Here we are with another week of Covid and the holidays.  Sad news about the Nashville. 

You may recall that I had entered an AKC Elite Trick performance Last October with "Amber's Christmas Story".  Here is the winner Debbi Snyder & Amos performing

Hairy Pawter and runner-ups listed on the website:

Hairy Pawter Sorcerer's Bone 2020 AKC Tricks Nationals Winner 

Congratulations.  The difficultly level of the tricks was superb.  To see the runner-up videos, click here

Tuesday afternoon I took my dogs to a local Capitol Illini-Chatham Veterinary Services for a photo session based on other photos that I had seen with a beautiful setting. Due to COVID, I waited outside while the clinic staff took them inside for pictures.

 

 That evening, I accompanied some of our VFW members distributing cookies to the police and firefighters.

 Wednesday I took both dogs with me to Mechanicsburg for Amber's agility practice.  Sophie stayed in the car but then she did get out before and after and she sleeps a lot.  It was so windy.  Remnants of corn husks blew across the road.  It was said that the gusts were up to 50 MPH.  It was too windy to practice outside so we practiced in the horse barn.  This made Amber roll in the horse dirt.   She had a bath later that day. 

Christmas eve I was surprised when my neighbor, Dennis and Julie, brought over a gift of chocolates.  The tag also included my dog's names but we know dogs can't have chocolate.

Alan came in the evening and so did Sean.  We watched a movie and lit the fireplace because it was in the single digits.

I went to Mass on Christmas morning at 9AM. The two Christmas Eve Masses were live streamed and can be seen here.   There was no choir on Christmas morning so the congregation had to sing.  I didn't know Father John could play the piano.  It was almost like his own stage with the exception of readers and servers.  Not the best angle but you can see Father John sitting at the piano.  

Our Christmas morning picture 2020 just before opening presents and stepping in a mess of wrapping paper.

 Take 2:

I do a lot of video.  Especially watching my queuing of my dog.  Every mistake is the handlers so they say.  I got a new camera to watch myself cue my dog.

I got a tactile necklace knife.

My sons got gift cards for Outback Steak house from their Aunt Kate. They both have Hawaiian shirts but if you look closely they are battle design (guns, grenades and poppies).

Then there was the food and lots of it.  I got a very expensive prime rib.  

Here's Alan checking the temperature of the prime rib.

My sister gave me a doggie towel.  It's almost too cute to use so I'm not sure of how I'll use it or keepsake it.

I got a coffee maker and a blender.  I got a soft green sweater and a book for my garden.  I got a new hummingbird feeder with a lot of packaging. My niece sent me coffee.

I got some exercise wear from my sisters and a facial mask with instructions to use it concurrently together on New Years Day.

Alan hadn't been over in awhile and his dog forgot how I taught him "paws on the bucket". Hank had little manners.  If I tried to train and reward, he was forceful at grabbing the treat teeth and all.  I tried the open palm so he wouldn't get my fingers. 

Alan left me his jeans to mend.   Yep, repair to be made in a tight spot.

The neighbor behind me assembled a trampoline.

 It's impossible to be unhappy and grateful at the same time. be filled with the Holy Spirit!

My Week

Well today happens to be Sophie's eight birthday.  Woof it up!

 Prayers are needed from my brother's wife, Nancy, who was in a terrible accident.  She's going to have a long road to recovery. She has fractured ribs and pelvis and fighting Pneumonia.

 Monday I had a COVID test in prep for my Thursday colonoscopy.  It was negative.  Wednesday was prep time.  The Magnesium Citrate tastes just like bitter lemon with the pucker factor. Not too bad compared to the old prep. The bad part is the stomach gurgling still happens.  My scheduled procedure was moved earlier then expected too.  There must have been some drop outs.

 Wednesday afternoon, at the beginning of my fast, I had my mammogram and got a call later that all was well.  Sean drove me to my appointment and that went well.  In my little waiting room I watched TV.  There was a calendar on the wall near me with nothing written on it so I wrote "Rose was here".  Every thing went well and polyps removed.  My but was raw.  I soiled all 5 of my open winter robes. Bathroom is cleaner than ever.  My neighbor, Donna, walked the dogs but Sophie didn't go very far with her.  Amber was ready to go all over.  Might have been better walking separately.  On the way home, I asked Sean to stop to get me some Chinese food to take out.  When I got home I needed a nap and had Sean bring me my electric blanket.

I made a mini "Wreaths Across America" wreath for Ron Otken at the columbarium. He was a key fundraiser for Wreaths Across America before he died.  I copied the idea from the cremation size wreaths that I saw pictures of at Killion, Texas where they had enough for every other marker.  It's held in place by Styrofoam between the marble.  I sent the photo to his wife who was in Texas at the time.  She was pleased.

I put it there on Friday but it was down on the ground on Saturday with the Styrofoam ripped off and in the trash.  I guess it got management's panties in a wad.  

I have some more supplies that I found in a thrift store but will still need mini 10 inch wreath frames in either twig or straw and some more Styrofoam.  I'll see what becomes of this for next time.

Friday I helped our location leader separate the wreaths in groups by their sponsors to pick up on Saturday.  I placed a wreath on my husband's grave and then stomped on the empty plot next to him.

Despite the pandemic, we did have more wreaths than the previous year.  I put a wreath on the grave of my neighbor.  I sent her the photo and she was touched by it.   Seems every year there's a new restriction on this program from higher ups.  I mean, people have been decorating graves before Wreaths Across America but about three years ago, the staff had volunteers remove the wreaths and drag them to the side of the road for a clean up day about the third week of January.  Then last year, they declared we needed to provide a dumpster for the used wreaths.  This year we were further restricted by the fact we had to have the wreaths delivered off site instead of the the facility at the cemetery.  Our location leader secured permission at RP Lumber yard. There was no public ceremony for the wreath laying for the branches of service and guest speaker.  The cemetery staff placed wreaths privately early in the morning to avoid a crowd and encourage social distancing.  Although this was out doors, I think this was the most social event I've been to in a long time.  I hadn't seen these friends in a long time.

Sunday I watched two movies with Sean, both with foreign subtitles. The Giant (2017)  and Sarajevo 2014 which was a little bit like a murder mystery only true about what led to WW1.

 

 

My Week

 Tuesday I had an appointment with Dr Churuku for a prep on my colonoscopy next week.  In the afternoon I was on our Chatham American Legion color guard for the funeral of one of our own at Camp Butler.

Monday evening I was really disappointed in our first night of Nose Work 3 class. Amber sniffed the floor more than the boxes. She walked right past the hot box (with the odor to detect) couple of times. I wanted to put her back in the kennel rather than continue with the "find it" search.  I was upset and want to stick a q-tip up her nose (odors are soaked on a q-tip taped to the inside of the box).  The other two dogs in this class hit on the correct box. I practiced our homework similar to this with Amber this week no longer than 5 minutes per practice time. https://youtu.be/TcTrzrUr3Cw

In agility, Lisa, my instructor, sent me this video of our agility practice last Saturday.  That's a bit encouraging.  The trick of this exercise was to switch directions before the tunnel.  Watch here:

I had our Christmas photo taken at the salon that cut my hair.  TDIEVA Sophie and TDIA Amber with their impatient handler (me). On the way home I saw a family doing a window visit at the nursing home I used to visit and busted in on their visit (masked of course)

Here is the winter newsletter and Amber has a photo in it:   http://tdi-dog.org/images/Winter_2020.pdf
 I saw that one of the TDI handlers had sewed backing on the bandana like quilters do so I did this also.  That bandana always looks like a wrinkled mess.

I had enough fabric to make a matching mask.

Sunday's mass had a special anniversary blessing for John and Carol O'Neill. 

I got my son his Christmas present this week. He got a new garage door with an opener.  He really needed it too.  

I did some running back and forth to Fedex to print and copy documents for my nephew's court claim for my sister's estate.  Despite a prenuptial agreement to keep finances separate, and assuming Norm may precede her in death as being the elder in this marriage, Kathy had done her best to hold up her end of the pre-nup so as not to leave any medical costs behind and be a burden on her husband.  It's important to understand there's also an imbalance of wealth in favor of her husband. When there were no medical costs, Norm kept her Roth funds that were entrusted to take her through to her dying days and the remainder to her heirs as per her last will and testament.  He kept it without making any contribution toward her finances.  He violated the pre-nup for which he insisted having her agree to sign.  He logged into her accounts while she was lying on her death bed and transferred funds to his own accounts. Norm has a strong lawyer and my nephew is representing himself.  He is doing a lot of research and disadvantaged being states away. I want to help in any way that I can.  This is on-going. 

Sunday was the Gaudete Sunday when we light the rose colored candle on the Advent Wreath.  This pink candle represents Joy.   Father's sermon told about the Secret of Success  story but changed it from "wisdom" to "prayer" context to gasp for air to communicate with God. Without prayer we cannot know God. We cannot know someone who we don't talk to.

There is little Joy this particular Sunday because my brother's wife was in a serious car accident on Sunday.  More prayers please.    I really have little else to do or say.

 

 

 

My Week

 Monday night we completed our Level 2 Nose Work class and a video of her progress through the 6 week class.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhCVTouVg3g&feature=youtu.be

Here is the video from classmates: Thunder, and Jivy. Enzo was also in this class but no video.  Here is our graduation photo.

Next Monday a new 6 week class called "Containers & More Nose Work".   Wednesday was busy.   So I missed my virtual exercise class. Sophie had her annual veterinarian exam.  The office faxed her completed form to Therapy Dog Int.  Then I went to Fedex to print a legal document for my nephew only to realize I printed the wrong one that was on my jump drive.  Meanwhile I took Amber out to the farm for agility practice.  On the way back I got a call about some legal changes to my nephew's petition as executor for my sister's will.  He made the changes and back to Fedex to print and sign as a witness and create a PDF.  I get home and he tells me I forgot to date it so I went back to Fedex a third time.  Meanwhile, the lawyer replied with an objection to his request for documents pertaining to my sister's estate held by her husband who was not in the will.

I ordered 3 barn hunt rat tubes after realizing that the cost and shipping was cheaper than I could build them.  I added up the costs from materials at Lowes and decided these would be better. 

I did get a bale of hay that a neighbor discarded to simulate the barn.  I could only fit one in my car but there were 2 more and gone on a return trip.  I still don't have rats.

Friday I had my hair cut.  I was masked going in and out of the salon and my hairdresser was masked the whole time.  I can't imagine getting my hearing aids wet so they were out.

My hairdresser (Sela Rae Cronin) said there are fewer hair donations partly because more people are coloring their hair.  It had been over 3 years since my last haircut.  She said I may need to get a trim every 4 weeks if I want to maintain this style.  I do like the roundness on the head giving more lift to my flat, straight hair.  I'll need to get a new round styling brush for the hair dryer.  I was cleaning the two I used to have and they really should be replaced.

Friday evening I took Amber to the club.  We practiced a broad jump.  Amber drags her feet across the boards. 

Saturday's highlight was another mid-day agility practice in Mechanicsburg.  The weather was perfect for it and Amber made some progress. 

I started watching the Victorian Farm on youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrqnT_O89Ig

My Week

Beginning of Advent

Amber's tricks at the nursing home paid off in earning her AKC Trick Dog Elite Performer (narrative is in the comments). I wanted to get this video loaded by Oct 1st deadline to AKC for a nationwide contest to be announced in mid December. I was holding off sharing the video because it was too early.   The time seems right to share with you something I've been holding back that I had only shared with a few others.  I'm talking about Amber's Christmas Story for her AKC Trick Dog Elite Performer title.  Here is the video link.  https://youtu.be/7fqfw1c7-qM    Imagine trying to get props in July and Aug during a pandemic! Hope you enjoy her tricks as the residents have through the window and read by an activity director instead of Santa. The window tricks are seldom done because it's very weather dependent to plan in advance on their monthly calendar. 

Sophie thought that the leg band was a toy.

  

Tuesday I shipped off 31 masks to Viroqa WI.  Sad they will take so long to get there with post office delays.  Mail has been so slow lately.

Tuesday evening I took Amber to members only obedience practice.  I introduced Amber to the dumb bell and broad jump.  While practicing the broad jump, she not only did a zoomie but she stole another dog's dumb bell.  I was shocked and embarrassed.  It's like she gets this huge sugar rush and just has to get it out of her system.  Her speed will help her in agility if I can only get that speed to do the proper path. 

Wednesday I wanted to get a head start on Thanksgiving.  I prepared a sugar free, crust-less pumpkin pie.  Then I ruined the turkey breast and had to quickly go out and get another.   I turned the oven on to self clean while it was in there and got locked out.  I didn't tell my sons about this mistake and doubt they will read my blog. Ha!

The replacement turkey breast was much much better. Every thanksgiving, I go to Mass and father blesses something we will have on our dinner table. Usually people bring bread or a vegetable.  Every year I place wine at the foot of the alter.  After the blessing, Father John lifted my champagne bottle and said "what time do we eat?" It was hard to hear with my hearing aids. It was the signed champagne bottle from my balloon ride in Glorious Drifter that I saved.  

We had stuffing, potatoes, mixed vegetables, tomatoes with mozzarella.  Alan brought a bakery style apple pie that you bake yourself.  We said grace and something we were thankful for during the past year.  We were stuffed.

Then we walked our dogs around the 2 blocks.  That's becoming a tradition right there.  They left just before the sun started going down.

Thursday evening we had a Pawsitive Zone Thanksgiving Zoom meeting at 6PM.   Sandra created a slide show for dog trivia.  She gave no clues in advance. I'd like to call attention to my special effect lipstick on my screen that was built into the Zoom settings.  I really wasn't wearing lipstick.  Since I pre-tested the setting before the actual meeting, I wanted to see what the effect would look like if I put my mask on.  Well, I had lips on the mask when I moved too.

Some of the questions were:

What is the name of the smallest breed: Corgi, pug, chihuahua, poodle

What medical condition affects most dogs: arthritis, anxiety, obesity, depression  

What dog breed is considered the heaviest: St Bernard, Airedale, Great Dane, Bull dog

What breed is considered the world's rarest:  Saluki, Malamut, Boston Terrier, telomain 

What human organ do dogs lack:  prostrate, pancreas, appendix, uterus 

Which four colors can a dog see: too many commas to list the choices

What breed is called the king of terriers:  rat terrier, Airedale,  Boston, Cairn

What is Snoopy's breed:  Beagle, chihuahua, jack Russel, shih tzu

What breed is most popular in the US:  boxer, beagle, Labrador, German Shepard

Where is the Australian Shepard from:  United States, New Zealand, Australia, Japan

What sense are puppies born without: sight, hearing, taste, smell

Afterward, we all wanted to finish in time to watch the AKC National Dog show.

Saturday I took Amber and Sophie to Petsmart to get a harness for Amber. Amber is between a small and a medium size.  I got the medium.  I adjusted the straps at the shortest and she still slips out.  She did enjoy seeing the rats as we are now calling them. 

Sunday afternoon I dressed up as Mrs Claus. 

80 + bikes socially distanced as part of the Sid Wood Memorial Toy Run for Contact Ministries. 

We had our temperature taken at sign in, wore masks when close together, and did our drops outside instead of inside the building. Proof these things can be done right. Too bad other cities are cracking down on Charity Rides at this time of year.

Thank you Lord for everything you have done for me. Forgive me of all my sins. Heal me from the hurts from the past and present. I love you & need you to cover me with your precious & Holy blood, my family, my friends, my loved ones. Give me your blessings Lord. Guide, comfort & protect everyone that seeks you , needs you & believes in you. Amen

My Week

 Last Monday night I had week 4 of 6 of level 2 nose work class. It was the first time she had to find birch scented hot box without a treat on top of the box. Amber seemed puzzled at first because she was more interested in looking for a box that had a treat and an odor. Now she had to look for the odor then the treat.  So Tuesday I practiced twice and she's catching on that she finds the odor then gets a treat. Even better is her indication ~ she put her paw on the hot box. The other 3 shoe boxes were blanks.  I've been practicing nose work at home.  There is a birch scent in the pink shoe box.  She'd been hitting on the white box that used to contain envelopes.  I'll bet there's a distracting scent in that box so it has to go.

I picked up a doggie Advent Calendar

Wednesday I took both dogs to Mechanicsburg for agility practice.  Actually Sophie went along for the ride.  Amber wanted to wander around instead of focusing on the obstacles.  I need patience.  We used to go for lunch afterward but the restaurants are closed.

Thursday I talked to the DAR about Wreaths Across America.  Here are my slides.  There were about 8 people present.  They gave me a check toward Wreaths Across America after I showed them my slideshow. 

The DAR  presented a pin and certificate as a surviving spouse of a Vietnam Veteran.

 

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum is closed with fall surge in COVID-19. I was to have my first volunteer opportunity on Sunday.  That was to be my first volunteer opportunity at the presidential museum this Sunday is now closed.

The dog trials at the state fairgrounds weekend of Thanksgiving canceled. Teacup agility in Decatur on Dec 5 and 6 is canceled. 

Sunday's Mass had even stricter Covid restrictions.  We had to wear our masks the whole service and now even our priest wore a mask.   Up until now, we only had to wear a mask while walking in the aisle and could remove it when we were seated including communion.  Church volunteers immediately sanitize the pews and church's places that were touched.   Is it just me or does it seem that COVID deaths are blamed on masking and not washing of hands anymore?  We have to go online to make a reservation ensuring the percentage of occupancy limited to 125.   The 10:30 service is live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube.

Sean and I watched "Enemy at the Gate"  

Amber came in from the back yard with muddy whiskers.  It looks funny and I had to clean her face.

Now to focus on Thanksgiving with my sons.  Happy Thanksgiving to all.

My Week

Looks like we have entered the Fall Covid spike.  I have been minimizing my time away from home and returned to remote exercise class at home.  

Last Monday evening at 6PM, I went to a VFW meeting.  Our VFW post adjutant got COVID and it was bad enough to be admitted to the hospital. The respiratory place gave him meds but that just masked the problem. They took his temp at hospital it was 102.9 if that tells you he was in bad shape.  By the end of this week, he had shown improvement. 

Monday was my 48th anniversary for going to basic training at Lackland AFB.  I received this veterans day card in the mail.

Later in the evening I went to week 3 of Amber's "Intro to Odors" class.   Things pumped up a little just as I was getting bored tossing treats in a shoe box.  This time there was just all 3 scents in a plastic box with top holes and a treat on top the box.  After she indicated the correct box with the treat, she was rewarded with a few more treats.  The next round there was no treat on top the box.  She sniffed all the boxes and at the "hot box", I got stared at.  That was the cue she found the scented box.   I wish she was a bit more clearer though.  Another dog in class was more distinct about pointing at the right box.  Amber's stare just said, "where's the treat?" If I didn't answer fast enough, she'd go off sniffing again.

On Veterans Day I stood color guard in the Chatham Square.  There was no ceremony.  We were socially distanced around the memorial for 1/2 hour.  

 

This American Legion mask is the worst mask I own.  It's floppy and I had to remake it to fit.  I think I shall never wear it again.  It was inexpensive so that should say a lot.  Not even the right fabric to breathe.

 

 

I was in perfect view of the flag in this circle.  My hands did get cold but the rest of me was nice and warm in my new fleece lined cargo pants.  My glasses did fog from the mask.

Afterward I got my voucher for a free meal at Texas Roadhouse for veterans day.  I also got vouchers at Chic-fil-a.  

Wednesday's agility class (on Veterans Day) was canceled.  I wasn't going to go anyway because of a scheduled AMVETS meeting.  I later learned via Facebook that Amvets discouraged physical meetings and subsequently our meeting was canceled.   Instead I signed up for a webinar on Civil War nurses.

I've been experimenting with the 3-d face masks.  They are sometimes called octagon masks.  The first one I made was too big.  Could have been the metric conversion.  The blue ones I made were from the pattern in the link.

Then I discovered this 3D mask pattern with a filter pocket that I like a little better.

  These bright brightly colored ones have a pocket like the one in the sample video from a single cut of fabric 8 by 17".  This style is a little better on glasses not fogging up so much.

Title certificates came in the mail for Amber's first agility trial.  These were through CPE last month.   Each of these required 2 successful runs.

 I always thought AKC "Beginner Novice" and "Novice" were confusing.

The two titles are like beginner-beginner and novice.   I just realized that Amber did not get her AKC "Beginner Novice" title in October as I previously thought and got ribbons. I entered regular "novice" not "beginner novice".  Now I have 2 legs (of 3 required) in Beginner Novice and now I have 1 leg in the "Novice".   Crap! Notice obedience in the AKC report below. I should not have been in CD (Companion Dog) level.  I didn't know CD was another initial for Novice. Upon closer look at my entry form, it was my screw up. 

BN- Beginner Novice--first title earned in obedience (the one with sit for exam and all on lead except recall done 20 ft away )

CD- companion dog --second title (on lead heeling, off lead heeling and stand for exam )

CDX-- companion dog excellent-- (also called open, jumps signals etc )

UD-- utility dog-- (off lead hand signals for heeling, jumps etc )

There has been a lot of wind this week and I end this with few twigs to pick up.  I guess the frequency of high winds have whittled down all the loose limbs and branches so the pick up is less and less.  The neighborhood had taken down the "United for Biden" signs and Christmas decorations up.  I only put up my Christmas wreath since it was already out because of Amber's Christmas Story and too late to put away.

I've watched "The Queen's Gambit" series.  It's pretty interesting about an orphan girl that learned chess from the janitor, was adopted, and won her lot by championship winnings.