Happy Birthday Grace and Happy Halloween

Birthday wishes from Grace to all the family, Scout (good luck at the show today) River, Moira, and Fanny. We hope you all have a lovely day and lots of birthday treats.

I am greedy!

I am.  I admit it, it must be some sort of disease.  What did I do?  Well, I entered Grace in another Rally trial.  This summer, Magic and I tried UKC rally at the first UKC rally trial held up here in Minnesota, you know, that weekend of the weight pull.  We had fun. My greediness got to me that weekend too, so I entered Grace that Sunday as well. So now Magic has 2 legs, Grace has one toward their UKC Rally level 1.
The sickness, well, those unfinished titles just bug me. They don't bug me unless there is an opportunity to finish them, but hey, guess what, there is another UKC trial in a week!  So, I entered both of them, Magic for Saturday and Grace for both days.  Glutton for punishment I am. But really both dogs should be able to do this.

Speaking of unfinished, Peace still needs 1 point. I know its not a horrible thing, but again, that finishing thing is making me crazy.  She is still really nekkid.  The next show is in mid November, but entries close next week.  What to do, enter her and hope some hair comes back?  I don't know if anyone else with girls is planning on going.  Its a nice show site, but the entry fees are pretty high with no breaks for bred by as some have.  I hate to waste the money, but then I also know, she can't win that last point if she isnt there, right? But then there isn't another show until December and its a bit further away. Do-able, if need be.  I know I shouldnt stress about it, but I always worry about something happening and it not getting done!  Crazy and sick, I know I am.

Sick hubby, really happy dog

I wish I could have gotten a picture of the very satisfied look on Kazin's face this morning.  As usual right away when I got up to get ready for work I let the dogs out.  They know the routine, they all came in and went right to their room to settle in for the day.  As I was shutting the door, I casually asked Kazin to come out, which he did, although he was looking rather concerned or maybe confused.  What???  What did I do, he seemed to ask.  I walked him over to the bedroom door, opened it up and told him to hop up. He looked at me, I swear he grinned, and floof-right up behind Darryl grinning all the way.  Ah happiness - another day in bed!  An old dogs delight!

Lost Bird

(not Jade, but you can see the size)

The normal evening routine in my house is that once the dogs get kennelled for dinner, the birds get some out time.  Because the parrotlets are so small, we try not to have them out when the dogs are around too much.  Magic loves his birds, but even he might snap at something wizzing past his head.  Last night, I had Jade out riding my shoulder while I cleaned up her cage, freshened water, the normal stuff.  Well for some reason last night the little bugger took off on me and darted into the dogs room.  I raced after her, not sure where she would land, mind you I was only 4 feet from the door when she left. By the time I got to the room, she was gone. I could not find her. She was not on the curtain rods or on the window ledges. She was not visiting the other birds in that room. I quickly checked each of the dog crates thinking if she had landed in a one I would find at least a feather if she had been swallowed! (most are metal so a parrotlet could easily get inside)  NO Jade. I shuffled out (never pick up your feet cuz if you step on a 28 gram bird its not going to make it) to get the flashlight and shuffle back in the room. With the flashlight I start searching behind and under everything. Behind the breeder birds cages, cobwebs dust and feathers, but no bird. Behind the dresser, nope just more dust and hair. Under the dresser, its only and a small space under there, but cant see any of the hair moving. Whoa, do I need to vacuum in here!  No Jade. I am afraid to move too much, again, tiny bird, easy to squash. 

About this time one of the cats shows up. No you gotta go. Cat gets locked in the bathroom.  It's been about 25 minutes by now, and I am really starting to panic.  Where could she be? This is not a big room.  Could she have gone up the back stairs? The light was off, usually they don't fly into darkness, but is it possible?  I look behind Kazins crate, its a plastic one, I slide it a little bit away from the wall, nope.  Shine the flashlight everywhere I can think of. Finally I am sitting on the floor, after crawling around.  Magic is looking at me whining, Peace and Siren just look confused.  I hear, peep!  Now, the 3 other birds in the room, also parrotlets have been talking to me the whole time, but this peep sounded different.  Jade, Jade where are you?  Peep! I turn and look and here is the little bugger sitting on top of the dresser looking over at me!  I have no idea where she was hiding the little stinker.  I scooped her up and gave her a little talking to complete with lots of kisses and cuddles.

Monday Morning Blues

Its Monday. Yuck. I was sick last week, where I wound up staying home on Thursday and Friday, which is so unlike me.  That makes 4 days this month where I have been off work due to being sick.  The crud is going around my workplace like crazy and so they have actually been sending people home in an effort to try not to spread it, but unfortunately it seems unstoppable.  Today I actually have a voice, although my son says I mostly sound like ET.  Lets just say, yelling at the TV for the football game yesterday was interesting sound wise.  Because I was out sick last week, I didnt get my time card turned in either and with our new payroll system, my boss is having a heck of a time getting my time to show. So now I may not get paid right either. Almost makes me wish I were still at home!

The dogs however loved having me home with them.  Kazin my old dog, spent the last 5 days in bed with me. He was a happy boy. The others just leaped up and jumped on me periodically to make sure I was still alive and to remind me to feed them, that is whenever they were not confined to the tile floor due to the copius amounts of mud the last 2 weeks of rain and snow have thoughtfully provided.  

Peace is still buck naked, and I am starting to think she won't have enough hair to show next month.  Darn it! She is such a funny girl.  Yesterday during the football game I was (as usual) hollering at the TV.  Everytime I would yell, Peace would go to the TV and holler at it too.  Of course that would make us all laugh.  Do you know how hard it is to cough and laugh at the same time?  

snow, and rain and just plain yucky

The weather in Minneapolis lately has been less than pleasant. Cold and wet. Today, it is snowing, but its not staying. Its just messy. And I am sick. I have been sick for over a week and really am tired of it.

Halloween is coming

and Pumpkin Patch Primitive Quilts is having a giveaway.  Quilters out there, check it out and let them know I sent you.

To Sit or not to SIT

So I knew we would be in trouble when the first station was a Sit Down Sit,  We had a minor conversation about the sit, but we did that one.

Guess what, another discussion about whether a sit is really necessary!

But we had some nice moments too, a lovely pivot!

In the end, althought it was not a pretty run, it was a Q with 4th place.   So we met that goal for the year.  Grace has her RA!

A wing and a prayer

Last night we had a visitor.  A good sized red tailed hawk. I think it was a youngster, based on its rather confused state.  We have lots of red tails in Minnesota and you often see them sitting on the light poles by the freeway, but not too often in the middle of the city in my yard.  He appeared flying very low, low enought that I could feel the draft from his wings as he flew over my head.  He hung out for a while on the overhead wires, letting me take his picture a few times. then gave me a nod as if to say goodbye and off he went.  He was rather calm, but just his presence makes me wonder if he is OK?  I hope so.

Sorry the pictures are dark, it was a very grey overcast day.

Rally practice

Well, Sunday may be interesting.  I have tried practicing with Grace a bit this week, on and off.  At home she is heeling nicely, but of course its on leash as we really have no where to practice, off leash other than in the house.  I am too nervous about her deciding to run off to let her off leash outside. The last time she decided to play keep away, she toured our neighborhood quite extensively, and was not too cautious in the process.  Living smack dab in the middle of South Minneapolis, that is a lot of traffic, a lot of people and none of them as concerned for her as I am.

However, I did remember she would need to do a jump and then return to heel, so we got out the jump.  She was so happy to see the jump, I couldn't keep her away from it.  I think she is trying to tell me she wants to do more agility really. On the plus side she did confidently go out and over it and return to me, well after 5 or 6 times of racing around the house and zooming over and over it- a couple of times it looked like she was clearing 16 inches she was so exuberant. Once she settled back into the heeling the jump was good. 

We are going to go to TCOTCs open ring time on Friday, where I will get a true picture of where we are at.  Although with Grace, its never a certainty.  Love that goofy girl!

Afghan and Iron, and Music!

I just heard that Joyces boy Music was Winners dog both days last weekend!  Yeah Music.  Joyce also mentioned that Vegas seemed to enjoy his first hotel stay and his show site time. I havent seen him since shortly after he arrived, I bet he has grown.

Thanks for the good iron thoughts.  Yes, all of those things will help most people, but don't seem to do much for me unfortunately.Although I love iron rich foods, my body just doesn't accept the iron.   It has been a year since my last iron IV infusions.  My iron levels shouldn't be as low as I am feeling yet.  It's too soon!  But I will know soon, as I made an appointment for tomorrow to go have it checked again.   I suppose if I need to go for more infusions, I would rather do it now than when it is super cold outside. Right? Find the positives.

Here are a couple of layout options for my afghan.   Originally I was going to use this one, the original plan  was 10 different colored flowers.

But now I am thinking I want it bigger so maybe will do this one!  I most likely will be giving it away, so maybe the smaller version? I will most likely make all 10 flowers then decide, but don't mind hearing your preferences. In either case I have more to do.

Low Iron Laziness

Lazy just plain covers everything for me lately.  I haven't been blogging, I haven't been reading, I haven't been working the dogs. Honestly, I don't know what I have been doing, truthfully, its not much of anything. Lazy, but really its not just laziness. Lack of energy. Tired. Cold. Worn out and old.

My iron level is really low again.  Sounds so simple, but its amazing how much this affects a person. The iron affects the red blood cells, the ones that carry the oxygen around in your system. The oxygen that allows your system to function, your brain to think, your muscles to work and also to provide warmth.

So what do I do lately, I sit wrapped up in a blanket, watch TV and crochet. Thats about it. So sorry for the lack of updates, or pictures, but I really have nothing to report. Other than the growth of my afghan.  This weekend I started joining the hexagon motifs, and I have 5 flowers partially created.  They really look pretty, at least I think they do. Maybe tonight, if I find the energy I will take a picture or 2.

Peace sasy she rather likes this lazing around, blankets and pillows are great!

Crochet Along

I want to be sure you all know how nuts I am.  I started another project. Another one. Nuts I know.  I have blogged in the past about some of the things, the socks (stalled because I am nervous about the next step), the quilt (haven't gotten that back out lately), the new block of the month quilt I just started in September with my mom, and now I started a crochet afghan.  Its a crochet - along project on the Lion Yarn blog.  I have never been fond of granny squares, but this one is hexagons, so my goofy brain decided it was OK. Being a quilter, I have a hexagon quilt in the works, a grannys flower garden. This afghan will be a play on that.

And I am finding that I really like doing the hexagons.  I can complete one and see progress pretty quickly. And, unlike knitting, I can crochet and watch football, or anything else! I finished 5 hexes during the Vikings/Packers game last night!  I even did a couple at the dog show.    I hope to be posting my progress weekly.

PS- GO TWINS!  I have to work late tonight, and will be working during the entire game which is just blocks away from the office. I am hoping that the Twins can have as successful of a game today as the Vikings did last night. 

The Weekend

Well, it was a busy weekend for sure.  As I expected, Peace is still searching for that last point, but that is OK!  It gives us a chance to go out and play some more!  My friends fox terrier also is still looking for those elusive points, but really that too was expected.  However, he and I had a pretty successful showing yesterday, he managed to hold himself together and we didnt have a meltdown!  So that was really good.  Today his owner took him in and they didnt have quite as good of a time, but they did survive!

So on to the next.  Grace's Rally trial.

tomorrow is the day

where I get to experience showing a terrier.  It should be interesting.  I would feel much more confident about my job if the dog was comfortable with his, but he isn't.  We took him to class both Tuesday night and again last night.  He is getting better about somethings, but not others.  His table is better, he freezes into a rock hard statue, but he is not melting.  But on the floor, I just don't know what will happen.  Tuesday night, although he was moving a bit hesitantly, he moved.  Last night he slinked, and hung his head anf pulled. Outside the ring he is fine, head and tail up happy, walks beautifully on the leash. His entire issue is IN the rings.  The same person can go over him outside the ring, and he is fine.

The thing is, I know in my heart he could be "fixed" but I don't think his owner will commit to the time he would need. He has no 'reward" system, no special treat or toys, nothing to make the ring a better place.  He could learn to play, he most likely with some positive reinforcement clicker training he would develope the confidence to strut his stuff in the ring. But its not going to happen by randomly throwing him in the ring at shows every 3 months.  I do understand his owner not wanting to waste the money showing him (she uses a handler so it is a bit of an expense) but some obedience or a trick class or something to help him relax and have fun would do so much for him.

On Saturday he is the only boy, so would need BOW, not holding my breath. Sunday I am fairly certain the WFT and Cardi ring times will conflict.  Not sure what will happen there, although most likely I will try to do both, Peace is entered in Bred by so I cant just hand her off.  Peace has no undercoat at all so I am not expecting anything this weekend. Would love to get that single point, but realistically not expecting it.

training with Grace

Sit - check
Down - check
Sit - what? I just laid down.
Grace Sit. Grumble
Grace Sit, mom reaches down and helps her back to sit. Whew that was easy, you should do that for me all the time!

Grace heel- check
Stop, no grace come back, Grace  da.. oh good girl.
heel- check
front.... well ok, but a bit crooked
Grace heel (left)   good gi.. no grace come back here...Grace GRACE!  good come.
lets go in hte house, Moms pooped.