Training Facility hurdles

Things have been crazy busy. The shelters is crazy..classes are doing well....and then there is the training center. Things have finally emerged from lawyer-land and the application has been submitted to the towns zoning board. Today I called the surrounding neighbors to ease their minds and answer questions and got really good feedback. So far, the only caveat is that the barn is 35 feet from the property line and according to the rules, it needs to be 50. So a variance is a possibility, but we wont know until the town meeting which wont be until the end of April. I posted a few pics and wish I had taken more on my last trip out. Its simply the most beautiful piece of property and if it works out...it will be a dream come true. We have so many plans including an agility ring that overlooks the river (how great would it be to run agility, take your dog for a dip in the river and then walk the 11acres of open field?), and small barn to house a small herd of dog broke sheep.

Housewives of Mid Coast Maine?

Yesterday Brees and I joined our good friend Amy & Andy for our herding lesson. The winter lessons meet in a barn of a working farm in beautiful Searsport right on the coast. The woman who owns the farm popped in to watch the lessons just in time for Brees's second pass which consisted of his ADD moment and 'crazy eye' stare. At this time I asked him to 'down', which he didn't. So I tried to step on the line to get him into the down, and was fumbling as Brees was able to pull the the line through the treads of my new Bog boots. This prompted my instructor to yell out 'next time wear real farm boots and leave those high fashion boots at home!'
What?? Herding then went on the back burner as we had a 'Housewives' moment with a boot debate (Muck vs. Bog vs LaCrosse). I learned that my Bogs, by far, are NOT what the mid coast farmers are wearing this mud season. The conversation then went to how a salve made for horses can help with liver spots. Really? I had no idea when I went to my herding lesson that I would leave with beauty and fashion tips! I do think that Bravo should consider the Mid coast of Maine for the next 'Housewives' show. That would be entertainment!

First Hurdle

Found out today that the barn (training facility) doesn't meet the '50 ft from the property line' requirement. Its my task to call the surrounding neighbors to let them know of the plans before they get the letter from the zoning board (Who are incorrectly calling us a 'kennel'...yikes!) and ease their minds. Sheesh...I feel like its over before we even began! I have faith that there will be a 'work around'(using the words of a lawyer friend!)