Also called Russian Nesting Dolls. I have a collection that has been added to in the forms of gifts over the years. Mostly Christmas, but also 1 for my birthday one year.
From left
to right Cats (the birthday gift- around Holloween), Snowmen, Christmas, St. Nick, Tibetan Terriers, and my
original set.
In the past I've always displayed them with only the largest one
showing (closed), but this time I decided to display each size. Fun! - The last one on that is so tiny it only has room for 2
eyes. The bottom is missing.
Here is a close up of that set. Can you see the tiniest one? There is a picture of me on Christmas opening the smaller pieces and being very surprised that there were STILL more tiny pieces in there. I might have also lost the smallest, smallest piece that didn't open at all- it was smaller than a grain of rice.
As in the past, I am displaying all of my big accomplishment ribbons.
6 MACHs, PACH, PAX, 2 Invitational finalists,1 AKC Agility Nationals finalist, placement at AKC nationals round, Fancy HIT ob, etc.They are so pretty!
Yay, I have a couch again! I answered an add on Craigslist for a "comfy dual reclining couch." You might be surprised that there are not too many reclining couches for sale on Craigslist. I answered 2 or 3 other adds, but those people didn't get back to me until after I had committed to this one. I wasn't too sure if it was a good couch because all I had to go on was that it was "comfy" and the previous owner liked to nap on it. I borrowed K's trailer and headed two towns down to pick it up. The banging and other odd noises coming from the trailer had me a bit worried, but it didn't fall apart. The couch was in a "luxury" apartment in the old downtown shopping area. The apartment had hallways! Fancy. Not something you see around here. Sadly for me, the apartment with the couch was through the lobby and almost at the end of the complex. We muscled the couch out the door and down the hallway. If it had been about 10 feet further, I wouldn't have made it.
All loaded up and ready to go.
I pulled the couch home with no mishaps and called around to see who could help me unload it. No one answered their phone. Figures. It was getting close to time to go to church and I still didn't have any victims to help me. Should I unhitch the trailer and leave it in my driveway? Should I pull it to church? I was sitting on the tailgate, wondering what I would do when 2 youngish guys walked by. In desperation and with no shame, I pounced on them and asked them to help. Whala! They agreed and my couch was now inside! I zipped the trailer back to K, went to church and finally came home to test out the couch. As I suspected, the dogs had already tested it. This was going to be the first time I sat in it. Yep, I like it! It doesn't rock like the old love seat, and it is higher off the ground so my feet actually don't touch the ground. But it relines nice and smoothly and it is quite "comfy!" The arm rests are very tall which is giving me a little trouble while typing, but then I figured out just to move away from it and now it is fine. All of the dogs, and I, fit- which is why I wanted something bigger than the love seat. As the young men were moving the couch inside, I noticed the brand name was written on the reclining handles. It is a Laz-e-boy! Brand name couch for $50- score! If you are in the neighborhood, stop by and test out the comfy couch. I plan to put a sheet over in in an attempt to control the dog hair. That way if you were to visits, I could whisk the sheet off and give you a fur free reclining experience. Maybe.
Three dogs, and me! Ignore the mess, I am not even close to being done unpacking.
My guard Malinois not looking very scarey in the car on the way back from picking it up.
Muffin! Not on the couch at the moment.
Now Pie is off the couch and one the raised dog bed with 2 cushions.
Muffin on the couch. He ends up on the reclined foot a lot.
Dottie and Fancy still sleeping, but in different positions.
No Qs for us this time. The first day she did very well- except for the articles. She did practice articles before going in the ring, and then again after coming out, but inside the ring she didn't even sniff them, just grabbed the 12 o'clock (first one she comes to) both time. In practice when she messes up, that isn't how she messes up. I knew our articles were not solid. I just have to help her figure it out. Every thing else was very nice. Her signals were no question she was going to do them and her heeling was only 2 points off for the whole signal exercise. Yay! On the exam she locked right up on my command and didn't move at all. I'm so used to Pie barely passing that exercise (or not passing) with her moving towards the judge and wiggling all over. It is nice to have a dog who does it right! Glove Number 2 was perfect and the go outs were very good! She went straight and fast and sat and took both jumps nicely. We got 5 points off since I let her go all the way to the pole, rather than sitting, what is it? 5 feet away? All in all, a very nice first showing. The only week part was the articles and I knew that was going to be trouble. On Sunday the heeling was still good, but she didn't look as happy when I turned around to face her for the signals. I gave the down signal and she went down right away, but slowly. Not as nice. Articles- same problem. This time I thought for a moment she was going to do it since she spit out the wrong one she picked up first thing, and went back too work, but then she picked up the same wrong one and brought it. Stand was still good, but we failed glove 3. I told her "get it" and she flinched but didn't go. Strange- told her again and she moved forward but must not have seen the glove because then she took the jump. Then she took it again. I'll have to work on going to find the glove even if you don't see it. Go outs and jumping were good again.
Keeping up nicely on the about turn.
Slow.
Right turn.
Stand for signals. She doesn't look 100% happy.
Picking the wrong article but looking good.
Trying again.
Nope.
Being confused on gloves and taking the jump.
A pet for Dottie.
Stand for exam.
You call this a pet?
Finishing.
Rewarding! The judge totally rushed my reward time.
All the way to the pole for massive points off. But that is how I do it.
Going a second time.
Finishing with the bar jump.
Not bad at all. Back to the drawing board on the go outs.
Moving Day approaches. I am finally all packed up. Tomorrow after work a friend and I are going to move all the small things and boxes, and on Saturday after Dottie's Utility A debut, the workers are coming and I'm picking up the U-Haul and we are moving the rest of the things. As far as big items go I have my bed, 2 dressers, night stand, dryer (washer broke and is gone,) fridge, 3 bookcases (light weight) and the giant TV. Plus the kennel panels. That is about it. Shouldn't take long right? I hope.
As for Dottie's utility debut, I really shouldn't go. She has been messing up articles so much in practice, I don't think she'll be able to do it in the ring. She seems to have a higher rate of sucess using the leather wallets and metal pencil cases I bought recenlty. But that could just be because I tend to do them less formally, with less articles and me standing close to the pile. Even so, I bought red nail polish and labeled the wallets, so I can use them if I choose. The smell of the nail polish is still quite strong, so I am unsure if that is a good idea.
If Dottie does her signals and go outs without taking a jump, I will consider it a good effort. Her signals seems strong, but Pie has failed them so many times (always the down) that any signal exercise pass will make me happy. And I have worked very hard to teach Dottie NOT to take a jump on the go out. What seemed to work is to treat it like a retrieve. She knows from open to take a jump on a retrieve when the command is Over, and to not take a jump when I just say Bring. So I started putting the dumbbell in the go out spot and saying Bring and we made progress. I had previously put food and a toy out there, but she would still take the jump. Now I can say Zoom or Bring and she goes to the go out spot. However, on the busy show grounds with lots of distracting visuals in the back ground, I can see her reverting to taking the jump if she is confused. Only one way to find out, and that is to show up and give it a try.
2 more nights here in the studio. It was a nice place to live while it lasted.
Fancy was entered on Saturday and was not filmed but earned a QQ.
On Sunday it was Pie's turn and she almost had a QQ but the last bar came down in Standard. I don't think I slowed down or celebrated, so I think it was just one of those things.
Dottie earned QQ number 7! This is a roll! I hope we keep it up. On Saturday it was much hotter and she had some weird refusal that I will blame on the heat. It really made me realize that Dottie needs motion to keep her motivated. If I am standing still, she won't have much speed. And at the international class a few weeks ago, I saw if I am standing still and facing her, that is way too many "slow down" cues and slow down she will. So when walking a course, I need to see how I can keep myself moving.
The rear crosses are also working out great for us. I did 1 front in jumpers and the rest rear. In standard I did more fronts, but they were late and caused wide turns and I'm just lucky the bars didn't come down. I think Dottie and I do better with rears and I will not be afraid to rear, just because all the cool kids are doing fronts.
In our jumpers run on Sunday, be sure to listen to the comment at the end. I call this the WOW run! Dottie won this run, having the fastest time of any dog in 24, even the ones who NQed. She also beat the BC in 26 who is hoping for a spot on the World Team, but a small dog jumping 26 inches will take up more time just getting over the jumps. The dog I was happy she was faster than is a very powerful and fast golden I really admire. Usually he is faster than us, but every so often somehow we beat him, and today was one of those day. Go Dottie!
Dottie's time was 24.90 in jumpers and Pie's time was 27.90. Exactly 3 seconds difference- strange. I wish I could do a video overlay to see where Dottie made up so much time. Was it the weaves? Was it when Pie almost went the wrong way over the triple, or was it just the burst of speed Dottie put on coming down the closing line?
More photos to come. I somehow got sick so it is time for bed now. When watching the video, just remember that photos and videos never look as crazy as it really was! This was not the most extreme off roading event ever, but the photos make it look like a paved road. Well, almost.
This post will serve as proof that occasionally I venture into life outside of dogs. My mom and I went to the Skirball Center ( http://www.skirball.org/ ) outside of Los Angeles to acquire some culture, and to determine if their exhibit about the founding of America would be a good field trip for her class of 5th graders. The Founding of America exhibit had a lot of original documentation, written by the early leaders of our county. I love to see actual artifacts, and not reproductions. Very cool! To think that the hand of George Washington or Benjamin Franklin, or even some unknown (except for his name as recorded in his signature) solider actually touched that paper is pretty cool! No pictures allowed in that area. One of the main permanent attractions is a Noah's Ark exhibit. Lots of neat-o animals made out of recycled stuff, lots of toys to play with and things to climb. Maybe I was not the age group they were aiming for, but I liked it anyway!
Combs, spools of pink thread, archery bow...
More combs, shoe (the body of the vulture), egg beaters...
Lots and lots of keys. And some pitch forks!
Mom makes it rain.
Turn the crank and these little animals get on the ark.
My first camel ride.
A very busy place.
I almost didn't fit.
I hope I don't get stuck up here!
Let me out! The kids just kept coming up and I really did almost get stuck.
Everywhere you looked you saw something new.
Yikes! Who let her on the ark?
Mom finds a friend.
Not part of the ark area, part of the history area.
One of our favorite haunts. "The road." An old country road washed away in a flood, and the new road was built up higher, leaving this one to crumble. It is becoming a more popular spot, but we had it to ourselves on this day. Mom, Dad, and Youngest Bro were there, in addition to my dogs, their dogs and your dogs. Just kidding. Muffin was the only one to stay home.
I live in Ventura County California. The three dogs referred to are Fancy, 11 year old Tibetan Terrier, Pie, 8 year old Belgian Malinois and Dottie, 5 year old Belgian Malinois. Muffin a 13 year old poodle mix makes four but he is more like a cat so I don't count him. Bloom and Blossom are no longer alive, but are still with me in spirit. All are from local animal shelters. We amuse ourselves by competing in agility and obedience competitions.
