show       obedience       field

XXXXX nce upon a time there was a girl…

(Well, if you define 'girl' as under the age of 15 

-- and this person is 3 times that -- Oh, never-mind…)

Once upon a time there was a girl who was addicted to red dogs. 

Not just ANY red dogs, mind you, but the beautiful Irish Setter kind that the standard refers to as aristocratic. And anyway, because she had these royal red dogs, she considered herself aristocratic as well -- a Princess, don't you know.

x

Well, the Princess had a husband. (Whoops, scratch that.) 

She had her very own Prince Charming! 

  (More brownie points when he reads this!) 

Anyway, in the early days of their royal courtship 

Prince Charming had obligations to the military 

so they had to live in a Non-Castle.

                             (translation "army housing")

But the Princess could not have any of her beloved red dogs in the non-castle,

 so the Prince promised that someday 

he would grant her all of her wishes when they moved to his real castle.

The move to the real castle was delayed, even after the military obligation was completed, due to the fact that the Prince had no actual kingdom (or loyal subjects that he could tax) and therefore had to work. The limits of the second non-castle (in which they lived for 22 years) were just a little bit less restrictive, so the Prince and Princess were able to have a few lovely red dogs at their side.

Since the Prince was still unable to set them up in a real castle like he promised, he sought other temporary measures to make sure his Princess was happy. 

He arranged for her to transport her wonderful red dogs all across 

the kingdom in a lovely Carriage.

                                        (translation, "dog show van".) 

Later, he acquired a splendid 'Portable' Castle.

                                        (translation, "dog show RV".)

Then, when she began to take her red dogs to hunting tests and field trials, of course she needed to be able to follow them mounted upon a Handsome Steed,

(translation "Tennessee Walking Horse.")  

Of course, she wished for her prince to accompany her.  (How does the rhyme go? "If wishes were horses…") Well they were -- since naturally the prince granted her wishes, and so before long there were TWO horses.  

xx

Finally, the Prince began to realize that the temporary measures he had taken to provide happiness for his Princess had gotten quite expensive. 

He decided it was now time to move to their real castle where he could keep his promise to grant the Princess her wishes ----- hopefully, before going bankrupt.

By this time the Prince (whose non-castle was feeling a little claustrophobic) was having a bit of trouble remaining "Charming."  He worried when he realized that the required dimensions of the new real castle had expanded quite a lot.

The new kingdom would require stables and carriage houses well beyond anything he had previously dreamed.  He was true to his word, however, and began in earnest to search for an existing kingdom that would suffice.

Finally, after almost having to slay a couple of  Dragons

                               (translation "real estate brokers")

and with the exchange of a large volume of Treasure  

                                                           (translation not needed!) 

                                   ...the deed was done.

The new KINGDOM was established

 in a far away place called

Willis,Texas. 

There, surrounded by the trees and nearby lake, pastures and barns, the Prince and Princess have begun to raise a whole new generation of 

aristocratic red dogs, known as: 

MyTyme Irish Setters

By now the Prince realized that he has been what is known as an "enabler" 

to the addiction of his Princess and sustained her in the pursuit of growing numbers

 of red dogs! In fact, he is probably a long time addict himself.

...............but, that is a story for another time.

          ©1997

First Irish - acquired 1973

Youngest now - born 2007