Dear Adjudicators

If you don't want to take the time to read the standard, or if you just plain don't care for the breed,

PLEASE don't take the assignment.

Thank you.

The Nug-man stayeth

Home, that is. Unless something miraculous happens he will be sitting out of this weekend's shows. He has a sprained paw. It is nice to know where he hurts. I started thinking I was seeing things. I knew he was limping, but I was getting a bit confused as to where. So I will enjoy watching a show without dogs...NOT!!

G2

Insanity?

My kids and most of my friends would probably give the affirmative. In fact, I think I would agree as well, but hopefully I am not a danger to myself or those around me.

I am sitting at my computer as the dogs eat their breakfast, at 5am. Nothing abnormal, except that I am a wee distressed to see that my pup is still limping so I ponder my options.

At about 5:30 I hear the tamping of metal fence posts. The new neighbors are once again working on their dog fence. No big deal; in fact it makes me smile. I've only seen the guys once in the driveway. They are my perfect neighbors. I have never seen nor heard them, other than the rhymthic metal on metal pounding of the fence line. I'm up, and perhaps they heard me with my dogs on their first outing. I figure they want to get a few more feet in the ground before heading to work.

It's a chilly morning. So chilly that the over head fan feels cold. The fan behind me a bit and to the left. My deaf ear side. The fan on which I have hung, for now, my cool Cardigan Welsh Corgi wind spinner thingy on. Yep, that's the one. I get up to turn it off for the first time in days. There is a gentle breeze blowing in through the window in front of me. Blowing in and hitting that spinner, made of metal, ever so gently. "There is no need for the fan," think I. Interesting that the dogs have not alerted on the neighbors...

Also interesting that the fence post setting is so very rhythmic...getting where I am going here?

Yep. Sweet neighbor boys were likely still in slumber land. I think I need more sleep myself. I think allergy congestion along with the deafness in my left ear has really messed up my sense of where sound is originating. As soon as I turned off the fan, the fence post setting magically stopped. Coincidence? I think not.

It does, however, still make me smile. Just for a different reason.

G2

Pre-show stressor

My pup is limping. It is likely nothing; or at least nothing more than can't be fixed by crate rest and baby aspirin (says my mentor). The issue is the upcoming weekend shows. Normally I would spend a few hours in class. And I would spend a few hours practicing. And, with him, at least a couple hours on the grooming table. Instead he is on strict rest...yeah, try that with a six month old pup. Right now he is smiling coyly at me with his shoe on his nose. (It's true, I gave up and gave him an old shoe; he loves it and has never tried to take any of my shoes, so there ya go!) The horse is mad at me and tried to hit me with her grain bucket this morning as I had the nerve to feed her without the doggies in tow. The older dogs are begging the pup to run in a wild frap around the couch; perhaps it is more that they are taunting him.

Me? I hate when something is wrong with any of my critters...two legged and four. I don't mind throwing away the entry fees. I just really want to put this guy in the ring.

For now I will just go out and sit at the pool, or in the pool. And dream of what, hopefully, is to come.

G2

Meanderings

Friday night the three dogs and I took off for a two hour drive down to my sister's place. It was warm, and I remembered thinking a quick swim would have been nice, but there is nothing quick about a swim if the cover is involved as I haven't yet cut it to size.

Off we went. Henry is shedding, so there is hair everywhere. Corgis are big little dogs and I have a small pickup truck. No extended cab. I was concerned that it might get too hot in the back, so we were all crammed in the cab. Henry stepped on the other two dogs the entire way; they were trying hard to just nap. As we turned down the road to her house the cab erupts in wild panting fury. They KNOW where we are going. Nope, no class. Nope, not the vet. We are going to the farm!!!! Lucky for me there is a campfire cookout going on in the front as it means I don't have to get out and open the gate, drive through and close the gate...all before letting my dogs out of the truck. By now they are literally bouncing off the windows. Once the door is opened they are out and gone. Running crazy around the yard, tongues wagging in the wind. They are bowling over kids and dogs. They are insanely happy. It is nice.

The next morning we headed for Portland to attend the dog show. Kate and Henry will be minding the farm securely locked in a stall in the barn. It is to be a hot one and the sun shines directly onto the kennel in the afternoon so the cement, and rubber matted, stall floor seemed the best option. Nugget will be going along. It was hot. It was huge. It was totally sensory overload for me. There were more rings than I had ever seen at a show. There were two small pens with wood chips in which the dogs could relieve themselves. My puppy decided he needed to "hold" it. The entire day. On the way home we stopped at a rest stop. He uncorked. Poor baby. Anyway, Mr. Nugget got to see his grand people and it was a sweet reunion. He is a sweet and gentle puppy. Nugget loves everyone, and gives nice little kisses. Then he saw his favorite man. When he realized who it was he went crazy. He jumped and climbed and kissed and repeated it again and again. I am sure had he been free of the leash I would have seen a happy frap that would have gone on for quite a while. I knew he missed Leo, but had no idea how much he had really bonded with him.

It was nice to just watch a show, but I was itching to be in there. Kate could have done quite well. (OK, Kate could have taken her class.) The Bred By Exhibitor was the big class with the amazing dogs. That is truly "the" class anymore. Will I ever have a dog in there? 'Tis hard to say, and not in the works at this point. As I have said many times, it is by far my favorite to watch. The pride is palpable; as well it should be. And the points went to: Miss Kitty. Nugget's breeder finished her little girl at seven months of age! Impressive! Today I am sending winning vibes to Mark in hopes that Ana banana gets a major. Or maybe Le'o; another major on Rogue would be awesome. Then again, Callie is certainly more than deserving....

I'm off to vacuum the truck, three times, and clean windows. Life with the hoard. Sweet!!

***and it just got sweeter...Gooooo, Shea butter****
http://samhaincardigans.com/blog/

G2

No stress dog show?

Yep! The secret? Don't enter. I missed, or perhaps chose to miss, the entry deadline for the Stumptown series down in Portland, OR. However, we will be going on Saturday to cheer on our friends and family. Packing is SO much easier. I am heading down to Elma after chores. I will be tagging along with my sister in the morning. I suspect once I am there I am going to regret not entering the pup. All's good. Sequim is next weekend.

Out,

G2

The weekend's satin

Other than a few nerves on my part on Saturday, I couldn't have hoped for a better first, and second, show for the puppy. He did very well both in the ring and out. The judges were gentle and kind, and that was the most important thing to me.

NW Cardigan peoples, and their offspring, rock!!

Song of the day:

"The Dog Song" Nellie Mckay

I'm just a walkin' my dog
Singin' my song
Strollin' along
Yeah it's just me and my dog
Catchin' some sun
We can't go wrong

Coedwig's Alchemist

(aka Nugget) will be six months old on Friday. His first show is Saturday. He is at the age where he is driving me crazy because he is so busy, yet so adorable that I can't be mad at him. He's got these eyes that can bore into my soul. He knows it. He can be perfect on the leash, or he can act like he is being tortured. Which will he be on Saturday? I can assuredly say that Nugget will act in whatever way best suits Nugget. My job is to let him have fun, with a tad bit of restraint. Tonight is our handling class and tomorrow the grooming will begin.

When I got Kate and began showing her, she was 18 months old. She had to be in the adult classes even though she had never been off the farm. A lot was expected just because she was a big dog. She was a scared little puppy in a big girl body. She had to act like all the others in her age group, and so did I. We've both learned a lot.

With Nugget he will start in the youngest age division, and will get his feet damp instead of having to just jump into the ocean with the big boys. I think it will be fun. Since he is going through some interesting growth phases right now I am not expecting a lot as far as standings. It's all good so long as he has fun. If nothing else that will be achieved by the Cardigan after party where he can play with his sisters and cousins. The reward will be seeing the joy in his eyes...and having him sleep all the way home!!

G2

I love you too

but what do you REALLY want?

A mother's worst nightmare is that something is wrong with her child. An amputee mother's worst nighmare is that there is something wrong with her child that might have them joing "the club." I faced that fear years ago when a tumor was found in my oldest son's leg. (It was benign and he is fine and both sides reach the ground.) Lately there has been some fear about my daughter and a strange lump on her right foot. Xrays and scans later it appears to NOT be a bone issue, but they have yet to find a diagnosis. So I have been spending a lot of time watching kids in waiting rooms as of late.

Yesterday we met at the little coffee shop by the ferry landing before heading to the specialist for the results of the bone scan. It was hot, and forecasted to be a record breaker, in the mid nineties. The shop was cool so we sat and talked and played with the kids as we watched the ferry and pedestrian traffic.

Little "Plum" is at the adorable age of big sloppy kisses. She began to give her mother lots of them. But in her eyes was the true reason for those kisses...





Perhaps a handful of hair and nose will better get the point across!



So Grandma gave her the next best thing. Ice!



It was interesting. At one point a group of bicyclists came in. They were dressed in team jerseys, bike shorts, and their helmets. The wee one was sure one of them had to be her Daddy and was having a tough time trying to see them up closer and more personal. Shortly after a young, carefree, "duuuuude" also came in. He in his baggy pants; you know the kind, those kind that make stepping onto a curb difficult. Those kind that I have the urge to pull the rest of the way down. A study in contrast. I looked at daughter, she at me. We both were thinking the same thing. (There is something about an athlete's, uhmmm, legs. Yes, legs.)

I decided to snap a picture of Plum's big sister...and there we see normal average blue jean guy.



Up next? An MRI if things don't resolve in the next two weeks. I wonder if there might be a coffee shop near a rodeo arena...

G2

"Well I wouldn't trade my life for diamonds or jewels..."

I promised pictures from the farm, so here you go!

I was up at my regular time: the crack of dawn. As I wandered around the farm the sun began to rise. There was a mist across the fields and the big horses and sheep alerted; likely wondering what the heck I was doing up so early.


I also noticed gigantic trails all over the wet grass. Around here I would think some gigantic slug was searching for vengenance for the salting of his family. What I found was the trails were from my stumpy slug eaters.




We decided the safest bet, rather than trying to brave the dogs across the street, was to spend some time in the driving/training area. The dogs went crazy doing a typical morning frap.




When I started to throw the balls I found that Nugget has resorted back to his naughty habbit of snaring Kate as she runs by. Luckily he no longer has sharp little puppy teeth, but I need to continue putting stuff on her tail to break the habit completely before he hurts her.




Farm life is bliss!!


As big bro stands watch. (By now the neighbor dogs were pacing the fence and barking. Henry was very quiet.)




Then I looked up and saw the incredible front on my boy...just like his Dad.




Song of the day?

"Thank God I'm a Country... uhhhh... Girl(?)" John Denver


...I never was one of them money hungry fools
I'd rather have my fiddle and my farmin' tools
Thank God I'm a country boy

G2

Finishing up

I promise. No more Triathlon pictures after this. The pro photographer sent me some finish line pictures that I hadn't seen before.

I actually did run across the finish line...cheered on by my son.



after which I went to pieces



Adorned and adored



Of course, "the leg" courtesy of my Dad. I thought about him a lot on the race.



And the motto of the Kitsap Tri-Babes emblazoned on my jersey


G2

Tomorrow, farm pictures from my weekend