My Week

 Monday I dropped off my car at Chatham Collision and got a rental. It was also a Nissan Rouge but a sport model.  He said it was slightly  smaller and looked the same size but when I got it in the garage I could see the difference.  In the afternoon I volunteered at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential museum.  Here I am in front of our temporary exhibit, The State of Sound, about music from Illinois artists.  I'm wearing my backstage pass along with my volunteer ID.

After my shift I drove home in a heavy rain.  We had flash flood warnings.  By the end of the week, I could see it really helped the garden.  The new neighbor behind me had just tilled a new garden the week before.  Let the competition begin. 

I took Amber to the nursing home Tuesday afternoon to perform tricks. Some tricks must be done off leash and she can tell. She'll run off in curiosity. Also, since the area has crumbs after lunch (minuscule at that) she sniffs them out. I'm not supposed to bring treats in per  TDI rules but I bring a few for her to focus with permission of the activity director. I can put a real treat on the floor and say "leave it" and she will stare at it for a good long time before I say "get it". That's a trick too. Why doesn't that work with crumbs?

Wednesday's plans were changed.  I had a morning and evening agility practice planned but the soggy ground cancelled both.  Instead, I made a video to send to an evaluator for Fit Dog 2K-9 Ruff Run (Fitness Specialty Title).

 

Our names will also appear on the Canine Conditioning Fitness Titles webpage here in a couple of weeks:

https://domorewithyourdog.com/DogTricks/canine-fitness-program-️‍♀️/fitness-title-holders/ 

Thursday I went to a DAR division luncheon in Jacksonville at the Country Club.  These are the members our our Chatham Chapter called "Captain William Penny Chapter".  They seem like a rather patriotic group.  I just don't care for long meetings.  They did have the women veterans that were present stand to be recognized ~ both of us. 

 The tall lady in the middle is Linda.  She's the one that cracked the case of the missing link in my relation to Patriot  ~ William Sturdevant ~ on my  mother's side.  Thelma is sitting next to me.  She's a charter member.  She said she heard so much about me.  I looked at Linda and said to her "Did you tell her about the prostitution in my family?"  She shook her head no.

 Then I was fortunate to get to go to a Republican Fund Raiser at to Bank of Springfield Convention Center.  Candace Owens was the featured speaker.  Here I am in the waiting area with some friends before being admitted for a one-on-one photo with our guest speaker.  (photo not yet received)

Bill Dragoo, Pat Schad, and myself

Sandy Dragoo

 

Candice Owens and myself

I got to bring home the table centerpiece which was a geranium.  I love those flowers.  One flower will die only to be followed by a succession of flowers.  This one is a white geranium.  I have  a red one.

Saturday and Sunday I took Amber to Wood River for Canine Performance Events (CPE) trials at the Triune Canine Training Center.   I'll never forget the judge's pre-briefing that we should have fun and always remember this could be our last event with our dog.  That was emotional. Our results as follows:

Saturday 5/22/2021:
               FullHouse L2 -  8 Inch - Judge: John Raymond
               Score: 20 (NQ)  Time: 43.40 seconds  2nd Place

               Colors L2 -  8 Inch - Judge: John Raymond
               Distance: 81 yards  SCT: 41 seconds
               Score: 0 (Q)  Time: 20.60 seconds  2nd Place

               Snooker L2 -  8 Inch - Judge: John Raymond
               No Time

               Jackpot L2 -  8 Inch - Judge: John Raymond
               Score: 44 (Q)  Time: 50.09 seconds  1st Place

               Standard L2 -  8 Inch - Judge: John Raymond
               Distance: 120 yards  SCT: 59 seconds
               No Time

    Sunday 5/23/2021:
               Jackpot L3 -  8 Inch - Judge: John Raymond
               Score: 53 (Q)  Time: 41.15 seconds  1st Place

               Standard L2 -  8 Inch - Judge: John Raymond
               Distance: 132 yards  SCT: 61 seconds
               Score: 0 (Q)  Time: 38.74 seconds  1st Place

               Wildcard L2 -  8 Inch - Judge: John Raymond
               Distance: 89 yards  SCT: 41 seconds
               Score: 0 (Q)  Time: 23.10 seconds  1st Place

               Jumpers L2 -  8 Inch - Judge: John Raymond
               Distance: 121 yards  SCT: 51 seconds
               Score: 0 (Q)  Time: 26.14 seconds  1st Place

               Colors L3 -  8 Inch - Judge: John Raymond
               Distance: 85 yards  SCT: 44 seconds
               Score: 0 (Q)  Time: 22.12 seconds  2nd Place

Here she is with her ribbons (green is for a qualifying score and the red and blue for placement in her class).  She looks like a proud lion king.  She blends in with the rock.  The dog training center was next to a car dealer that had a rock  mountain.
 

In observing others in their run, I realize all  the effort in training behind each (and lack sometimes) dog team.  I cringe for them when their dog goes off course.  One  lady with a slower dog, taps her feet (not stomps) like a mini-jog to excite her dog's speed.  We are on a timer and there's a limit.  Another ran her dog in bare feet.  Some of these younger handlers were like athletes and it showed with the dog's performance.

I got home just in time to put Amber over the fence in the back yard and get over to the cathedral downtown for the late Mass. It was Pentecost and I did wear red.  The bishop was presider of the Mass because of 8 adults being confirmed.

Rant:

I went to dog agility practice at the Capitol Canine club (masked per club rules) and only 2 others were there when I arrived but I was asked if I was vaxed and I said no.  Both put on their mask then.  I wonder if lying is now appropriate. I can’t tell anybody they are wrong in this climate.  Just believe in that so called “I tried to tell you”.