A big adventure that results in a happy ending and me sitting on the ground crying

I NEVER leave the dogs outside when I go places. I'm paranoid. I know. Friends make fun of me.

I have two layers of fence. One inner fence to keep the dogs out of the agility area and an outer fence made of redwood that is relatively new.

Most people leave their dogs out all the time.

Today I left for 2 hours. I took Fin. Rocky has been bothered by the hammering that is going on in my living room (Greg Leal installing wood floors). While the construction is going on, I work in my office with the door closed and Rocky has been very happy sitting outside my office on the deck.

I thought to myself. I'll leave my office door open. Rocks likes to sleep on the deck out there away from the banging. Nothing is going to happen, he is not going anywhere. Everyone had been exercised and I figured they'd sleep while I was gone.

I get home and Rocky is NO WHERE to be found. Tazzie is here. Maddie is here. Fin was with me, so no worries there. Where is Rocks?

I run out to the front asking Greg if he has seen Rocky. He (of course) is concerned and says he only had the gate open for a few minutes to toss trash in the back and never touched the inner fence. Somehow, Rocky found a way to get through the inner fence and took the opportunity while Greg was tossing trash to sneek out. No way did I ever think that any of the dogs would be out in the yard so I didn't even think to tell the guys to be careful with the gate.

I take off up the hill (our usual walk) and Greg jumps in his truck and takes off in the other direction.

The good news, Greg found him. He was behind a fence (someone must have found him and put him there). He must have been out a while as he was covered in fox tails.

Poor guy is exhausted. He was really stressed when Greg found him and did not want Greg picking him up, but Greg was NOT going to let Rocky walk home. Poor Greg has scratches all over his arms, but I know he is happy too. THANK YOU GREG!!!

After Rocky was safe home, I burst out crying....I guess the stress caught up with me.

I am so happy that everyone is safe. I will NEVER leave that back door open for them when I am not home AGAIN! Learned my lesson for sure.

Camera Broke

Very sad.

I wanted an ADCH but what I got was an OUCH

Logically I know that I can not plan out my agility future. For me agility is for the fun not the titles. Always has been.

But running Fin this past year has given me hope that we will be able to get titles that I once thought would be out of my grasp. I know I'll get those titles.

As she and I begin our getting back in shape for agility training:

• recalls (to side and to front)
• heeling
• fast walking circle work
• etc.

I think about how lucky I am. Fin is a one in a million and it is my job to take care of her.

Tazzie is also one in a million. He makes me laugh, makes me feel loved above all others, and is loyal to a fault. He might not be the fastest dog out there (ok, he probably more like one of the slowest) but he is all mine.

Maddie is the sweetest dog ever. As she moves to 11 years old, she is totally deaf. She lives in her own little world and lots of times doesn't seem aware of what's happening around her. Then there are moments during the day that she is there 100% and it is joyful.

Rocks is my loyal companion. My big guy who sticks with me no matter what. The joy radiates from him when I bring out the "orange" ball. It is contagious.

Yes, Fin is gonna turn 3 and I haven't gotten my ADCH yet. But I have so much more.

World Team Tryouts

World Team Tryouts!

Four weeks and counting or "can I run yet?"

Works been real busy. Big deadline looming. Work'n hard.

Visit with Dr. Sam's at 28 days. Very good news. Fin is progressing. She is not well yet. However, her soreness is significantly reduced and she is clear for some additional therapy. This week I get to slowly introduce boxes (she walks from one to the other). This will provide her with the opportunity to use her leg. Still no specific work on the leg, no running, no free play. Just her walks.

Next week we get to start trot work. In addition I need to start hiking up hills again. They want me to continue my 2 mile on the flat, but add hill work to the mix (maybe a mile to start). They suggested that she be on a flexi so she can walk back and forth on the hill and even trot a little. Laura has offered to jog with her (on the flat - no one is stepping up to volunteer running up hill yet!).

Still can't play with the other dogs. Too soon. Could re injure herself.

I'm very optimistic. Things are looking good.

Next check in five weeks. June 10. If all goes well, she'll be able to be re-introduced to agility equipment then.

21 days and Fur be Gone

We are going on 21 days of rest. I can't believe we are 3 weeks into this. Time is moving right along.

It is also that time of year. Time to turn on the pool solar and expect Tazz to go for a dip now and then. Time for him to get hot and not want to do any agility. Time for Vici to get out her shears and pretend she knows what she is doing and shave the turd (I say that with love in my heart). Today was day one of spa day. The shears came out, the bath was taken, and the first phase of "get rid of a bunch of hair" is complete.

This also means that I have stiff little hairs stuck in my clothing that will poke me for months!

Although most experts agree that the long sheltie hair should keep a sheltie cool as well as warm, Tazz just doesn't agree. In addition, when swimming, his hair is an added weight that just isn't fair to him nor our pool filter...so off with his fur!

It takes me a number of sessions to "get it right." I will say that this first one is better than most. New shears have helped greatly. Who would have thought.

The Dreams of the Insomniac

Last night was a busy night. Woke up every two hours. At 4am, fell asleep and started dreaming.

I was building a fence at a park. Had driven there with 3 other girls. My agility friends were building the fence, I knew pretty much everyone although I will tell you some people there I don't know in real life. It was an iron fence, but we seemed to be installing it like cyclone fencing (putting the posts in then stretching it out along the posts...but when finished, it was an iron fence with sharp arrow tops). In the center of the park there was a lake with some ducks.

After work for the day was done, there was some sort of "border crossing" that we had to cross to get to the house where we were staying (like going from state to state). It was my best friends mothers house (but I've never seen my best friends mothers house so it was a made up house). We could see the border from the front porch and the park with the fence beyond that.

Day two of fence building, it is late at night and I get close to the lake at the park and I realize that I can turn into a Killer whale (I know, I know). My friend comes and tells me it is time to go and we walk up the hill, cross the border and start to organize our stuff to get in the car to drive home. As we are laying out our stuff, I say we need to hurry cause the bad thing will get us.

We all start to run around bringing our stuff out of the house and lining up our things on the ground outside the car. I continue to get distressed that we are not moving fast enough and tell my friends we have to hurry "it" is coming.

Then all of a sudden stuff starts flying, people start screaming, things start crashing (very horror movie like) and here comes this guy around the corner and he is coming for us.

I'm thinking, "If only there was water I could change into a Killer Whale!" Then I woke up.

Perhaps I should not read Sci-Fi before going to bed.