Snowhook
“Uh, maybe we caused some confusion yesterday with that tin futures quote,” Spence says.
Tin futures? I can’t bear it. But now that bears have been mentioned, in The Dog Who Knew Too Much there’s – but maybe a story for another time.
“But there’s been a lot of tin futures discussion down below lately,” Admin says. “I thought they’d be interested in a hard fact or two.”
“Just too bad it got mixed up with the Snowhook sponsorship thing,” Spence says. “Speaking of which, would it be crass – after we get some sort of sponsorship donation in place – if it ended up that the Snowhook sled bore a chetthedog.com sticker or something like that? You know, like Nascar. It wouldn’t represent just us, but the whole community here at the blog.”
“Crass?” says Admin. “This is America! There is no crass in America. That’s part of what made us great.”
Welcome proud dude.
Tags: Iditarod, Snowhook Kennel
This entry was posted on Saturday, March 26th, 2011 at 9:01 am and is filed under Chet The Dog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
9:18 am on March 26th, 2011
“Crass,” from Latin> crassus meaning thick or dense; now meaning gross or boorish. I think a chetthedog.com sticker on the Snowhook sled would be great! (Americans plunder on…unless they work on Wall Street and then they do something else.) And in Dog Who there are bears…..
Good morning all.
9:20 am on March 26th, 2011
Hello, please fill us in on Snowhook. We want to be a part of this, but we kinda missed the whole start of the Snowhook conversation.
9:27 am on March 26th, 2011
Hmmmm.
Well…if we want a sticker, then the insurance company who sponsors him will want a sticker and then the Sunrise Grille and Pancake House will want a sticker and…you see where I’m going with this…I have never noticed any stickers at all on the sleds of the Iditarod. That’s not to say there are none. There was Wattie McDonald’s flag of Scotland, but that’s a bird of a different color. We could added to the list of sponsors, though. That’s something.
9:27 am on March 26th, 2011
Hi, Everybody. We’re in on Snowhook.
Maggie – sorry, but never brussel sprouts or beets, no matter how prepared. Goat cheese and everything else sounds wonderful. Please think about sugar cream pie…
9:33 am on March 26th, 2011
Good morning, all.
Bee have you had a chance to read all last night’s post about the buffet? Thought you might see a few things you liked.
Last night when we wrote “fresh beet and goat cheese salad” we left out the cheese, so in rereading it before posting, it read “fresh beet and goat salad”. Barb thougth we would have gotten a big Gah from Rio on that one!
We think the bumper sticker is a great idea.
Admin, you can bring up tin futures any time. More interesting than baseball. Snicker
Barb is off for an appointment with the accountant, than errands, so will be gone till noon. BBL
9:34 am on March 26th, 2011
We could “be” added.
OleyHowlers: Some of us were so excited about the Iditarod and impressed by Snowhook Kennels that we would like to donate to their next year’s attempt. Rio has contacted them to see how this is possible – if they could collect all the separate donations they receive from the Plunderers, Admin and Spence and group them into one donation total so that we are able to sponsor a dog or two or whatever the group decides.
Good morning everyone. I’m off to work on the icy roads that looked like rivers yesterday. Later today they will look like rivers again. The melt resumes.
10:03 am on March 26th, 2011
Rebecca posted on FB six hours ago that they are still catching up. She hopes to update the kennel blog and website this weekend with information about the 2012 race. (The info packet mentioned earlier was from Kelly who is, I think, the sister of AJ. She was asking for one so that she could help with fund raising.)
10:10 am on March 26th, 2011
B&M: Yes I read all of the menu items. They sound delish, especially the salads, tomatoes, and bruschetta. I’ve never had brussel sprouts and I don’t like liver.
Rio: What does “second at bat” mean?
Sorry you have the long shift Dawson.
10:12 am on March 26th, 2011
Why are you impressed by Snowhook Kennels…tell us more. We love the Iditarod and all the dogs who participate, but we don’t really know Snowhook. We haven’t really watched the race much since back when we used to loyally cheer on Susan Butcher.
10:42 am on March 26th, 2011
Snowhook!….Hey everybody, Rebecca responded to my email!….wooo!….Here is her reply:
I apologize if I’m responding to your email later than you requested; I haven’t had the opportunity for the past few days to check personal email or visit Chet’s blog. I just arrived home from work and was delighted when I opened your email regarding sponsorship.
First, I want to thank you and your friends at Chet’s for cheering for the team, supporting Whitey-Lance and keeping me in good spirits as I watched AJ’s progress on the trail. As I mentioned on our blog, please consider yourselves friends of Snowhook Kennel.
Two words: Yes, please! The undertaking of running the Iditarod takes a lot of resources and any and all sponsorships are welcome and beyond appreciated. The entrance fee alone is $3,000 which we hope to have saved and raised by June, yet running and operating the kennel and additional fees for Iditarod like shipping, replacing and repairing gear is a year round expense—all of our resources have gone, quite literally to the dogs—I wouldn’t have it any other way 🙂
I believe you are able to write a brief message when using PayPal. We will gladly tally the amount received by Chet and friends.
Thank you in advance for your assistance. The team is made up of more than the dogs on the line and musher on the runners…
Warmly,
Rebecca
11:29 am on March 26th, 2011
Tally!… She said she will keep track of all of our donations so we can get a final total….Snort!… This is good news! My friend said she cannot send one big lump sum because of our tight budget, but will be sending smaller donations throughout the year. It sounds like they need the money to keep the kennels running and the dogs fit right up to the racing part….wheeze! …So we here are thinking of sending a monthly contribution to them….heh! ….This is exciting stuff guys!! We will play an active part in next years Iditarod!….Wooooooo!Weeeeeeeee!
11:35 am on March 26th, 2011
What a nice letter from Rebecca! Its going to be fun to see how the Plunderers donations add up!
Wonder if stickers would actually stick to the sleds in that cold? Hmm. Maybe we should consider Chet the Jet booties….just saying.
Bee – you’ve NEVER had brussels sprouts?? Oh my. Well, some people do dislike them. Our Dad simply won’t eat then no matter how Mama cooks them. Most people just boil or steam them, and they can be kinda strong that way. Mama slow roasts them in a good olive oil til they are just tinged with brown – that way they are kind of sweet. We think there might be lots of roasted veggie dishes on the buffet.
11:52 am on March 26th, 2011
Spence, I have been thinking the same thing all along since we have started talking about contributing to Snowhook…We need to get a Chet the Dog patch on AJ’s parka or a bumper sticker for the sled or something like that.
Mom has been following long distance mushing for years, way before my time. and she has always seen advertising or sponsorship or whatever you want to call it on the mushers clothes and equipment.
I think this would help make AJ and the gang unique among all the mushers and teams and good publicity for our hero, Chet. These are DOG people that take part in and follow the Iditarod.
12:05 pm on March 26th, 2011
Rio, Great letter from Rebecca, thanks. We will be sending our donations snail mail with a little note saying we are from Chet’s blog. Rio, you are correct…they need money all year round. The dogs have to eat, visit vets, get shots and all that.
T&G mentioned dog booties. It is volunteers that sew all the dog booties.
One bootie is generally figured to last for 100 miles.
12:17 pm on March 26th, 2011
Bears in “The Dog Who Know Too Much”? Hmm…now we are really interested.
Good job, Rio! That was a nice email from Rebecca. Small donations through-out the year would work well for us too. She mentioned PayPal, a good way to send funds.
Siber-H, Thanks for your information on the Iditarod videos. Maybe Snowhook, or someone associated with them, will post a link to it. We can only hope…
For our Feast – Yes to Prime Rib, Norway Salmon & Chocolate Mousse – No to brussel sprouts. And, don’t forget the Slim Jims for Chet!!!
12:18 pm on March 26th, 2011
Booties! …..Wow! That’s a lot of booties….snort!….Lets see 4 times 15 times 11 equals…hmmmm…It equals a helluva lot of booties!…sneeze!
12:22 pm on March 26th, 2011
We are so ‘cited! Snowhook, Snowhook! I wonder if they are running any shorter races before the Iditarod. Let’s go racin’ boys! (interesting to see who gets that reference. I am betting against Bee and… hmmm maybe Wookie and…who else?
T and G.. how do you roast the sprouts. Mom cannot stand them, but is willing to keep an open mind about the roasted ones.
12:22 pm on March 26th, 2011
Great letter. Thank you Rio. I’ll mail a check snail mail. I think a Chet patch on AJ’s parka would be more personal, somehow, than a sticker.
T&G: I’m not sure why my mom never made brussel sprouts. I never have either. I would be pleased to try them your olive oil way. Are they seasonal or out all year round?
12:24 pm on March 26th, 2011
Howlers, My mom and her first Siberian used to cheer for Susan Butcher too…sob,
I’ll try to answer your question: Why Snowhook?
They are young and just starting out and have no big following and cash like the famous mushers and teams. The biggest and most important reason we support Snowhook is we believe that AJ and Rebecca really LOVE and care about their dogs. We have followed Snowhook for two years now and everything they do is in the best interest and welfare of the dogs.
Following and suporting Snowhook was never a conscious decision made by us here on the blog…It just seems to have evolved naturally.
12:28 pm on March 26th, 2011
Macy: I want to know the reference for “Let’s go racin’ boys” please. (Sounds like something from Mae West who was way before my time. Didn’t she say, “Why don’t you come up an see me sometime” in what some have described as a sultry voice but which sounds “pinched” and gagging to me.)
12:34 pm on March 26th, 2011
NASCAR! Now we’re talking about a sport! My ears perked right up with talk of sponsorship and stickers. The teamwork and strategy involved in NASCAR is Mollypop fierce. The potential always exists for an unexpected mechanical failure to put a twist in any best laid plans during the course of a race. Then add the people dynamic; angry drivers, angry crew, loyal fans–it’s an amazing sport.
Mom has been a fan of Grand Rapids native Johnny Benson for years. She has met him and his family many times at fan club meet ‘n greets at the local track where both he and his father got their racing start. Mom is quite nostalgic about this as she would take her first doggie, Pookie Bear, with her to the events and Pookie would make many friends. Many of the folks on the Johnny Benson fan club website remember mom because of her beautiful Pookie Bear.
Mom says that things are going great with the new job. It is interesting work and she has great stories about some of the crazy shenanigans people do that she has to investigate and then discipline. The stupidity of people…mom just shakes her head. Me? I’m not stupid at all. I know where to find my kibble and my bones and I always remember where I hid my Kong.
We’ve had one family look at the house, otherwise, the place is still for sale. I did a great job welcoming them and showing them how great this house is for the nation within. The people said they had 3 kats, but I didn’t hold that against them.
Mom is spending about $400 per month in gas driving from Grand Rapids to Lansing and back every day. She says our finances are not a mess like Bernie’s, but she just has to budget more and more $$ for gas. Mom has no trouble keeping me in kibble and bones and misc. treats, and she always takes me to have spa days and get wonderfluffed; that’s how I know that our finances are not a mess.
Mom and I get on the blog every evening so we keep up with the goings on here, but we don’t usually post every day. Please know that we are here daily, just not as vocal or participative as in the past. Those of you with health issues–we think of you daily. Mary Lou, we very much understand your challenges with your job search. Your feelings are very normal. Keep on working with your work counselor and don’t quit. Remember, it took us 2 years to find a job. Keep the faith and keep applying. We are eager to join the plunderers in supporting Rebecca and Whitey. While our contribution has to be small for now, once this house sells and we aren’t spending so much $$ in gas, we will be able to up our donation.
Tailwags and licks to all…
12:36 pm on March 26th, 2011
Howler dudes:
In the 2010 Iditarod, one of their dogs (Whitey-Lance) went off on a solo adventure about 1/2 way through the race. AJ took his 24 mandatory rest period at that point, and when he was still missing, Snowhook dropped out of the race so that the search could continue. Whitey was found several days later and when they crossed the finish line in 2011, AJ held Whitey up to the arch so that Whitey could give it a high five.
We love Snowhook because they put their dogs first. In a world that sometimes seems crazy (think Michael Vick), they represent everything that is bright and beautiful.
12:37 pm on March 26th, 2011
SiberH!… You forgot to tell Oley the story about Whitey and what happened in last years race….snort!
12:38 pm on March 26th, 2011
Wolfie!…Thanks for filling in the Whitey gap there!…heh!
12:38 pm on March 26th, 2011
B, “let’s go racin’ boys” is the quote that NASCAR-driver-turned-sportcaster Darrell Waltrip says at the start of every NASCAR race. The quote is “Boogity, boogity, boggity, let’s go racin’ boys!” as the green flag waves at the race start.
12:44 pm on March 26th, 2011
Thank you Jasper. I’m glad to hear you’re doing well.
12:49 pm on March 26th, 2011
Rio, we are talking 660 booties. I wonder if they need booties during the practice races. I would love to sew booties if needed. I’ll check with Rebecca.
12:50 pm on March 26th, 2011
Macy and Bee – the best brussels sprouts are harvested right after the first frost of the fall – the frost makes them sweeter. Around here, we can get them year round – most veggies are available with the advent of fast shipping. Mama likes to go to one store where they have open bins of veggies so she can pick the little ones. She takes any loose or wilted outer leaves off, trims the stems, and cuts them in half, top to bottom. Then after rinsing them well, she tosses them in really good olive oil, and puts them on a cookie sheet. She grinds fresh sea salt over them and puts them in the oven at 375 for about 15 or 20 minutes. If she remembers, she tosses them on the sheet about halfway thru. They are great hot, or at room temp or even cold on a salad. The other way she likes them is to prepare them the same way, but instead of roasting them in olive oil, she tosses them with sesame oil, and stir fries them with a little soy sauce. If she has toasted sesame seeds, she throws them on when the sprouts are cooked.
mmmm… We have a feeling Mama will be going to her market today to get some veggies….
12:55 pm on March 26th, 2011
Wolfie, Thanks for adding the rest of the story…great job! I hadn’t forgotten it…I was hoping someone would come along and complete it.
Jasper, Very happy you checked in with us and enjoyed reading your post.
Miss Macy, Yes the Iditarod mushers and teams enter shorter races during the Season of the Sled Dog. That information should be on their blogs, Facebook pages, and websites next winter.
1:12 pm on March 26th, 2011
We gotta go for now. BBL
1:22 pm on March 26th, 2011
Good afternoon, y’all! I haven’t had time to catch up on the blog yet — Mom and Dad are working on their closet yet again and didn’t start the computer up for me until now. I don’t know if anyone has mentioned this or not, so forgive me if I’m repeating something someone else has said.
The OED is now including OMG, LOL, BFF and IMHO! And I think the world has Bee to thank for that! I think the folks at the OED saw Professor Stover using LOL on the blog and said if it was good enough for her, it’s good enough for the OED!!!
1:29 pm on March 26th, 2011
O.Howlers-For our part we were intrigued by the saga of Whitey-Lance in the 2010 Iditarod.
1:47 pm on March 26th, 2011
I’m laughing Kirby!
Thank you T&G. I’ll try both ways of making brussel sprouts. Wonder why they’re called that…..
1:59 pm on March 26th, 2011
Macy and Bee, To add to T & G’s info on the brussel sprouts – the plant is in the kale family, as are cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower. It will grown 3-4 feet tall, and the sprouts, which are like little heads of cabbage, start as buds at the bottom and then continue to grow up the stalk. There can be 50-100 sprouts on a plant and they will continue to grow right up to a hard frost. They are better after a frost, but can be harvested all season, from mid summer on. You can get a lot of produce in a limited space.
2:11 pm on March 26th, 2011
Thank B&M.
Brussel sprouts may have been grown in ancient Rome. The first written record is from 1587 and they may have been grown (as we know them) as early as the 13th century in Belgium….thus Brussel. (From the Wikipedia article.)
2:30 pm on March 26th, 2011
Oops! Not sure if anyone would notice our mistake, except maybe Bee, but we meant to say “cole family ” not kale family”. Actually kale is part of same group, but cole is correct family name. A thousand pardons!
2:49 pm on March 26th, 2011
Thanks everyone, for filling us in on Snowhook, and the adventures of Whitey-Lance. Man, we wish we could meet Whitey to find out what he was up to while everyone thought he was missing.
Snowhook sounds like our kind of team…we’re in for the sponsorship! When are we starting that up? And what is the link?
Siber: Our mom is sharing a sob with you thinking about Susan.
2:57 pm on March 26th, 2011
OED? Huh? Losing something there.
The Pack and I LOVE roasted Brussel sprouts. In fact, this winter, we’ve been roasting all our vegetables. It’s easier.
T & G, I would love a recipe for gluten free crab cakes! (Made with the lump meat of course)
I think a small flag thing that could be attached with a picture of Chet from one of his books and the words “Chet’s Plunderers”.
2:59 pm on March 26th, 2011
Melanie: OED is the Oxfor English Dictionary, otherwise known as a little light reading for Bee!
3:00 pm on March 26th, 2011
Oops! Hit submit too fast. It’s the OxforDDDDDD English Dictionary!
3:06 pm on March 26th, 2011
I’m laughing again Kirby.
A friend of mine told me about Browser’s Dictionaries written by John Ciardi (translator of Dante’s Divine Comedy). I’m perusing the Second one.
Not going to the astronomy thing…too cold.
3:22 pm on March 26th, 2011
Howers & Siber-H. What is the story of Susan and the Iditarod?
3:57 pm on March 26th, 2011
Melanie, How did your planting go? We over planted – put 3 or 4 seeds in each peat pot, not knowing (since this was first s.s. attempt)how many would come up. Almost every seed cam up, so now we have to “selectively eliminate” all but 1 from each pot. That is hard for Barb to do, but we don’t have any more room to transplant the little dears, soooo
4:02 pm on March 26th, 2011
Bear: Susan won the Iditarod 4 times (1986, 1987, 1988, 1990). Her kennel is “Trail Breaker Kennels”. She died of leukemia in 2006, and Trail Breaker Kennels now runs the “Susan Butcher Family Center” which helps children and families of cancer patients.
4:10 pm on March 26th, 2011
Spirit, Libby Riddles was the first woman to win the Iditarod in 1985, and then Susan Butcher won it the next 3 years and in 1990.
Susan is the most famous woman dog musher of all time, and she is credited with making good dog care the most important thing in the Iditarod.
Susan retired to raise a family. She had two daughters. She died in 2006 of leukemia. She was only 52. The dad and girls are still in Alaska.
No women have won the Iditarod since….during the Susan Butcher years, mom had a tee-shirt that said “Alaska, Where Men are Men and Women Win the Iditarod” sniff…sob
4:12 pm on March 26th, 2011
Siber, Neat shirt! Sounds like your mom has been into sled dogs for a very long time, since we are talking 20 years +. How sad that Susan died so young.
4:23 pm on March 26th, 2011
Siber-H & Howlers! A most incredible and inspiring story of Susan Butcher! Thank you so much for sharing. I had no idea that a woman had ever won the Iditarod and so many times – Wow!
4:23 pm on March 26th, 2011
I just saw Alice Johnson’s comment to Chet on Facebook. There are now 707 friends.
4:26 pm on March 26th, 2011
Howlers, I am not sure if we are starting our support for Snowhook right away, but if not, then very soon. Donations can be made online or by using snail mail. The info for doing both is on their blog.
Whenever and however we make a donation, we should let Snowhook know that we are part of Chet the Dog’s blog. It is all of us together doing this, giving however much we feel comfortable with.
4:28 pm on March 26th, 2011
Siber! That is such a cool saying on that tee-shirt. Our mom loved loved loved Susan Butcher. Says she made her so proud to be a woman. Susan started winning the iditarod right after my mom’s very first husky was born (1984). She made Boris sit with her every time they showed any footage on T.V. She says she lived “vicariously” thru Susan Butcher…whatever that means.
We found a memorial page for Susan on the Iditarod website. http://www.iditarod.com/learn/susanbutcher.html
4:30 pm on March 26th, 2011
Thanks for the info on contributing to Snowhook…Mom & Dad agreed they sound like a great team and will give them reason to watch the Iditarod again.
4:30 pm on March 26th, 2011
Oley!… Here is the address to Snowhooks blog. You can find all the info you need including their names and the PO Box address to send your check(s) to. Donations can be sent anytime all year round, just remember to include a note saying you want the donation added to the Chet and Friends or Plunderers total….snort!
http://snowhookkennel.blogspot.com/
4:35 pm on March 26th, 2011
Thanks Rio!
4:40 pm on March 26th, 2011
Rio: Take me off the MIA list. We have had storms here with power outages, flooding, trees across roads etc. & Mom is getting a terrible cold. Thanks to Siber-H, I now love the Iditerod & think donating to Snowhook would be nice. Should I send my check to Rebecca at any time?
Bad Baseball news: Brian Wilson & Cody Ross are on the Disabled List. It looks like Wilson’s beard is getting longer…
4:51 pm on March 26th, 2011
Baseball!….Mollie, excellent baseball news!….woooo!….All of my guys are very very healthy and they look amazing this year!…snort!….This is the year! I can just feel it in my bones!…heh!
4:55 pm on March 26th, 2011
ooops…..we’re in a LOT of trouble. When we suggested puppy names for the musher’s next litters, we completely forgot to say that there should be a team named for the Newfie Pack, past and present. So here’s to the Iditerod race team of 2015 of Franklin, Mac, Ellie, Patsy, Roz, Rose, Mattie, Katie, and Gracie, led by the indomitable Bear, and guided through the wilderness by the magnificent Bess.
(Now maybe the Corgis will talk to us again….sorry Melanie)
5:10 pm on March 26th, 2011
This is a note to Chet:
If the two-leggeds you hang out with have come up with any ideas about supporting Snowhook that are different than ours, we’d like to hear them.
Your friend,
Siber-H
5:17 pm on March 26th, 2011
More baseball news: There is a photo of Tim Lincecum and his dog, Cy, in the latest issue of Bark magazine.
5:24 pm on March 26th, 2011
SiberH!…. Is Cy the Frenchie?…snort!…My friend would love to have a Frenchie, but I would not and I have the last word around here…grump!
5:27 pm on March 26th, 2011
SiberH: Is that Cy as in Cy Young? Has Tim every won one?
5:37 pm on March 26th, 2011
Rio, Yes, it is the French Bulldog. The short article says that Cy goes to the games with Tim and sleeps in front of Tim’s locker when he is out on the field.
Kirby, Tim won the Cy Young award in 2008 and 2009, and the dog was named after the award.
Rio, I am glad to hear that our guys are all healthy and looking good.
5:56 pm on March 26th, 2011
Frenchies!…I couldn’t bear to live with a Frenchie…sniff!… They think they are better than everyone else and they probably require expensive food with rich sauces…grunt! …Just look at those arrogant ears!…snuffle!
Fund Raiser!….So I’m thinking a pie throwing contest to raise money for Snowhook!…sneeze!… Wolfie will be the Target and we add more to our donations with each pie we throw at him. The fact that he blurs will make this a bit hard to directly hit him..heh! …Haven’t yet heard Alice and AbbieTheKat’s response to the Parachuting idea…snorkel!
Fans!….Only six more days till Opening Day here for the Rockies!… snort!snort!…Pull your baseball caps out of the drawers and dust them off!…woooo!
7:11 pm on March 26th, 2011
Hey! Since all of our teams have exited the NCAA basketball tournament, we started rooting for the underdog Butler team. They just beat the Florida Gators in overtime. So now they’re in the Final Four. We’re going to keep rooting for them — especially since they’re the Bulldogs! (But I don’t think there’s anything French about them!)
7:33 pm on March 26th, 2011
Kirby!…Is Arizona still innit?…grunt!…If they are we will root for the Wild Wild West to win…heh!…No offence, just geography…sniff!
Cleaning!….She’s been cleaning and cleaning today…gah!…Dust flying everywhere and we both have trouble breathing…gasp!…So now it is time to sit down and watch and old Alfred Hitchcock movie called Strangers On A Train….snuffle!…The couch! I want up on the couch! Now dammit!…grunt!
7:35 pm on March 26th, 2011
Kirby, speaking of the Big 10 (teams out of the NCAA), what do you Hawkeyes think about the expansion of the conference? If I remember right, you’re the one with the black and gold collar?
Coming from Indiana, Butler’s on our list to root for.
7:43 pm on March 26th, 2011
Rio: Arizona is playing Connecticut right now, so you can root for them if you want, but I’m not sure who SiberH will root for. It’s the Wildcats vs. the Huskies!
Bluecat: We don’t like it. And we didn’t like it when Penn State joined, either. We want our beloved Big 10 back!!!
7:53 pm on March 26th, 2011
Kirby – Amen to that!
7:59 pm on March 26th, 2011
What!!!! Is Arizona the Wildcats? Are the Huskies from Connecticut??? I guess it the geography of it doesn’t matter. I can’t root for any cats and I have to root for Huskies even if they aren’t Western Huskies.
8:04 pm on March 26th, 2011
Kirby!…You’re just mad because your team had to “play in”…heh!….I don’t know if it was because of the expansion or not, but a team near and dear to me finally got to be part of the excitement this year and that was awesome! Even if it was for one game…chorkel!
8:04 pm on March 26th, 2011
SiberH: That’s what I figured you’d say!
8:07 pm on March 26th, 2011
More power to Snowhook!
More power to whoever you guys are cheering for!!
How were the stars, B.Stover?
Hope we get to see some pictures of LizF’s show.
TTNF
8:07 pm on March 26th, 2011
Rio: That was actually my girl’s team. My team didn’t even make it to the “play in” game! They were pretty much in the cellar for the Big 10. And I don’t like the new conference because if they wanted 12 teams in the conference they wouldn’t have named it the Big 10! And now the Big 10 has twelve teams, and the Big 12 has ten teams, and it’s just tooooo confusing!!!
8:23 pm on March 26th, 2011
Kirby!…That is confusing and I confess to not being a basketball expert or true blue fan…snuff!…Although, I definitely like watching the college teams vs the pros…cough!…The pros just seem like a lot of over-paid hooligans to me…sniff! and I refuse to watch those games at all…huffle!
8:33 pm on March 26th, 2011
..sigh….the ONLY bad thing about the end of March Madness…. then we will have all the chatter about baseball….
Anyone wanna talk about some good books they have read lately?
8:48 pm on March 26th, 2011
T & G, We are reading Murder with Peacocks, that Melanie sent to us. Someone called it a cozy, which Bee does not like. We are finding it quite good.
We also have a movie in, Charlie St.Could, so we are going to go watch that. We do agree with you tho, not big on baseball either. BBL
8:52 pm on March 26th, 2011
Snowhook!… Hey everybody! I replied to Rebecca’s email this morning thanking her for taking the time to tally up our contributions and I asked her a few other questions. She replied and answered ALL of our questions…heh!…Even the Chet Logo idea …wooo!…This could be a real possibility if we raise a goodly amount of money…snort! ….She sounds like such a wonderful person, one I would love to know in person. Oh, I asked her if Whitey had been sponsored yet!!! Here is her reply to all of our questions:
My sweet bud Whitey is sunning himself on the top of his dog house right now likely reflecting on his glory under the burled arch in Nome. As we are in the infancy stage of fund raising for 2012, Whitey-Lance has not been sponsored, but I will gladly allow the Plunderers dibs on our wandering, hug giving, belly rub taking, special dog.
I had a chance to read Chet’s blog in the wee hours of the morning and found myself laughing on more than one occasion. I’m happy to answer some of the questions that came up on the blog.
· Why June? The Iditarod Trail Committee (ITC) hosts a picnic at the end of June for volunteers, but it is also the first day mushers can enter the race. Last year, despite our best fund raising efforts we entered the race in the final hours before the entrance window closed in November—this was stressful to say the least. Our goal is to enter on opening day so we can check the entrance fee off our list and move forward with other planning and saving rather than coming down to the wire.
· How much does the Iditarod entrance fee cost? The Iditarod entrance fee for the past two years has been $4,000, but as we understand it the entrance fee will be lowered this year to $3000. In addition to the year round expense of operating the kennel, there are other costs associated with just the Iditarod race such as shipping drop bags, preparing drop bags containing dog food, people food and gear needed on the trail, shipping dogs from Nome, travel expenses, dog booties, replacing/repairing gear, etc.
· Will Snowhook run other races during the 2011/2012 season? The answer is likely yes. AJ ran two races this year in addition to Iditarod; he won a 120 mile race and was also awarded the humanitarian award for exceptional dog care, and placed 8th in a 300 mile race the following week. The humanitarian award is a bigger honor than where he landed in the race standings—I am so proud of AJ.
· Booties? Taking care of the dog’s well being is of the utmost importance and part of this includes keeping a watchful eye on their paws. No feet, no dog. We use dog booties in training and in races. The 2011 Iditarod was a 1500 dog bootie race for the team. Some booties last several miles, some not long at all; at approximately $1 a piece we try to pick up booties we find along the trail and reuse them when possible. In 2010 we had homemade booties, and in 2011 we purchased many of the booties used in the race. In 2010, AJ offered to help me sew dog booties in an effort to save my weary sewing machine from further insults. I taught him how to sew; after several attempts his large hands threaded the needle, and with the fabric in place he hit the throttle of the sewing machine like it was a sports car—He now leaves all the sewing to me.
The past two years, we have listed our individual and corporate sponsors on our blog and website, and if sponsorships are received by a deadline set by the ITC, they find themselves listed in AJ’s official Iditarod bio. Previously, we have hung a banner on our dog truck at both the ceremonial start in Anchorage and the restart in Willow complete with the logos of our corporate sponsors; during the ceremonial start we have also had a banner on either side of the sled with the logos of business who have been kind enough to help us realize our goals. I read on the Chet’s blog the idea of a sticker; while this is a good idea in many cases some stickers don’t quite stay stuck in cold temperatures. Thinking out loud, a logo patch might be something worth considering.
The individual sponsorship amounts listed on the blog and those we provide to corporate sponsors are to simply give folks an idea of amounts they may wish to consider (and in the case of corporate sponsors what kind of exposure they receive as a sponsor), but as I said before any and all amounts are welcome wheather from Plunderer or author…our cup runneth over.
This is a lot of information, yet I hope you find it useful. We can’t thank those at Chet’s enough for even taking a second look at our no-name corner of the world.
Best to all,
Rebecca
9:17 pm on March 26th, 2011
We sure do like Rebecca and AJ – (they are certainly welcome to the Cooking with Corgis Dinner too!)and we are far more impressed with the humanitarian award than ANY race first place. Winning is good, but caring for the dogs is even better.
Barb and Maggie – we don’t much care for the catagorization of mysteries as cozies if they don’t have the requisite amount of blood and gore and ick. After all – Alfred Hitchcock is the indisputable master of suspense and terror, hardly “cozy”. And yet, he didn’t depend on graphic murder to create that fear. Here’s a trivia question for all of you – how many times do you see the knife strike Janet Leigh in the famous shower scene in Pyscho? Answer : none. The horror of that scene is created with shadows and sound and implication.
There are indeed cozy mysteries – ones that take place in donut shops, or cookie stores; ones that don’t keep one up at night. And then there are well crafted stories that keep you guessing. And sometimes, we read something that is so bad, so poorly written that we despair of fairness in the field of publishing. How can some of these travesties of writing get into print??
9:17 pm on March 26th, 2011
What a great letter and reply from Rebecca. Thank you Rebecca and thank you Rio for a job well done.
We can sponsor Whitey!!! Did you guys see that? We can sponsor Whitey!!!!
I think it is a very smart idea to get the entry fee paid and out of the way by June so Snowhook doesn’t have to worry about it after that. It is wonderful news that the Iditarod has reduced the entry fee by $1000.
Congratulations to AJ for winning the Humanitarian Award!!!
9:24 pm on March 26th, 2011
June!…So to help them meet that entrance fee by June we should all do what we can before then….snort!… Then after that we have to take care of Whitey!..heh!…Our main man!…wooo!…Hopefully Admin and Spencer will break open their moth ridden wallets and give as much as they can too in time for the entrance fee!…snort!…If they want a banner or a badge for Chet at the race next year they will have to show their true colors….gruff!
9:27 pm on March 26th, 2011
What a wonderful reply from Rebecca. Congratulations to AJ for winning the Humanitarian Award! We love Whitey! It would be nice to sponsor him! Thank you Rio for emailing Rebecca.
9:31 pm on March 26th, 2011
Rio, if we want to sponsor Whitey, I think we are going to have to do it immediately before other people get the same idea.
9:37 pm on March 26th, 2011
Spence and Admin have already indicated that they want to be part of this. I hope we can get a Chet badge on AJ’s parka. Sponsoring Whitey would be fun too.
Very nice reply. Thank you Rebecca.
T&G: Talking about books would be fun. I “third” the not being big on baseball. That’s a good point about Hitchcock.
Melanie: It was too cold to go star gazing.
Good night all.
9:49 pm on March 26th, 2011
Stover!….Or anyone else who has On (freakin) Demand can watch a historic interview with him and Dick Cavett if you go to Free Movies under TMC, I believe…heh!…I’m always impressed with him because he figured out how to create effects with out having a computer and CGI…grunt! ….We finished our walk a while ago and now need to get back to one of his classics’, Strangers On A Train…wooo! …Can this day get any better? I ask you guys, can it?…heh!
9:56 pm on March 26th, 2011
SiberH!… We have Dibs on Whitey!…heh!…Rebeccas words exactly were, “I will gladly allow the Plunderers dibs on our wandering, hug giving, belly rub taking, special dog.”….snort!…So as a group we need to honor this I think….sniff! ….We need to raise at least 500.00 for Whitey. I believe we can to a lot more than that though, I really do!…chuffle!
Whitey!…Do you guys think I need to write Rebbeca back and say we definitely want to sponsor Whitey?….snort!…This means we will all have to send in a specified amount to meet the agreement…sniff!…After that it’s up to your own comfort level with other donations for the entrance fee and beyond…sneeze!
9:57 pm on March 26th, 2011
Wow, I “know” real Iditarod folks!! I am not sure that our Auntie in Alaska can even say that.
Last night we were watching a James Bond movie when someone made a Bond reference. How ironic.
10:09 pm on March 26th, 2011
WHITEY ! Our own Iditarod husky !
10:09 pm on March 26th, 2011
Rio, I agree, as a group we need to honor our interest in sponsoring Whitey. I also agree that we can do this!
What do you think is the best way to go about it? Just start sending in our donations online or snail mail and say they are from Chet the Dog’s Blog and they are to go toward sponsoring Whitey?
Rebecca can let us know when we have met our goal of sponsoring Whitey.
Mom and I can get a check in the mail Monday to go toward Whitey’s sponsorship.
Any other ideas, anyone?
10:19 pm on March 26th, 2011
Good work, Rio! And yes, by all means, please let Rebecca know that we are all in!
I love the idea of sponsoring Whitey-Lance. Mom said that we can send a check this week to go towards the registration fee, plus we want to sew some booties.
Bee, in your wildest dreams did you ever think you would be sponsoring a dog in the Iditarod? We sure didn’t! We’re even going to spring for the GPS thing next year!
10:20 pm on March 26th, 2011
And, to answer your question, Rio, I guess you should write Rebecca back and let her know we want to sponsor Whitey, if everyone else on the blog is agreeable to this.
10:20 pm on March 26th, 2011
Rio – we are in as far as “claiming” Whitey. We are going to our paypal account tonight to send in something. Thanks for doing all the contact! Do we have an “official” designation that we are going to note on donations? Are we Chet’s Blog Plunderers?
10:24 pm on March 26th, 2011
T&G I think anything like Chet’s Blog Plunderers will work. Rebecca will know who it is from.
10:39 pm on March 26th, 2011
Whitey!….Regarding Whitey, I will email Rebecca and tell her we want to sponsor Whitey and to let us know when we have reached our commitment for his sponsorship which is 500.00…snort! ….How does that sound? I hate putting a fixed amount on what anyone should give to a cause, it’s just not right in my heart… grunt!…So do what you can with Whitey in mind and after we reach that goal we can reach for another!….Wooooo! …With the help of our generous author and all his gang of characters of course, giving what they can we surely will do a lot to help the “unknown” Snowhook Team reach their goal!… sniff!… Bernie maybe not so much because his finances are a mess.…chorkel!
10:45 pm on March 26th, 2011
Just don’t let Bernie bet his watch on the Iditarod!!!
10:49 pm on March 26th, 2011
I agreee that our first goal is Whitey. Can we let them know that we want to do that? $500 seems like a more obtainable goal for a small group than $3,000, unless there are some deep pockets out there.
11:05 pm on March 26th, 2011
We did it! We sent our first donation via paypal to Rebecca and company. We noted that it was to help sponsor Whitey and from the Chet’s Blog Plunderers.
No Gilly, you can’t ride along. You HATE being cold and or wet. We’ll just watch from here.
11:07 pm on March 26th, 2011
Rio, That sounds like a good plan. I think together we can come up with the $500 for Whitey-Lance…whatver people feel comfortable giving. I don’t like fixed amounts either.
We are going to turn in now and will catch up on the blog tomorrow.
nighty night everyone Happy Trails to All!
11:07 pm on March 26th, 2011
A check will be in the mail to Alaska soon.
Lurkers – Friends of Chet – join the Plunderers? You’re out there ’cause there are more than 700 on Rio’s facebookie.
11:12 pm on March 26th, 2011
Plunderers!…. I just sent an email to Rebecca saying we would as a group like to be Whitey’s sponsor and would she kindly let me know when we have reached that goal…snort!…I said once that goal has been reached we can look to the next thing. I also asked her to let us know if they had any immediate needs that they need help with…snuffle!… Because they invested so much into this last race I was concerned about that…sniff…. I hope I did not over-step my boundaries….yeep! …I don’t think they would ever take advantage of our generosity. I really do not believe they would do that…snorkel!… I also encouraged her to post directly on this here blog…heh!…Hopefully she will.
BluKat!…Rio’s Facebookie?…heh!…Really?
11:15 pm on March 26th, 2011
We don’t do Paypal, so we will send a check Monday.
We are signing off, too. Happy Trails and Happy Tails!
11:47 pm on March 26th, 2011
We are back from the concert and finally read the whole blog. We will be mailing a check to Snowhook because Paypal takes a small percentage for themselves and we want ALL our money to go to the dogs.
Rio you did good!
Night all
PS, Alice and Abbie will not be doing any strange fundraisers for you plunderers. Although Alice likes the idea of a dunk tank for Rio. She would like to see him swimming around in some cold water. heh heh heh heh hehheh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh.
11:51 pm on March 26th, 2011
Rio. You definitely did the right thing. I will get my dad to make a contribution on Monday. I agree that it is better not to have set amounts, but I know that each Plunderer will be as generous as they can be. I am confident that we will get to our goal. And thanks to SiberH in particular for helping us all become Iditarod fans. Go Whitey and Snowhook in 2012!!! Woo, woo, woo. Wookier
12:09 am on March 27th, 2011
Wookie!….It’s always special to hear from you…heh!… I know you are so busy doing under-cover work for us these days…sniff!….Yes, it is better to let the cards fall as they will and believe in the generosity of our small community and set no limits! Limits are limiting ….snorkel!…I think big things come out of small groups and we are going to prove that…snort! ….Just think, one year with our help and support AJ and Whitey will actually place in the top 10 or even WINNIT eventually….snuff!….We will be proud to say we have had a huge part in each accomplishment year after year! That’s what I am thinking anyways…chuffed!
Tennis!…We are still watching the Alfred Hitchcock movie and now we are watching the tennis match…heh!…We always think of the Charming Mr. Abrahams during tennis matches…sneeze!cough!
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