Happy Birthday Karl!

Today is Karl’s birthday!  We are meeting for lunch today at Fuddruckers.  Yum!

Last Thursday we met Dad and Dianna at Northwoods Bar and Grill in Nowthen to celebrate Karl’s birthday.  They always have great food.  And it was alot of fun to chat with them for a few hours.

Friday I got the 2008 AMBOR awards wrapped up and mailed out!  It felt good to complete that project!  I also got all of the rankings updated for the newsletter.  Another very time consuming project completed.  I just have 1 article to finish for the newsletter and then Karl can wrap it up and get is sent out.  For the 2009 awards I am going to get the certificates done right away and not wait for the plaques to be done to get everything done.  That should help me get the awards out sooner.  I will have to wait for the final results to be published in Bloodlines and they are a few months behind.

Saturday and Sunday I had Vada and Seven entered in the CACM USDAA trial in Saint Cloud.  I was so tired and burnt out on Saturday and I didn’t stop and get some caffeine on the way to the trial as I was running late.   So Idid not have a good day.  I made alot of stupid mistakes.  The worst was doing a red to a red in Snooker.  Nice debut to Masters Snooker!  Seven had a pretty nice run for his debut in P3 Jumpers.  We had some mistakes but they were handling errors and really he’s a baby dog still.  I got there late and all the usual tenting spots were taken.  I found a spot in back that was smack between the two rings.  It ended up being a perfect spot to watch both rings.  And it worked out that I was done running my classes pretty darn early.  And I didn’t have to stay and work as the club has great club members who cover all the working spots.

Sunday Karl and Fringe came with.  They were entered in Advanced Gamblers for their first time and Starters Jumpers.  I did much better as I relaxed and watched a movie Saturday night and got a soda on the way to the trail on Sunday.  I enjoyed my runs and we had some fun runs.  We Qd in Advanced Pairs to finish our AR title.  Both Vada and her partner had really nice runs.  Her start line is getting a little calmer.  I’m only stepping to the side and not walking out but I’m trying to take the anxiety and fighting off the start line.  I’m just driving from the rear.  A LOP sure would be nice to have but I just have to be patient and work towards getting there again.  Karl and Fringe had a very nice opening in Gamblers.  He is really frustrated with not having a start line stay so hopefully that frustration will motivate him to train one.  🙂

Last night I setup the Advanced Standard course from Sunday out in the yard.  I did not have time to run it as we had to go out and run errands for the seminar this weekend.  I’m hoping to get out for a bit tonight before I leave for agility class.  I need to work on Seven’s start line stay to prep him for this weekend too as I’d like to work him in the Jumping session.  I think with Vada I need to work more full courses to help us get in synch and keep it together longer.  So that is my goal for the next few training sessions.

The Craziness Continues!

2 weeks ago we had our second private lesson with Terry.  It’s fun and it’s helping me start putting my knowledge to actual use.  Now I just need to find the time to train more often so we can make better progress.

Copper’s appointment with Cindy H was canceled due to a family emergency.  I’m not sure when I’ll be able to get him in to see her now.  So that’s a bummer.  But I hope things work out for her and her son is ok.

Narc and Vada got to go to Schutzhund training 2 Saturdays ago.  Karl drove down and brought a DQ cake for us to celebrate new titles (Mike and Jett too).  I had to leave early to go to work though so the dogs didn’t get to do bitework.  But the software update we did over the weekend went really well.  We are having Chris out at the end of the month – Narc and Vada will love that.

That Sunday we spent the day working on the house.  We started on the cat room which will now be called the library since the dogs are ok with the cats and we don’t have to put the cats away when the dogs are out.  I painted the walls and the ceiling.  Karl replaced the ceiling fan.  He started installing flooring in the closet too.  All we have left is to put up the wallpaper border and finish the floor.  Oh, and replace the door that’s chewed up.   It’ll be so nice when it’s done and we can put the shelves and books back in that room.  I’m excited to hang up the border since it’s adorable!

Went and saw Dr. Seng for a checkup.  He says that I don’t need to come back and see him anymore!  Yippee!

Thursday and Friday Karl and I went to the Leadership Summit at Eagle Brook Church.  It is held in IL but they broadcast it to other churches.   It was really good.  Some parts I didn’t care for but I could get some great information and things to think about from each of the presenters.  I was wiped out at the end of each day from all the information!  It was fun to go with Karl since we could talk about the topics after each speaker and over lunch.  And it was a good way to spend time together.

Saturday and Sunday I went to the Tails In Motion USDAA trial in Little Falls.  It’s a small 1 ring trial so very laid back and fun.  I like being able to watch all the runs and see everyone.  My goals with Vada were to have fun, not worry about being perfect and not do a start line stay.  I wanted to take the pressure off the start line.  So I stop and have Vada sit but then I just step sideways and release her.  I have been working her more at home and working on start line stays.  It showed in that I was getting her to come in the ring calmer and sit without being told.  That is huge progress as far as I am concerned.  I’m hoping it’ll grow from there.  Nay sayers say that once you lose your start line you can never get it back.  I remind myself that behavior is always changeable with reinforcement.  So I had a much more fun weekend.  We had more success too.

I did not feel in the groove for our first run on Saturday – Masters Gamblers but the weekend got better after that.  Vada earned her 2nd Advanced Jumpers Q on Saturday with a very pretty run.  We were in Master Snooker for the first time.  We almost got through the opening but she knocked the 4th and last red and I sent her to the next obstacle – which was right there.  I can’t remember how our Standard run went.  Not too bad I don’t think.

Vada Qd in Masters Gamblers on Sunday.  It was a hard gamble too but we did it.  She had a nice Pairs run too but unfortunately our partner went off course.  We are partners again this Saturday so hopefully we get it this time.  So we saved up the bad stuff for Standard.  LOL But when we got to the table I told her to calm down and let’s get it back together.  And we did and finished the course well.  We ended with the Jumpers run.  It was well but we knocked a bar or two.

Seven had an awesome weekend.  He Qd in both of his very pretty P2 Jumpers runs which finished his J2 title.  His times were close to Vada’s too!  So now we move up to P3 Jumpers.  The judge, Karen Gloor, had some fun courses this weekend.

Saw my rheumy on Monday – said all was well and to come back in 6 months.

Seems like suddenly everything is over due and everybody wants things.  I have been way to stressed out the last few weeks.  I have gotten a few things done and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel for the biggest 2 projects that I am working on.  I feel like I am neglecting my husband and my dogs.  I think about giving up some of the club stuff.  I have given up alot of it already but I am still overwhelmed.  The problem is – if I don’t do it, no one will.  If I don’t do some of this stuff then the organization ceases to exist.   Part of it could have been avoided if I had not let things get so far behind.  But I have been busy doing other stuff.  Work has been super crazy busy the past few weeks also which adds to my stress.  Hopefully the light is truly the end light and I can get back to having time for my dogs and my house projects and my husband again.  One of the speakers at the Leadership Summit talked about buckets and burn out and priorities.  Good stuff to think about.