Catch Up, No New News, But You Should Read Anyways

Just a quick post to let my loyal readers (ha, ha) know I haven't dropped off the face of the earth.

I made another offer on another house, but was passed over (again.)  The accepted offer was 60% cash.  How can I compete with that?  I played the lotto that night, in a feeble attempt to compete, but with the expected results (ie- I did not win and become wealthy, fabulously or otherwise.)

I had drill weekend last weekend, hence no dog show, and it was a long weekend.  On Saturday I had to attend the weapons qualification course.  I have never had trouble passing previously, and even shot marksman once.  But this was the new improved course.  Yikes.  I did properly field strip the M-4 rifle under the 4 minute timeline, then also reassemble it in another 4 minutes.  I also properly demoed such things as doing a function check, clearing jams and clearing advanced jams.  By the time eveyone had been tested on the classroom portion it was 4 o'clock.  We had been working since 7.  Time to go home!  Nope!  Time to start shooting.  Sadly, I did not pass.  I was not alone.  We left the range at 7:30, and the course wasn't even done yet.

The previous weekend I entered a 1 day trial.  Ran all three dogs and only Fancy Qed, and only in 1 run.  Not our best trial ever.  Fancy needs 5 QQs for her Pach and Pie needs 6 QQs for Mach 3 and we have been stuck at those numbers for some time.

That Sunday we had SchH training.  A nice way to spend the day.

I started taking 1/2 hr private agility lessons with a local who teaches international courses.  Maybe more on this later, but I want the challenge of running international level courses, and I thought it would be fun to go to the European Open some year.  That is A) if I can afford it and B) if we can get chosen for the team.  Last year was the first year they had more people who wanted to go than they had spots for.  And they take 30 people!  I thought the cost alone would turn a lot of hopefuls away, but there are a lot of people with lots of $ doing dog sports.

We had a great regular agility class with our regular instructor tonight.  That class is so much fun.  I think I've learned I am the funniest person I know.  I laugh at myself so much, I must be!  And everyone else laughs along with me.  I say, if you can't laugh at yourself, you shouldn't laugh at anyone.  The word of the day was "awkward" with music notes.  At one point I was trying to do a forward send while moving forward, and I couldn't get the correct foot out in front.  So I was kind of shuffling along looking like a zombie or something.  Hint: a forward send requires you to NOT be moving.  :)   Ah, good times.

This weekend is USDAA agility up in Santa Barbara.  It will be Dottie's second trail in advanced.  Hope we Q lots so the next show we can move up to Masters.

Not too much exciting going on around these parts- same old, same old...