IU vs. Illinois Game

We decided to go to our first Indiana football game today. Tickets were only $10, but after parking ($15) and food ($15), it didn't really turn out to be that cheap of an event...oh well. The atmosphere isn't quite the same as the Iowa games, but we were glad that we went anyways. We left early because it was hot, and the Hoosiers were losing (by a lot). But we've heard basketball season is awesome...

These pictures might not be as good of quality because I took them on my cell phone rather than my usual digital camera. Also, in case you can't tell, the third picture is of the Iowa Hawkeye flag at the IU stadium. Go Hawks!

Random Herky Cuteness

Herky is still losing teeth! He has lost 4 more teeth! He has been really good about only chewing on his toys (not the trim or shoes anymore). Herky weighs 33 pounds now, and he has recently begun sleeping out of his kennel at night. Now he sleeps either on his pillow at the end of our bed, or often he goes into his kennel anyways, but it doesn't have a door anymore.

Herky Graduates Obedience Class!

Herky graduated his basic obedience class today! We met for six weeks with quite a few other dogs and learned lots of things! We learned about jumping up, barking, leash pulling, and other bad habits. Then we learned sit, heel, down and down-stay, and finally come. We have practiced all of these things, but it is hard to learn it all perfectly in six weeks! Instead we have learned how to continue to train Herky so that he will be a well-behaved dog. He is already doing much better!

Cute Puppy Pics

Here's some other random pictures of Herky that I think are adorable! He's getting some longer fur in along his back that is wavy, so I think he will start looking more like an adult golden retriever every day! He weighs almost 30 pounds right now! He is also teething and has two adult teeth on the top and two on the bottom. (Plus he has chewed up 2 of my shoes...) It's a good thing he's so cute!

Herky Plays Fetch

Herky has always loved chasing toys and bringing them back, it was the releasing part he didn't quite like...instead he thinks its great to play keep-away or tug of war. But today I was so happy, we played real fetch with Herky dropping his stuffed blue dog at my feet! He did it at least five times in a row before he noticed my camera and got distracted! I guess he is living up to his retriever name!

Herky Was Sick

Herky has had a rough couple of weeks since Labor Day, but he is feeling much better now! He had two visits to the vet! Herky had a nasty rash on his belly which turned out to be a bacterial infection that puppies are prone to - especially puppies that like to play in water like Herky does! So Herky got an antibacterial spray and had to wear a cone for awhile when we were gone so he wouldn't bite at the rash and make it worse...Unfortunately he also came down with kennel cough (like a puppy flu). Even though he got a vaccine for some of the strains, he managed to catch one of the other ones! So he got antibiotics and cough medicine. Plus he wasn't allowed to go to the dog park or play with other puppies for a whole week! So sad! But now he is fully recovered!

Update on Optometry School & Nick's Work

Since our blog seems to be very "Herky-centered" I decided to post an update about the part of our lives that doesn't revolve around the puppy...I have been in classes for three weeks now, and I feel like we are definitely well into the material in all of my classes. We have taken quizzes in several classes already and I will have my first big test next week. I am usually in class from around 8 am to 2 or 3 pm everyday. There are a few days that I get to sleep in a bit and a few days I have to stay later, but it all balances out in the end. So far I like the classes, but it is a lot of general anatomy, systemic or body disease, and information that reviews and expands on what was taught in my undergraduate science classes at UNI. We are learning some clinical procedures, and I used a direct ophthalmoscope to look into a real person's eye today! Yay! (I don't really know what I saw, but it was exciting to do something that 'real doctors' do on a daily basis). This was so that we could get a feel for the equipment that we will have to order later this fall. We will spend about $2,000 on equipment this year and another $2,000 in our second year. And students get half off of the retail prices of the equipment! Hard to believe how expensive it is!

Nick is liking his job as an assistant property manager at Woodbridge Apartments here in Bloomington. He is still going through some training, but he is able to complete lots of tasks now. In fact he has leased three apartments since starting there (two in the first week!). Unfortunately, there will be no apartments to lease for awhile because they are at full capacity right now. So he mostly is doing file audits to ensure that the correct paperwork and documents are on file for each lease. He also does inspections to make sure that people are not violating rules of the community (such as owning a gas grill). A perk of his job that we just got this week is a major discount on our cable package. Since the apartment complex has such a large account, the company provides a nice discount to the employees of the complex. So we now have some HD channels as well as DV-R (which is like TiVo). We just got it hooked up today, but it is pretty neat - you can just pause the TV if you need to go do something (like take Herky out) and then you can skip the commercials! Well this post is probably getting pretty long, but I throw in a picture of the apartments where Nick works and of the optometry building as well!

Labor Day Fun

IU students still have to go to school on Labor Day, so its not really an extended weekend for me, but Nick gets the day off from work... Mom and Dad also decided that this would be a good weekend to visit, so they arrived in Bloomington Saturday morning and stayed in town until Monday morning. We ate out, played with Herky, and explored the town. On Sunday we went to church and then drove to Bedford, south of Bloomington, to Bluespring Caverns. These underground caves were carved by a river, and we were able to take a boat tour of part of the cave. It was a great weekend!

Dog Park

Herky is finally old enough to get his rabies shot, and he got the rest of his puppy shots this week at the vet's too. That means that he can go to the dog park at our townhouse complex now! Herky has met lots of neighborhood puppy friends at the Bark Park including dogs such as Daphne, Deeder, Polly, Anna, and Henry (another golden retriever). Of course he plays with Molly too!

New Puppy on the Block!

Josh and Lezlie added a new puppy to their family this week! They adopted a two month old German Shepherd/Corgi mix from the Martinsville animal shelter. Her name is Zelda or Zelly for short. So far Molly and Herky have been very interested but generally pretty gentle with her. But I'm sure they're excited for when she gets big enough to play with!