Hello and welcome back from Turlock, February USDAA.
Do you want to hear the good news or the bad news first?
It was that kind of day.
The good news is, look at this birdhouse I bought from an old lady selling them in front of her house on one of the highways in Turlock. It's the stable. Her disabled husband who ignores you through their front picture window builds them. There are apartments for 4 birds on the other side. I love my new birdhouse.
The bad news was, a huge rain storm came in Saturday evening and I almost just bagged the whole dog show and just didn't go. Had no inkling to drive to Turlock in the rain at night and hang out in the rain all day.
The good news is, I saved a Motel 6 bill and had less of a glamorous evening than previously planned. I watched some episodes of Big Love, slept in my own bed, and drove out to the dog show at 4:30 in the morning instead. And I took a new way to get there which was faster, more scenic, and easier roads to drive.
The good news is, Otterpop finally got that elusive Advanced Gamblers Q that she's been trying to get for, um, a really long time. Because she's been in Masters for a while. In everything except Gamblers.
The bad news was, she was still paranoid about judges near her and did that whole looking over her shoulder for machetes whilst running over contact equipment with judges nearby. They just want to see you step in the yellow Otterpop. That's it. But she thinks the first time she looks away from there and just where she's going, out comes machete.
The good news was, her teeters were exempt from machete watching and the paranoia did not result in any barking attacks.
The bad news was, she ran kinda pokey in Jumpers and this made me so sad.
The good news was, she was pretty fast in Standard but had a refusal and got a 2nd in her Grand Prix with a decent but not outstanding time. She was super fast once past the dog walk and a-frame where the judge was closely watching the contacts.
The good news is, Ruby seems perky and happy to play let's attack all the couch pillows with 3 sets of small dog teeth now that we are home.
The bad news was, she had a terrible Standard and I pulled her out of Grand Prix after half a course, and the rest of the day she walked like she was 100 years old and wouldn't jump in or out of the car. I scratched all the rest of her classes and still have NO idea what is wrong with her. If it's in her mind, if she's actually sore somewhere, or it's both. And just now, she wouldn't jump out of a chair to get a treat with everyone else.
The good news is, Hobbes had a beautiful Standard run with a stunning table.
The bad news was, he knocked a bar in it and didn't get the LAST Q for his LAA Platinum, the highest thing you can get in USDAA agility. So we didn't get to drink the champagne I brought for just in case.
The good news is, I tried to see if I could just haul ass with him as fast as I could in the Steeplechase finals and not get him to knock any bars. And I am having a momosa right now.
The bad news was, he hit a bar in Steeplechase (and I just blew him by his a-frame contact) and bars with Rob in other stuff and he is sore and that is probably why he is knocking all these bars. Maybe. So he got scratched from all the rest of his runs.
The good news is, Mary and Michelle from our dirt night classes ran in their first USDAA trial and did smashing. I saw with my own bloodshot eyes. And Mary was even wearing her Team Small Dog Shirt! And it did not rain and was actually a lovely day. And it was a nice crowd and all my dog agility friends were there and no one was in a mean mood. And Gustavo got to play a lot and was perfectly happy to sit in the car. I met Ellen who has the Taj Mutthall Agility Blog. (our blogs are of a very different nature, we agreed.) There. That's a lot of good news. Even though, all in all, it was a little bit of a crappy day dog wise, I am being very glass half full. Gonna fill it up again right now with momosa. Will bring a fresh bottle to Madera for just in case.
3 comments:
I saw Hobbes' perfect table! With Laura! She stood perfectly still in a sort of charged energetic manner. This was the opposite of what I did for poor Ariel who was just a little afraid of the new table and not sure she wanted to touch her chest to it. And it looked like I touched the table, but I didn't! Really! But we had so much fun! The best part of the the Turlock agility place is that there are two huge fields for the throwing of balls! Ariel thought this was great!! She wasn't so sure about the teeter. I made lots of mistakes and learned and learned! I hope this learning will mean fewer mistakes in the future! I doubt it! Ariel qualified in jumpers! That was fun! We got lost on the way to Turlock. On the way from the Motel 6 to the field, and on the way back, too. And then on the way home! Traveling to Turlock, for Mary and Michelle, is just like running an agility course! Lots of off-course times! We stayed Saturday when we were tired and cold to help Rob set the course for Sunday, and that was really fun, and he was very patient when he said about placing the dogwalk that we could follow him to the spot, so I started following him to the spot (without my end of the dogwalk)and he very nicely said that he could handle carrying the map himself! Such a nice guy! You were right, Laura! Dee came Saturday! I was so glad to see her I just hugged her. She didn't mind! Laura was there with the Team! I did wear my Team Small Dog T-shirt. I wore it to work the day I got it, too. I am a True Fan! Man, this has been a day! Checked my automatic salary deposit this morning, and guess what! $2,000 short! Their mistake! Good thing for automatic don't bounce that check services from the friendly bank! $15 per service friendly! Should have checked Friday before leaving for Turlock to make sure enormous State bureaucracy wasn't about to make a $2,000 error. Not in my favor! Good news is that they will fix it by Friday! Is that Good Customer Service. Team Small Dog would say NO!
I saw Hobbes' perfect table! With Laura! She stood perfectly still in a sort of charged energetic manner. This was the opposite of what I did for poor Ariel who was just a little afraid of the new table and not sure she wanted to touch her chest to it. And it looked like I touched the table, but I didn't! Really! But we had so much fun! The best part of the the Turlock agility place is that there are two huge fields for the throwing of balls! Ariel thought this was great!! She wasn't so sure about the teeter. I made lots of mistakes and learned and learned! I hope this learning will mean fewer mistakes in the future! I doubt it! Ariel qualified in jumpers! That was fun! We got lost on the way to Turlock. On the way from the Motel 6 to the field, and on the way back, too. And then on the way home! Traveling to Turlock, for Mary and Michelle, is just like running an agility course! Lots of off-course times! We stayed Saturday when we were tired and cold to help Rob set the course for Sunday, and that was really fun, and he was very patient when he said about placing the dogwalk that we could follow him to the spot, so I started following him to the spot (without my end of the dogwalk)and he very nicely said that he could handle carrying the map himself! Such a nice guy! You were right, Laura! Dee came Saturday! I was so glad to see her I just hugged her. She didn't mind! Laura was there with the Team! I did wear my Team Small Dog T-shirt. I wore it to work the day I got it, too. I am a True Fan! Man, this has been a day! Checked my automatic salary deposit this morning, and guess what! $2,000 short! Their mistake! Good thing for automatic don't bounce that check services from the friendly bank! $15 per service friendly! Should have checked Friday before leaving for Turlock to make sure enormous State bureaucracy wasn't about to make a $2,000 error. Not in my favor! Good news is that they will fix it by Friday! Is that Good Customer Service. Team Small Dog would say NO!
Turlock was a good trial to start at. Nice and small (lucky starters ring finished at like NOON!) and quiet and it does have all that nice field space.
I can tell you a better way to drive there that is faster from Santa Cruz next time you go. And you won't get lost and can buy a birdhouse if you take that way home.
Mary and Michelle need to print out a map from google! You can also use this to identify your Starbucks if you are staying in a Motel 6.
I have a video somewhere of my first run at a dog agility trial. Nancy with Beau's husband took it. Nancy was already a seasoned competitor when I started out. My hat fell off. Ruby blew a start or did something weird at the start line. I think she was just all over the course and we looked like your basic starters team-most people start out a little bit rough then you just get a lot of practice. Practice, practice, practice.
You guys will have it together in no time!
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