What the heck! Lets Embrace 2010

2009, a s--t time for many in terms of the recession. Well hope springs eternally and optimistically. That has to be one of the most endearing traits of humans to hope and try and improve things for tomorrow.

The web world of bloging etc never ceases to astound me how distance is minimised and you’re connected to others, through shared passions, and the assumption of trust. Methinks quite dog like the trust, that goes with the bloging world :-) I was intrigued to have a happy holidays greeting on my blog, and clicked on the link and it took me to a blog Lifewithdogs  that is far-out, humorous and with a passion for helping dogs. People all over try to help those less fourtunate, and I am awed and humbled by their efforts.

One of my special memories for 2009, I helped some people with their dog, they had paid £100.00 to a ‘behaviourist’ to help them and for that the outcome was a very confused, nervous dog and a very concerned owner. I don’t train dogs for payment at the moment, but every so often someone says help and I do, take on a case where previous efforts have not worked for whatever reason. For the sheer heck of it and interest, I say ‘I’ll meet up’ and Marc comes and assists. The outcome was ‘well cool’ a happy owner and happy dog. My approach would not and does not suit everyone, but sometimes I meet someone and what I do just clicks for them and it is great outcome.

We have always had two re-homes in our pack, however with Raz’s deteriorating sight, we are trying to hold off taking in another as he has become ‘Calamity’ Raz. In December needing a haematoma drained x2, and in the end operated on, all this caused by him banging his head. OUCH! I think we spent a fair bit of time down the Vets this December. Fortunately he is better, the stitches out, the wound nicely healed and he retains his irrepressible spirit that made him crazy gorgeous Raz.

So what the heck, lets embrace 2010, and keep hope and optimism fuelled by doing a good deed.

Happy New Year

P.S The photo shows Mr Big found some treasure on his Christmas Day walk! Hmmm…I’m sure a cat or fox had a great Christmas eve meal.
P.P.S I really must work out the difference between following and listing a blog, I remain confused.
P.P.P.S Watched Bolt over the Christmas season, a Walt Disney gem for sure, it is laugh out loud funny and endearing. The side character Rhino is hysterical, well was to me - the perfect complement to Bolt and Mittens. I’m sure Marc cracked a smile or two :-)

Zev – Jumping at Rugby Christmas 09

The video is of Zev at Rugby, I realised after the show he had kept company with grade 7 dogs, as the class was combined. Even with Zev’s “whoa, we actually doing agility at a show, I’m gonna do the bestest wait in the whole world!”. It was like starting all over again and we even pulled off a ‘back flick away’ coming out of the tunnel :-) It was certainly a flick-flacks and tunnels ‘r’ us type of course, with inexperience on our side - well Zev's side - I was so proud of him.
So bring on the 2010 agility season I am so looking forward to running Rivi and Zev. And from April I will have the fun of watching Marc run Mister Big débuting on the agility scene. Oh yeah...bring it on....

 
Loving the Christmas holidays, such a shame it only happens once a year.

Merry Christmas

W ell, must confess I have had my 'head in the sand' for this Christmas well and truly. I adore the spirit of Christmas, luv the fact that we can celebrate the passing of the shortest day, and be cheered by twinkling Christmas lights, log fires and the sound of Christmas songs. For me it is time for a celebration of the good things in life, watching its 'A Wonderful Life' , good wine, snuckling up on the sofa, chilling out, and extra time with the hubby and the guys. Yep, bliss....

So this Christmas a celebration of the spirit; normal service will be resume next year (with prezzies) :-) This song sure made me chuckle and remember how I luv’d Disney cartons as a kid, especially 101 Dalmatians and Lady and the Tramp. They transport you to another time and place, as if I only watched them yesterday.

Merry Christmas

Christmas comes early...Yes...Yes...Yes.. :-)

Both Bigs and I have received Christmas presents early. First, I have got a job so from the new year I will no longer be economically inactive (tell that to the credit card that got me through the last few months!). I decided back in the summer enough was enough with my previous job in one of the worse recessions, and left. It was a huge disappointment to be in placed in such a position. But heck, what is life but a learning curve? The job I landed, I am really excited about I will just have to see how it pans out. So come the end of January I will have money, I will be employed, and able to afford agility shows! It is such a great feeling and a huge relief. And I have missed having my own money for sure. Whilst it has been a difficult process I have no regrets, the only regret would be if I had not taken the action to change the way things are going. To Marc and friends who have helped me through this period - thank you.

On to Big's Christmas present, he had finally outgrown his puppy coat and we know he not going to get any bigger so the time has come for him to have a grown up coat. He is just such a cutie and wears his new coat with such panache. And with the cold weather hitting the UK, it came just in time. Now all I have to do is try and find Rivi a coat that fits her gazelle like figure.

Weeheee - fun in the snow

Why the snow sends the guys into orbits of sheer joy, I don't know. But they certainly made me smile with their antics, running around with a bit of conifer trimming. It was hard to keep them in view!

Oh no…rusty-i-tis creeps in.....

Dammit, went to Rugby Christmas show and having not done a show for 2½ months meant rusty-i-tis was surely showing with me. As my focus on jobs and house stuff, meant I felt like the tin man from the Wizard of Oz, where is the oil when you need it? Just the split second timing of ‘outs’ and ‘change of direction’ signals… hmmm I did train the guys to be responsive. Which is of course the upside to all this :-) Rivi does stuff that just sends me into ‘floating on a cloud’ land even on a course that I ‘glitched’, and I’m really excited about competing with them both next year.

I vowed to Marc, we are not having such a break in future. Which was a bit dramatic, as we have always had time off and pretty much have most of the winter off; I liked the balance. However, the way I was I don’t think that I am going to be able to if I want to raise my game. Zev, bless him it was like doing his first show all over again, he came 7th in a combined class of 81 dogs which was not bad at all. I confess in this posting I am being picky, and don’t get me wrong Zev and Rivi had a fabulous time, and were none the wiser about their handler’s glitches. Interestingly even with just two runs each they found it mentally a very tiring day out. Which is another element of the dreaded rusty-i-tis affliction – out of practice with the hanging around and mega loads of stimuli going on.

So I am now on a mission to banish the rusty-i-tis, it will be erased until a memory no more; my movements will be perfected, my signals clear and timely, shows have been entered – well one a month. Just to keep me and my guys ticking over and ensure the banishment works ;-)

Hmmm, but Christmas is a coming, might still have the time off, after all…..

Holy Smackerel!!!!!! – 17 years

SMACK & BAM would you know it, me and Marc have made it to a whole 17 years of marriage! Whilst life inevitably throws up its up and downs at us, we have so far always managed to stick our tongues out at the downs and smile at the ups. What keeps it going? Well during the summer when I was making some tough decisions Marc says to me “listened to a song on the radio and it reminded me of you”. I was thinking ‘oh fu-kty fu-k what can it be? Would I like it or not? Marc and I don’t have a lot of overlaps in our musical taste, that is for sure. And the song? It was Can't Take My Eyes Off You’ by Andy Williams. Cost what 79p on itunes? Made me feel better than a million bucks :-) Ok it would be nice to have a million bucks right now. But heck I’ll remember this and I guess it moments like this that keeps it going.


Darling, Happy Anniversary…………….xxx