March Lamb

March came in like a lamb as has gotten even nicer!  I hope that does not mean it will leave like a lion.

We’ve been continuing our Saturday morning vet visits to get everyone in for a checkup.  Our first visit of the month was with Fringe, Rally and Cyrus.  Fringe and Rally did ok.  They were both kind of scared.  Karl left the room for Rally to see if it helped him settle down.  Fringe was good except she test positive for anaplasmosis – a tick disease.  We’re going to let her body try to fight it unless she starts showing symptoms.  Rally has a bit of soreness in his right rear leg.  I think it was his hip.  If not, than his knee.  He’s on glucosemine supplements now – along with Vada and Narc.  Cyrus is the cat that showed up last summer.  He’s had a runny nose all winter.  I thought he was feral so I was scared to pet him.  I finally did a few weeks ago and he’s a love.  So I was able to load him up to take him to the vet.  First I had loaded up Logan as I could not find Cyrus.  As I was putting Logan in the van, Cyrus came walking up the driveway.  Logan went back in the house and I was able to put Cyrus in a carrier.  Thank goodness!  He was a mess.  He has frostbite on one of his ears.  That part of the ear will fall off.  It’s hard as a rock now.  That ear is infected.  Probably due to the frost bite and the flesh dying.  He has an upper respiratory infection which is why his nose has been runny all winter.  He has worms bad.  Both of his upper canines are broken off.  They were broken at different times.  One is fairly recent.  One is at the gum line and one is sticking out a bit.  They tested him for feline leukemia.  I was so worried he had it and we’d have to put him to sleep.  I was even crying on the way to the vet at the thought of it.  But he was negative!  While he was at the vet they gave him 2 wormer pills and a dose of antibiotics.  He got a 10 day round of antibiotics which he just finished today.  We brought a stool sample in on Saturday and he still has some worms as well as body mites.  So we got a dose of liquid wormer as well as a 10 day supply of a powdered wormer for his food.  When we first brought him in, he looked very pregnant.  He still had a pretty big belly.  But once we did the liquid wormer it seems like his belly has gone down quite a bit.  So we’ll do another stool sample this Saturday and then if it’s good we can schedule an appointment to get his roots extracted and get neutered.  Then he can go back outside again.  He’ll love that.  He’s been living in a giant dog crate in the garage.  He’s starting to get restless as he gets healthier.  He’s becoming a different cat.  Even a few days after we started treating him, he started looking around more and making eye contact with us and he doesn’t hold his ears sideways.  We’re all anxious for him to get healthy and get back outside.  I’m so grateful that we are able to help him out.  I was torn on what our responsibility was to him but since he’s been around for months now and didn’t seem to be going anywhere, he had been sick for a long time and I petted him and he was sweet – I figured we should take responsibility for him and get him healthy.  Hopefully he continues to stick around once he’s feeling better.  If not, than he was just meant to find us to get healthy.

This Saturday we brought Vada, Prozac, Logan and Quest in.  Vada was good.  She does not like vets examining her eyes.  She gave some lip to the vet.  So I held her head/muzzle.  She was fine for everything else.  Logan and Quest were good too.  They both had tarter on their teeth.  I thought they’d need a dental.  But she just used her nail and flicked the tarter off and told us to give them more bones!  Saved us tons of money on dentals!  Prozac loved the vet and tech of course.  They said her lick granulomas are not super bad but they do seem to be on joints which are also acupressure points.  She also had a sore right knee.  We’re keeping her on cosequin.  Dr. Jina showed me acupressure points to work for her joints and anxiety.  We also got some Bach flowers for her.  Karl picked a few different flowers to put in it.  Hopefully it works and she has less anxiety.  We were there for 2 hours!  We have gotten quite comfortable there!

Karl went to Ribs N Blues at church with Joe.  He had a great time again.

I’ve been working on AMBOR end of year awards.  I’m close to being done!  I’ve just got a bit more research to do on the trophy winners and then I have to order the plaques.  I’ve been getting things ready for the CPE trial too.  I’m feeling good about being caught up on the paperwork.  I’m going to send out final confirmations tonight and the confirmation letter in a few days – after closing.

Saturday was jam packed.  After the vet we went to Leatherdale to pickup the last of the Zukes that we got for check in gifts for the CPE trial.  It was fun to just stop in and say hi to people.  Then we went to the MMBC storage locker to meet Denise and Al there to load up the trailer for the CPE trial.  It went very smoothly.  The 4 of us work well together.  So now next Friday we can just hook up the trailer and go.  On the way home we stopped at Run 4 Fun and got me a pair of running shoes.  I was nervous but they were really nice and helpful and the shoes were not super expensive.  Then we ate pizza at Latuffs on the way home.

Karl started installing the wood flooring in the bedroom 2 Saturdays ago.  I helped him the first Saturday after he had been working on it awhile and we were able to make good progress.  This Sunday we finished the bedroom.  I lined up the boards and stepped on them while Karl pounded them in.  He did all the measuring and cutting.  Once we got to the wall there was alot of cutting.  So we just have the closet left to do and the quarter round and we are done with the bedroom and closet!  Once the quarter round is installed in the bedroom than we can put the headboard back in place.  It’s going to look so nice!

It was so nice to be home yesterday.  We did not leave the house once!  We had a nice dinner of chicken, red potatoes  and salad. And it was a gorgeous day out!  The sun was out bright and strong.  There was a nice gentle breeze.  I did some of my computer work out on the porch stairs.  I took a walk around the pond too.  Friday most of the property was in standing water.  Yesterday most of it had dried and there were just a few puddles.  I put out some jumps and weave poles yesterday too.

Tonight is cardio salsa!  I could not go last week as I had sore ankles from being dragged by Copper and Vada on the sidewalks for an hour on Sunday.  I’m excited to get back to it.  And to start running again.   Time to get in shape for the spring clothes that will be coming out soon.

End of February

Karl and I went to a Soups and Stews class.  It was fun.  The class made 4 soups and a stew.  Karl and I made Split Pea Soup and a Beef Stew.  Our stew took a long time to make so we were there quite late.  But we got to take lots of samples home.

I had to turn in my first TSQL project.  I had started on it but didn’t finish it so I was at class til the end getting it done.  But I got a 98 so it worked out well.  Hopefully I’ll get my second project done earlier and not wait til the last minute!

Narc graduated from Super Puppy class.  I felt Narc was ready to move on to a more advanced class.  Since Seven is in the next level class and NOT ready to move up – I asked Sue if I could move him to the next higher class that is at the same time as Super Puppy.  Narc had his first Polishing class this week and did a great job.  I was a little nervous and he was too.  He got a bit brain overloaded by the end of class.  That part will get better.  He’s got the skills for the class so he’s in a good one.

Seven started agility classes last week.  He was a bit brain fried by the end of class.  I was worried that he would be out of his league in the class but he is not.  We have things to work on, of course, but he fits right in.  We just skip contacts and weaves and work them off to the side.  He is making progress on his contacts.  I had him going down about a foot on the aframe to no target last  night and he was doing nose touches beautifully.  Last night he held up the whole class and I worked him on the side pretty hard and long.  I think he loves being in class and wonders why it took me so long to sign him up.

Last Saturday we took Seven, Narc and Bessie into the vet.  All passed with only Bessie being overweight and getting some holistic drops to try to help regulate her weight.  But Karl might have to just put her on a diet or figure out how to exercise her more.  Then we did Feed My Starving Children at Eagle Brook in White Bear Lake.  Karl and I kicked butt.  He scooped chicken powder and dehydrated veggies.  I scooped soy and rice.  It was the perfect amount of time as we were just about ready for a break when they stopped us.  Then we went to the 4:05pm service.  That worked out very nicely with the timing.

Sunday we had the MMBC meeting.  A few of us were worried it would be a big brawl like in the olden days as stuff was getting chaotic on the yahoogroup list.  But the meeting went very well.  And a group of us went bowling afterwards and had alot of fun.

Monday Fringe turned 5 years old!  She is our youngest.  Karl got her while we were dating.  My how time flies!  I also went to cardio salsa again after a long break.  It was alot of fun.  Glenda joined me too.  I’m looking forward to being able to go weekly now.

Met my Dad for lunch today to celebrate his birthday.  I can’t believe it’s March already!  Bring on spring!!!!

MAC Winter USDAA Trial

We got up super bright and early to make the drive down to Cannon Falls.  Had to pack up all the dogs too.  It ended up being a really good weekend.  Saturday Vada got a Super Q in Snooker.  We had an oops at a spot where I thought we might but I just modified our plan a little bit.  It was only 1 point less.  That is our first Super Q and our second Snooker Q in a row.  Grand Prix was not as scary as I thought it was going to be.  Terry answered a few questions for me on proper handling which was nice.  During the run Vada pulled off of a jump in a pinwheel.  I thought it was very odd.  We argued a bit there and we got an off course as she was certain I did not want the jump so she almost went to a tunnel.  We got a bit off and she crashed a jump later too.  She just wrapped it too tight and knocked the wing over.  The rest was awesome.  Luckily Karl was there and video taped the run.  I stuck to my plan and kept my feet moving in the pin wheel but apparently I had time to move my too long bangs out of my face with my OTHER hand.  Vada, being a good girl, took it as an arm change and pulled off the jump.  The Gamble in Masters Gamble was really hard.  We did the opening nice but did not make the gamble.  In Advanced Standard she just had 1 bar down.  The first bar.  Not sure why.  The rest was very very nice.  I can’t remember the Advanced Jumpers run but I think it might have been ugly.  The one on Sunday was SUPER ugly and I ended up walking off the course with her.  We were both a mess.  Sunday we got another Q in Snooker.  She dropped a bar on the 5 color so we have the minimal points to Q.  So now we have 2 Qs and just need 2 more Super Qs.  She also got an Advanced Standard Q.  We had a little bobble on the weave entry but it was not enough to be a fault.  Masters Gamblers was a nice gamble and we got it but we had a goof in the opening and were late getting to the gamble and ran out of time.  So we need one more each for Advanced Jumpers and Standard and we’ll be in all Masters classes.  I did not have to pull her from any classes for breaking her start line.  She stood up in one and I told her a stern “SIT” and she plopped her butt back down real quick.  She was solid after that.

Seven had a tough time in Starters Jumpers on Saturday.  I think he was not use to the footing and crashed a few jumps including the triple.  At which point he said “this is dumb”.  Sunday I was all ready to baby him but he was off like a rocket and blasting faster than I could keep up.  We had a bobble or two but we were clean.  I didn’t check the sheet so I don’t know if he Q’d or not.  If he did, it finishes his Starters Jumpers title.  I’m thinking I’m going to put him in Performance for the next trial and enter him in Gamblers and Snooker.  He’s 16″ in CPE and he’ll be 16″ in AKC and UKI.  Plus, he’s 7 years old now.  And we’re making progress on his contacts so we can do more classes soon.

Karl and Fringe had a good day on Saturday.  They entered Snooker, Gamblers and Jumpers.  They almost Qd in Gamblers if Karl had gone back and did the last jump that she went around.  But he was not happy with her teeter performance and was still thinking about that.  She Qd in a very nice Jumpers run.  I can’t remember their Snooker run.  They had some good parts and some parts for improvement.  Trialing shows you want you need to work on in training.

We both were course builders on Saturday and ring crew here and there.  Sunday I was ring crew for a few classes and I helped load up the truck and unload at the locker.  Makes for a long weekend but someone’s got to do it.  🙂  Plus, Bonnie got us super cool miner headlamps to wear in the locker after dark.

Looking forward to trialing outside again!