winter roundup

What a winter. Mentally and physically exhilarating. Challenging, too. I fell off the wagon when it came to documenting my stay in Alta. Mid-winter, it became a struggle to stay positive. I considered leaving. But I stayed, and I learned. I learned mostly about dogs and a little about human nature. I don't regret my time in Alta for a second, but wish things could have gone differently, more positively. I'm harboring a lot of bitterness and anger over the way I was treated, but am doing my best to let go, forget, and forgive. When I was with the dogs I was happy. They were my best friends and we had so much fun together. I was privileged to work with some of the best young dogs in Norway, and I have never done anything more rewarding than training these young dogs in their first season. I miss them like crazy and am thankful for the rich learning environment I had... Hours on the ATV or dogsled, out in nature. I had time to think, evaluate and plan. I decided: this is the life for me.