When Good Cows Go Bad...

Sunday I decided to take a walk with two dogs and a husband. It was early (before the heat) and we were about 3/4 mile in.

There is a watering area and usually see a few cows there.

As we approached this area, I put Tazz on my right as there were alot of cows on my left. I grabbed him by the harness and my goal was to walk by the cows without Tazz trying to herd the cows. Kel walked about 15 feet in front as Fin was being a good girl while Tazz was acting like a lunatic.

As we passed one cow, I see a little baby. The thought, "oh what a cutie pie" passed by mind, and Tazz leaps out in front of me barking at the cow standing on my left. I had ahold of his harness so he didn't get too far, but the cow took offense (I understand she was trying to protect her baby). She charged me, and I tripped falling to my right letting go of Tazz as I hit the dirt. All I saw was cow head and cow hoofs and nose snot...lots of nose snot...I was way too close to the nose snot... She was making all kinds of snorting sounds and I also heard Kel saying, "oh no, oh no!"

Then Tazz jumps over me landing on my legs putting himself between me and the cow. Kel says he actually tried or did bite the cow on the nose, but I didn't see any of that I was just trying to get up and out of there!

We did escape getting hurt and continued on walking but Tazz was on major restriction.

Ok, so here's the deal. Do I celebrate my hero? It is very possible that he saved me from getting trampled ... but on the other hand, he is also responsible for getting me into the situation in the first place.

Smooches

This photo is from the weekend, Sandra Chow was taking pictures and posted them to facebook. Fin doesn't actually kiss, she is more an Eskimo kisser touching noses and keeping the tongue out of the whole picture. A refreshing change from Tazz.

When one thing becomes another

Weekend started out great. First place Master Pairs. Yippiee ya ho.

Grand Prix - a hot mess.
Master standard - actually quite nice, but missed weave poles
Steeplechase - could have been better
Gamble - well, it was really hard (she says with a whine)

Back at the hotel had a nice frozen entre with extra veggies and rye crisp. Fruit for desert. I can not say how proud of myself I am that I did NOT go for the fast food option.

Next morning, get up and do a double take in the mirror. Hmmm. Looks like a black eye in the beginning stages. Remember that Ariel bopped me in the eye the day before and figure that's it. Seems sorta weird, but weird things happen and I go on about my bizness.

First run is gamble. One that we should have gotten. But didn't. Off course tunnel was just too tempting. I was happy with my opening but just wasn't in the best place to start the gamble.

As I leave the ring, my face feels funny (weird funny, not humorous). I walk over to the bathroom and look in the fuzzy mirror and what I thought was a black eye now looks like a huge red swollen blotch. It also hurts and itches at the same time.

I go ahead and run next in Standard. Nice opening, nice closing, screwed up the middle. Just wasn't focused. As the morning wore on, my face was getting worse.

After the standard run, packed up (thanks to a few friends) and headed home. At home I took benedryl and aspirin (had a minor fever) and promptly fell asleep. Slept the afternoon away, woke up, ate dinner, took more benedryl and back to sleep.

Monday: face is not good. Visit doctor. Basically cellulitis infection that has migrated to my lymph node. Probably caused by an insect bite, but can't find any insect bite. (Sorry Ariel, it wasn't you!). Don't do much but visit Doctor. Just don't feel well.

Tues: face is a little bit better. Still very uncomfortable. Taking meds, sleeping, drinking water and most amazing thing ever, not eating everything in site!

I'm back to the dr on Thurs, but no agility classes until I am better. Got to stay out of the sun and honestly don't feel 100%.

World Team

To see world team ongoing results, click here.

The streaming video is also cool, but video on demand is just as nice. Sorta like having a Tivo record the entire event.

Question Of the Day and general commentary...

Did they finish the street closure? Did the new food plan work? Does Vici's butt hurt after her workout today?

No, yes, yes.

Looks like the road closure was only for 1/2 the road (the half that would allow me to come and go). They are working on the other half today. At least I'm not house bound any more!

Went to weight watchers today. I am smiling. Big smile. Very happy.

Then went over for a work out with David...not smiling anymore...more huffing and puffing, hard workout, butt hurts, want to cry doing those strange pushups he has me do. Now it is over, I am happy again.

Today I sent in my entry form for Nationals. I leave on November 10, drive straight through to Scottsdale and hang out with cool folks, run some agility, and get used to national competition. I'm excited to be teaming up with two really cool folks, Laurie and Diane with Bling and Quiz. Our team name is "Fin looks exQuizit in Bling"

Here are some of the names that didn't make it:

• In a lab a BC experiments with Fish
• Bling, Bling, Quiz, Quiz, Oh what a finish it is!
• Quiz Blings to the Finish
• 2 Bi's take a Quiz
• Ex-Pec-Ta-Tion

I especially like the first and second one, but alas, they are too long :(

This weekend I'm off to another USDAA trial. Should be alot of fun. If you have Internet, check out the world team running in Austria on the live streaming video! Only $19.95. Check it out here.

The day they closed the streets but nobody got to dance...

Today my street is closed. No not a party, a street paving project.

I don't usually get out during the day since I work from home (well ok, when I used to eat fast food I'd go out mid day all the time to savor the flavor...but alas...no more....now I savor the flavor at home with my home grown tomatoes, apples, and pears).

Back to working at home. I don't think much about going out when I'm working...I think about working. But today, since my freedom has been stolen for one day, all I can think of is that I need to go out and get "this," or I need to go do "that." Interesting how these things work.

Why is it that I have all the room in the world, an acre of land, and when the street closes, I want to curl up on the sofa, drink tea, and watch TV? Interesting how my mind works. Fortunately, I have a little black dog that will have none of this nesting crap. It is bad enough she has to put up with working. For her, it is all about adventure, exercise, and play.

I also am feeling a bit more energetic these past few days. I'm doing something different and it is working. My whole fitness for agility hasn't progressed in the past month or so. Not due to inactivity, but due to portion control and choices. I have made a commitment to myself to improve daily and despite alot of big talk, my actions have not been demonstrating a desire for improvement. Stagnant yes, improvement no.

Last week I made a decision to take a little of personal choice away and put a little bit of structure back in. I went and purchased 2 weeks of Jenny Craig meals. I know that eating on a food plan does NOT teach me to eat correctly. But I needed something and I decided that posting my food list on my fridge and having to write everything and have a list of food that I could eat that day would give me the boost that I need and put control back into my life.

So far, so good. I still have to make the decision every waking moment of the day to stick to it (husband brought ice cream into the house!). But at this point in my first week of this structure (6th day) I am achieving what I've wanted for the past 3 weeks but didn't have the fortitude to accomplish. At the end of this two weeks, I may go get another week, or I may just plan my week on my own.

But for now, I'm happy with the results and extremely proud for having faith in myself and believing that I can be a fit, healthy person. Even if I can't leave my house.

Hmmm. What's that smell?

This weekend found us at a nosework seminar.
I brought Tazz and gave him an opportunity to try out the sport in a more stressful seminar type environment. He was a very good boy.

This little pug was really good. She attended the beginning workshop and I would say one special little dog.

SpaceMonkey had some fun in the morning session as well. She was laid back about the whole thing and was very careful to do her job.

Many different dogs presented their ability to find things.

Once they find it, it is important to reward at the scent. This was a little difficult to do with Tazz...and keep my fingers!

Wynn was there and certainly was one of the stars.

Tazz didn't really need a whole lot of reving up, but on the whole did better when he got to search multiple times. Wasn't into the one search and then go back to bed. We did teach the dogs to go for scent and need to work on this over the next few weeks. I guess the next workshop is to teach the "indicator."

More Agility Videos

If only I could always run in the fog. Tazz does a really good job here showing how a slow guy can get around a course when he is having fun. Usually Tazz N I are a half second over time...this time, WAY under time. Excellent run for my boy.

Fin and Alaska paired up on Friday, we came in 2nd!

A heart breaking grand prix. Got to the weaves and missed our entrance. She does save me on the A frame, but the rest is looking mighty fine.

Four Days of Fun in the Sun

The Southwest Regionals are now over. Three full days and a fourth just for pairs. I'm tuckered out.

Tonight is the official end to my fitcation. I worked out nearly everyday. Did something physical every day and I am ready to have fitcation for the rest of my life. Kel isn't too thrilled with my ideas and feels that he deserves a fitcation too!

I will say that I'm looking forward to weigh in this Thurs. I expect that I lost this week. My cloths were fitting really well this weekend and I even wore a new shirt that I would not have worn normally (sorta form fitting).

Friday: Master Pairs - Q

Saturday: GP NQ - but a good run

Sunday: Mast Stand, Mast Gamble, Steeplechase - :( NQ's for all...all good runs with little mistakes.

Monday: Master Jumpers -Tazz got a Q! Fin NQ Master Snooker Q! Master Standard Q!

In my Master Standard run, I got a little behind in the end and attempted a rear cross after the teeter. I hadn't walked in that way and as I attempted it nearly got knocked in the head by the teeter! Fortunately Fin saved the day by coming to me and we finished the course just fine.

Tomorrow, off to the gym first thing in the morning...got to continue fitness even though I have to go back to work.

Ups and Downs

Last night, first night of USDAA regionals. Clean run. 2nd place. Pairs! Cool.

Home on a high note.

Get up 5:30am (supposed to get up at 5:15, actually get up closer to 5:36) leave house driving away at 6am. Not bad.

Get there. Do my vendor duties. 7:15am fun begins. Walk my course (only one today with both Tazz and Fin). Grand Prix.

A TOUGH! course. I don't run for a couple hours so I take both dogs for a walk. During my walk, I stop alot visuallizing how I will run the course with Fin. Come back and watch agility. LOTS of dogs going off course. Visualize some more.

Finally Tazz N I are at the start line. We are perfect through 2 obstacles and then Tazz hits the yellow of the dog walk and launches into the tunnel. I yell, "Tazzzzzzzzzzzzz!" and he smiles as he runs off course. Bummer. Rest of the run was fun and actually speedy (he did pop the poles at the end, but I was running as hard as I could to see whether he would pop...going to work on that).

Then it is Fins turn. I'm very nervous. We are clean (by a hair) through the teeter #9. Breath a second and go go go...we are clean through the A frame #14, breath and run to position. #15 clean, a really hard around the backside #16, clean...Four more to go, #17 clean...whoops, missed the entrance of the weaves #18 .... so sad. No Q. But really exciting!

Two more days. Three runs each day. Can't wait till tomorrow.

Wed Fitcation catch up

Yesterday took a road trip down to Filmore CA (4.5 hours each way). Looking at puppies. NOT FOR ME! For someone else. Just checking them out. Practicing our puppy picking skills. Getting puppy kisses. Getting puppy bites!

It was really alot of fun. Chatting the whole way down and the whole way back...can we really chat this much? Thank god our husbands weren't with us, they might be in comas about now.

We parked the car under a tree and went in to play with the puppies. At one point I realized I had forgotten the camera in the car...so I go back to the car and what do I find in it...a chicken...yes a real live chicken. Not just a little chicken, a BIG chicken. I really am not experienced with chickens so I opened all the doors and waited. She took her sweet time in getting out of the car. I grabbed the camera, closed all the doors and ran back to the puppies.

Puppies were totally entertaining...even in sleep.

Today met up with a couple ladies and hiked Quicksilver. No pictures, but I will tell you it was a bit of a challenge. I think my fitcation is starting to catch up to me. I'm a tad bit sore. No worries, we did 4.4 miles today and it was up, it was down, then up again, then down again. My favorite part was a flat walk across the top that lasted about 1/2 a mile. Ahhh the wonder of it all.

Here is the only video from this past weekend. A 5 faulter, but a fun run.