, never posted photos of and never talked about.  He is just a boy that has been growing up in my caviary without any spotlights on him.   Saying that, I am now bringing him out and will cast light upon him.  He is simply put,  amazing.  A son of Prince Hilarion and out of Mad Margaret - he is a very tightly line-bred boar.  Fantastic, really.   Firm, solid build body and a coat that doesn't stop (again, descending from the Gilbert sire power line).  Mad Margaret (one of my best producers) was second to none - to have a great son from her is a great honour.   Hopefully, I will take photos of Madness soon - he is a "eye candy" to the discerning Coronet lover.  His sister, "Mayhem" has recently moved to Denmark to reside at "My Little Stars" Caviary.  I wish Lone the best with her - she has produced one lovely litter to date and I hope she produces many more for "My Little Stars".

 Well - that is a story of 3 lost boys who have found a home at Red Rock.   Just goes to show you, you do not need a 5 time BIS winner to be a valued addition in a breeding program - sometimes the best ones, are ones that are never advertised ;-)

 Heather of Red Rock

I spent most of the day trying my best to keep my pets cool, by moving them around the backyard, keeping them in the shade and running a continuous supply of frozen water bottles up to them. The poor things, I don't know how they're going to cope tomorrow when it's forcast to at least hit 40 degrees. I might have to bring them inside for some relief in front of the aircon...though I don't know how I will manage that with 15 cavies.

Trying my best to stay out of the heat today I decided to do a little music shopping online using emusic. I think I've mentioned before that it's now my favourite online music retailer and I've had some fun this month picking out an eclectic mix of albums to add to my collection. I'll let you know how I went tomorrow as I'm still downloading the last album.

Did I mention it is hot down here today. Still around 30 degrees and it's 2340hrs / nearly midnight!!!

Good, the download has finished. Time to crash with some new tunes as I fall asleep playing Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings.

So, what are the top ten ways experiencing AEID is like experiencing DCI?

1. drum line
2. hundreds of pieces of percussion equipment and props (rain sticks, gourds, and amazing stick work) in "Sing We Now"
3. John Williams' "Cadillac of the Skies" in our repertoire, performed by Cadets '02 and '01, the Academy '02, Freelancers '89, and others
4. plenty of fluids and chow "backstage" to feed the cast and crew
5. audience applause accompanied by disbelief in what they just saw
6. you can FEEL the sound
7. the buzz on the street from those who witnessed the show to those who didn't
8. guaranteed family-friendly content in this day of "wardrobe malfunctions and risque dancing"
9. our final curtain call elicits thunderous applause and a standing "O"
10. when the last show ends, there will be tears, hugs, and goodbyes from the members, many who won't see each other until next year's performances

(Bret and Milt, thanks for inviting me to enjoy the DCI experience in Southern California this past summer. Using GPS and the Internet to find Cavaliers' finals run-through practice field, almost rear-ending a car after finals ("Shields UP!"), midnight munchies, BD's "blow-my-face-off" victory concert, "Eureka!" during SCV's show, debating the controversy over Cadet's prelim disappearance, sleeping bags in airports ...all great memories. I shot the photo of Madison right after their Friday show, just outside the Rose Bowl.~geewhiz)

My daughter's piggies (as she likes to call them) are now in their new home. They seem to be enjoying it. I have a feeling that I'm going to be expanding upwards in the near future to give them more play space. It's been almost 2 weeks since I brought them home and so far the novelty hasn't worn off for her. She talks to them and lets them run around her room while she's studying.

The cats haven't seemed to bother them much.  They are curious and will go over to sniff them and the piggies will sniff right back.

Check out the Friday Ark at The Modulator.

There’s a song in my head, and I don’t know why – Mr Bassman, as sung by the Muppets. It’s a cheerful little ditty but makes me very sad for some reason. The main singer is permanently on the edge of fading out, and you don’t want him to – you want him to sing it forever in that beautiful voice, and so it goes round and round in your head... "hey Mr Bassman, you’ve got that certain something, hey Mr Boom Boom, di di di di di di...” Woke up in the dark feeling as though it was the end of the world. I bet it’s really just the rain.