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.
 

My Week

 This week has been nice between early frost and what's to come next week.

Wednesday I took Amber to practice agility twice in the same day.  In the morning with Lisa out in Mechanicsburg and in the evening with Deb in Rochester.   A group of us had lunch in Mechanicsburg at Abe's Hideout.  By coincidence we all seemed to have a taco salad.  I just hat "the works" which included a few jalapenos.  In the evening, Deb gave me an overview of the "barn hunt" and she has the whole set up including the hay and the rat tubes.   Friday evening I was the only person to show up for "ring ready obedience" practice.  I guess all the others had something else to do.  In fact I almost didn't want to go but Amber needs every little bit of training I can get out of her since she still wanders off. I did walk her around in the hall for a little bit in hopes that others might show but when it was evident I was the only one, I figure I should leave and let our guide go home too. 

Friday I stopped to help Don change his flag in front of his house.  The recent wind had pretty much destroyed the one he had and wanted it to be nice for upcoming Veterans Day.  Don cannot do it himself with the handicapped hands that will open and contract.   I took his old worn flag to the American Legion flag drop off box for proper disposal. 

I went to bed early Friday night since I had to get up at 4AM and leave at 5AM for Grays Summit, MO at Purina Farms.  After I got off the freeway on the side road to Purina Farms, a buck crossed pretty close in front of me.  We were well screened for covid before the gate would open for us.  Amber got her "Barn Hunt Instinct" certification.  Trouble is, Amber sniffs the tube with the rat but she is not distinctly indicating the correct tube to me, her handler, for the call to the judge.  She leaves me guessing a little when I yell "rat" to the judge as she goes checking out the rest of the ring for who knows whatever.  She needs immediate praise before she quickly moves on to other interesting scents.  It's a fast transition.

I failed our first novice.  I only enrolled in the instinct and one novice.  I guess I'm not alone on the fail list.  Seems the large dogs had more qualifiers.  I wish I had signed up for two tries on this one.  There are so few barn hunt events available within driving range and even this one was a 2 hour drive.

This is the layout of the Barn hunt.  There were 2 rings in the big tent and competitors waited in the "blinds" till it was their turn.  Those porta potties were sanitized by volunteers after every use.

Here you can see the flow chart of how far we have to go.  All of the others need more than one trial.

For the novice test, the judge never said congratulations (or fail for that matter) so I left the gate in doubt.  I really didn't know we failed until I saw the result sheet.  As I pulled the tube out of the straw, the rat wrangler took it quickly from me so maybe it was empty since there was no opportunity for praise or maybe I wasn't supposed to touch it. I don't even know if there was a rat in it now that I look back at it.   She did the tunnel first.  Easy for Amber.  The judge told me Amber didn't climb the bail so I had her do it but I guess it was off the clock and didn't count. Amber sniffs so much and keeps moving on before I can praise fast enough and claim rat at the same time.  I regret not registering up for a second novice trial (I was called for trial 2 but I told them I didn't register for it and wondered if I could still do it but was told it was closed).   After learning corrections regarding praise and climb maybe we could have done better.  When I signed up I wanted to know if this is a path we should take.  I also kept thinking of rally events that took all day (novice being last to trial) and barn hunt was over at 10am.
I think Amber likes barn hunt.  It's in her genes. She's keeping her nose language/secrets to herself and not telling me.  Barn hunt makes a lot more sense than nose work.  Seems like nose work is replacing the natural hunting instinct.  There are many opportunities for nose work.  I'm in the second class at Pawsitive Training Zone that started first week of July and classes have had many postponements.  It will be 4 months of dropping treats in a box and it's boring. Ule is in our second class and his dog, Jivy, has already been to a nosework trial.  I looked at him in class and asked "why are you here?".  I was told that nose work would focus Amber's sniffing toward scents rather than sniffing during agility. 
Alas, I don't think we will have an opportunity in 2021.  There are few barn hunts in distance range according to the website.  Based on lack of events, I realize this was probably a one and only experiment.  
Since I'm not sure what we are good at, I've been trying many various venues to find our proper talent route.

On the way home it was mid-day and I've always wanted to stop at the "Pink Elephant Antique" mall.   This place has all those big road-side figures from the good ol' days.   Since it was mid-day I stopped to look around and had a Philly steak n cheese at the diner. 

Arriving home I couldn't help but notice that my tree had nearly finished dropping leaves all over the lawn.  This is especially important because leaves like to swirl in the corner and get tracked into the house.  I walked the dogs first.  I didn't have much gas for the mower so the first order of business was to fill my tank after the drive and get some for the mower.   My mower fought the start after being idle for awhile and the constant stopping every other row to empty the bagger made me wonder if I'd finish before the job was done.  But it did and afterward I used the air compressor to blow away the remnants from getting tracked into the house.   I took a shower and saved the water in the tub to give Amber a bath too.  I was so tired I went to bed at 7PM.

Sunday morning I got up early and walked the dogs before sunrise.  I went to Mass.  Sean brought his dog over and today it was very clear that Amber was attacking Moe.  She wants to fight a pit bull.  Not a very good idea.  I got mad at her and put her in the kennel for time out.  When Moe walked by the kennel, Amber got snappy.  So I went to plan B: tethered together to force them to get along.

You can see Amber looking forlornly at me.  Every time Moe got up, Amber was dragged along.  They were together for nearly 2 hours.  I made her do some "sits" for treats and they both got treats while together.  Amber got a bit nippy when I handed her the treat because she didn't want the closeness of Moe to steal it (something she has often done to Sophie but now she's getting a taste of her own medicine).  So as I handed it to her, I gradually let go of the treat so she had to take it more gently before I release it.  Before Sean left, we both walked around the block: Sean with Moe and I with Amber.  It was the most gentle walk I've ever had with Amber.  She didn't pull or overly stop and sniff.  I can't wait till we do this again.

 Monday I had a one hour massage from Rebecca.  She's giving veterans discounts in the month of November.  I will say this, I never had a bad massage but this was absolutely the best.  I had asked for deep tissue massage on shoulders and thighs where the sciatic nerve needs loosened.  She did something different with my hips by putting my foot on her shoulder and twisting the other leg over for a little hip loosening.  It was interesting.  Afterward I got to meet her 2 little dogs that were in the other room.  They know she's working because she wears scrubs.

 Here's a lesson on the electoral college.   This is the map of a blue state's electoral votes.

source:  https://www.bing.com/search?form=MOZTSB&pc=MOZI&q=illinois+presidential+election+2020
 

My Week

The wind is going to finish taking down the leaves this week.  It was so fierce that my garage door slammed and knocked something off a shelf.  What leaves are still hanging will fall from the weight of the frost.

 Tuesday I went to Decatur with Amber we played three agility games and Amber got a first place in a game called "Black Hole".   Basically grab points for jumps and obstacles but not the tunnel (black hole).  I was elated that we passed but then we all got a Q.  Then again, it's nothing to brag about because all the dogs did that (Q)

 This was Black Jack and I was supposed to hit on on 21 but I can't count the credit points for jumps vs the tire very well and went over 21.

During the summer, I leave my floors with a bare tile.  I roll up the throw rugs and put them behind the couch.  This week, I put it out again in the living room.

Wednesday I  dropped off my voting ballot at the Sangamon County courthouse.  There was a couple dressed for a wedding at the opposite counter.  I ended up paying $1.25 to park.  Later I went to  agility practice in Rochester with Deb. She gave me a tip for Amber's zoomie and that is to walk in her range with head down then stand still and Amber will come to me face to face. Then reward her.  It seemed to work in her barn.  I was afraid it would be cold but at 6PM it was 50 degrees but the morning was much cooler. 

Thursday morning  we wore black and orange for our cycle ride.

Made friends with the mascot.

Friday I dressed up at the gym as well. One lady thought I was a witch but I'm the plague doctor.  https://plaguedoctormasks.com/history/

This is the official Halloween Plague Doctor costume 2020.  It's one thing to dress for exercise but another to go full length with lantern.  Did you know, plague doctors stuffed their masks with flowers and herbs to mask the smells of sick and death?   They appeared in towns looking like ducks, hence, the reason we call a doctor that can't cure us..........a QUACK!

Friday I took Amber to our "ring ready obedience" practice.  We all dressed our dogs in costumes.  Amber hardly moved as a protest to her costume but she did move sometimes. 

On Halloween I took my dogs to a pet parade at Scoup Dujour.  These were some photos taken at the event.  They got a doggie cookie.

Sophie as Little Red riding hood. 

I expected a lot of leftovers since I only had about 4 takers.  Partly because there's not much activity on a cul-de-sac.  Others have said they had more trick or treaters than previous years.   I will admit that the decorations and costumes I've seen were much better.

I tried to draw them in with my lanterns along the driveway being close to the corner.  My porch light wasn't enough.

Covid-19 positive numbers are having a fall increase and the governor wants restaurants to close this coming week. I stocked up on supplies. There is no incentive or enforcement and many can't survive another closure like in spring.  Support these restaurants.

I've enrolled Amber in a Barn Hunt in Missouri on Nov 7.  I noticed that she should be a natural at finding a rat.   It's a 2 hour drive.  I will get a briefing locally about it on Wednesday before agility.