Hurricane Deck

Okay, not really. While going to work the song "Souvenirs" by John Prine and Steve Goodman - it just killed me and I cried all the way to work - poor Lola Bean, Memories, they can't be boughten. They can't be won at carnivals for free. Well it took me years to get those souvenirs, And I don't know how they slipped away from me. Yeah, I know - I am a total sap. *sigh* In other news, the kettlebell is kicking my arse. LOVE it! Lots of sore spots on my body including my lats! Gotta love that! This weekend I am going to take the dogs (well, except for Rodear since she's still having her *special* time) on a couple of hikes in the mountains. It would be nice to get a long walk in and maybe some pictures. My office is moving to a bigger and better and brand new building - I am excited, but the downside is no doggies allowed. Everyone has been bummed about that, so maybe in a few months I can sneak the goggies in for an hour or so a day. I think that's

The AKC show was tons of fun - who knew that definate ring times could afford you the opportunity to socialize with non-dog show folk later in the day - OR - even earlier in the day?? All the vendors - fantastic! LOVE to see all the doggie stuff even though I kept my monies in my pockets. Sniper won on day one, and his half brother Sin won on day two. It really was hard, hard, hard to not cry every time I saw the rally ring (conveniently located in the open grooming building). I know I should give myself time to grieve over my Lola princess... and I think I am. Tomorrow will be a week and the pain is still very acute. Our last picture together, celebrating our success: (You can click on the picture to go to her album) We got two first places and one second place in the quest for our title - not bad, I think! Okay, and two NQs because she decided to not work for me. The hardest is at night when I am counting out treats for the dogs and I have to remember only 6, because 7 is

I seriously cannot get my mind off the 5 million things that I have going on in my life that are not remotely work related. My baby Rodear finally went into heat at 11 months old - maybe she'll wait another 11 months! I have a friend whose female dogs all went into heat at the same time and we're considering doing a trade; I will take her male if she'll take my girl - it would just be so much easier for everyone! I found a fantastic deal on an RV that would be a fixer-upper - fingers crossed that my offer will go through! Lola needs another cortizone shot for her allergies, and I need to get that done on Saturday morning. I finally figured out what pictures I want to enter into the State Fair, so I need to get those printed out and framed and to the fair on Saturday or Sunday morning. And OMG does my car need a bath inside and out! I think those are the biggest things on my mind... for now anyway!

So Devan and I will have the only Misc. breeds at the AKC show and Lola is in Rally and GUESS WHAT I will probably have a stupid ring conflict between conformation and Rally. Once I finish with one I get to run my fat ass over to the other. Ah well - it certainly won't hurt me but it won't make me a happy camper. At the very least we are indoors so there is a bright spot, and also I won't miss much of the judge's seminar - I am praying that they take a lunch break when we are showing! I really hope that the Rally folks will let Lola go first - I wonder how much I will have to beg....

I entered my first AKC show yesterday. I just entered Sniper in conformation and Lola in Rally Obedience. I am also hoping that the "lady" that is in charge of the breed seminars will let me pay to attend them - she's not really happy that myself and a friend are UKC people. And AKC folk say that we unfairly label them as snobs? This from the SAME group who had an absolute cow when AKC, in an obvious money grab, allowed mixed breeds (they call them "All American") dogs compete in companion events. *eye roll* UKC has been doing this for years by registering them as AMBORs, or American Mixed Breed Obedience Registry dogs. It did nothing to hurt the purebred fancy, and many of us really enjoy seeing the "mutts" compete. Anyhow! We shall see how it goes. I would love to have the opportunity to teach folks about the breed.

This weekend: Housesitting for a friend Next weekend: Terrier racing practice Weekend after that:

This. This makes me crazy. I am so tired of reading about the childhood obesity epidemic that it makes my eyes cross. We're making our schools feed our children healthier lunches - but what do they come home to eat? What did they eat before they got to school? If commercials and other people's shopping carts are anything to judge by, we send our children off to school filled with the refined sugar that comes from most cereals and convenince "breakfast" foods such as Pop-Tarts and Toaster Strudels. Don't have time to fix your children breakfast? Fill 'em up with sugar! And when they get home, be a good mother and give them sugar filled fruit juices and fat-laden pizza rolls - be a 'cool' mama, mama! Meanwhile, our playgrounds sit empty because of the incorrectly perceived threat of pedophiles and kidnappers lurking on every street corner when the reality is that your dear uncle is more likely to molest your child and your ex-spouse is more likely