1.30.2007

Tuesday, January thirtieth

It's cold. We are finally experiencing winter. I get off work when it's dark so we can't work outside on our equipment. Poor Waste' is bouncing off the walls.

We started our 'private lessons' last week and worked on some handling techniques. Damn. Once I get it, I'll remember it, but for now I feel like SUCH a clutz! She gets it now. She watches me so closely I have to be very careful my body language points her in the right direction!

No class this week - there is an agility match at the club this weekend. We will resume next week.

I've been busy adding video to this site as you can tell. I would like to find a template that would put my text posts in the right, narrow column and the videos in the wider, left column. I don't like that you have to scroll down to find the posts. I thought about putting the videos in the right column w/smaller windows, but nah. Don't like it. So, if anyone has any suggestions - Lauren, maybe? I sure would appreciate it. -edit- I think I found a template to suit my needs. Again, please comment and send me your feedback!

On a sadder note, Barbaro died yesterday. What a great, game horse in so many ways. New Bolton is awesome in their efforts to save his life. The racing industry will have to search long and hard to find another like him.

1.15.2007

Agility week 2

Well, we really didn't have a week 2 yet.
Our GLKC dinner was that night and most of us didn't really want to go to that instead.
So we rented the ring and worked on our own.

The A-frame was way up there and she just flew over it. I worked on slowing her down a bit on
the downside so she did not miss her contact point. Then we worked on the weave poles about 6" spread. She flew thru those as well. Then we tried another set of poles that angle left and right. HOLY COW! She really loved those. We also worked on the table and angling jumps and
following the 'all-mighty finger'. She's doing pretty good with those as well.

Now they want to change the time to 6:30. Since I work until 6pm that just is not going to
work. I emailed Christie and she has been wonderful in offering options. I think what we're going to end up doing is meeting with Carrie at 7:30 and work for half-hour increments just one on one... oooooooooooooooooo private lessons!! One just can't complain about that. When Carrie gets back from Florida we'll iron out the details.

This week will be another drop-in with no trainer. I like getting the chance to work her indoors since the back yard has now changed to white.

We also have begun to 'get' our next trick... waving. It is oh-so-endearing you just can't help but go awwwwwww.

1.05.2007

week one - advanced beginner agility

Last night was our first night in advanced beginner agility. Waste' & I are the only 'new' students. Everyone else has been thru this class a time or two before. Carrie, the assistant in our last class is the assistant in this class - she's the one who finally got us over the a-frame freeze. So, it's nice to have a familiar face to work with.

We split into 2 groups. One was most of the returning dogs and mine was made up of us and a chihuahua - oh i forget her name. They put her with us because she does not like to do anything at full height and his having huge issues with the weave poles.

So, first we did the training weave poles, spread about 6" apart; no guide wires. At that spread, Waste' just breezed thru... once they are closer, she has a tougher time. Then we did some handling exercises.
1. a circle of obstacles: a verticle, right tunnel, verticle, table. Carrie suggested I drop our leash at the table. Well, she just bounced the table and went for the leash. So, we decided I'd hold my own leash and not leave it as a temptation.
2. using a front cross: verticle to left tunnel - i have to cross in front of her as she is jumping obstacle and change hands, directing her to left entrance of tunnel (this proved very difficult to get thru my head) - to the verticle and bench. She does hit the bench pretty hard; hard enuf to make it skid across the floor. Thank fully this does not seem to spook her at all.

After we finished those exercises we moved over to work w/Christie. She wanted to evaluate Waste' and I on the contact obstacles. We also worked on some new handling techniques. There were 2 verticles on a bending line, leading to a tunnel. Unfortunately, the first verticle also headed us straight to the a-frame set at full height (which we have never done). Well the first technique was to leave the dog in a wait position angled to the first verticle. I am to position myself half way between the 2 verticles, point my left foot at the tunnel and raise my right hand and finger to get her attention. At this point she is to jump v1 towards me and then follow my body language around the bend, putting her in a straight line for the tunnel. If you remember, tho, this also puts her in a close proximity aiming at the a-frame. So what do we do? Yep, you guessed it... over v1, right past me and up over the a-frame, hits the bottom, turns around and back over it. After her 3rd trip over, I caught her. We tried this 2 more times w/the same result. I'm thinking that there is no problem with full height there! Christie finally came up with the great idea to put a gate in front of the a-frame which broke poor Waste's heart, but we did great over the exercise!

So that was it for last night. Next week is the GLKC dinner, so no class and Christie will be out of town on the 18th - we may do a drop in and work on our own that week.

1.03.2007

My Dad, Ma & cousin Ricky - I mean, er, Richard. He stopped by while I was in Florida visiting - haven't seen him for almost 30 years!
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The caber throw... part of the Highland Games...

Oh my!

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Feast of the Hunter's Moon 2006.
My friends and more friends...
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A New Year

Wow. 2007. What a year 2006 was!

My tax check brought me a new cam-corder. I knew I had to purchase and install a firewire in the pc to upload my new videos, but that would have to come later - actually bought it just a month ago! But I have had some fun taking odd videos of assorted antics over this past year.

Dan found a job up here in Lafayette and moved in. This left his mom, Rose, at home. That seemed to trigger a dimentia that we suspected but were not aware of it's severity. According to the doctors, it is not Alzheimers... just a type of 1 minute loop of short term memory. She realized it herself as well. It was a very difficult move, but we found her a home. She is comfortable and well-cared for, if not happy. She truly misses her home, but is not able to care for herself alone.

Then, with all this stress and many years of smoking, Dan had a heart attack in June. After surgery & stints & a very long recovery, he is now doing very well - except for the odd cigarette sneaked in. His bad cholesterol is actually down to 58!!! He is really enjoying working at the Historical Lahr House and the people he works with... (see pic of Scott singing in blog below - that's his boss) I'm so glad that has worked out for him.

Our event season was light. We drove to Theatiki in Bourbonnais, IL in our civvies. The radio had heat warnings issued, telling everyone to stay in their homes with a/c. Where were all our friends? Yep, dressed in wool uniforms, playing with guns. I've got a few videos of that weekend that I will try to post later. Like I said earlier, we were in shorts and tanks. July was too early for Dan to try to stress out in that heat.

Later in the year Waste' and I began and finished our first agility class. Poor Dan was pressed into making pvc jumps for the back yard as well as a shoot and teeter board. In the beginning, the jumps were easy and the contact obstacles scary. She continued to jump off the dog walk and froze half way up the A frame. With much encouragement and treats these are now her favorite things to do. She especially likes to 'pose' for praise on the contact points.

Our next class begins tomorrow. It is at a later time so if we make noise on the teeter board (she LOVES to slam it down), it will not disturb the beginner class in the next arena. Waste' got a new slip/tug lead for Christmas and we cannot wait to try it out!

I did get to visit my folks for a time this past Fall. My dad had some surgery, so we timed it that I would arrive just as he was released. That worked out well. I even had the chance to teach my mother how to gas up the car for herself. This is unbelievable to me as she had driven a truck as a WAC in WWII - but true nonetheless. I have to say that he looked much better when I left than when I arrived. The largest frustration of all of this is the inept communication between the hospital, surgeons and doctors. I will refrain from going into detail. You are welcome.

While I was down there, my mother presented me with a list of computer issues. One was a problematic keyboard. I never addressed that because it never happened during the whole visit. It did reappear after I left, however. I suggested she call Dell. When ordering them a new computer, I opted for Dell because I had heard how great their customer service is. Well, I was wrong! They (my mother and Dell) spent hours on this problem - days even. Dell sent them a new keyboard and mailed me a bill for it. It appears Dell's customer service is yet another who has outsourced to India. My mother is 84 years old and could not understand a word they said. After a couple of months of this she called the magazine 'Smart Computing' and they resoved it within a half-hour. 'Smart Computing' rocks!

So, that brings my life pretty much up-to-date. Will hope to post more photos and videos soon.

Slainte!

Culver Academies 2007

Beginner Agility 2

sheepherding 101

The last day of our first Agility class

Basketball herding

Susanne's bday party

New Year's Party 2007

My visit to Florida, Fall 2006

Feast of the Hunter's Moon 2006 - early Saturday morning

Mist on the Wabash River, Feast of the Hunter's Moon 2006

Massed Bands Part 1

Massed Bands Part 2

KohKohMah 2006

Theatiki 2006