Kind of Blue

Born under a bad sign
I been down since I begin to crawl
If it wasn't for bad luck,
I wouldn't have no luck at all

Left Friday for Rosenberg. Why did I listen to the Cream CD on the way there?

This will be Woody's last show. He's been slowing down and I just felt we should stop competing so I can focus on Shane. I wanted to finish Woody's ExAP title before we quit and needed just one leg each. With Woody's chute troubles and barely making time, I had little hope.

Saturday started off badly. Woody threw up his breakfast in the back seat and Shane ate the entire thing. Gross. Now Shane had a belly full of two meals. I tried to clean up what was left and crossed my fingers that the car wouldn't stink. Puke on the leashes. Gross.

Shane's first run was Nov FAST. I was hopeful because he does well with distance. I was off my game though and we went over time losing a bunch of points. Also Shane jumped off all the contacts so we didn't get those points.

Next was Shane's Nov STD run. Jumped off all the contacts. Ran past the table, and I got lost. Talk about a FUBAR. Shane's Open JWW run was just as bad. It was so hard and we hadn't practiced anything like it before so I wasn't sure where to be to get him to do some moves. His weaves are just fantastic though.

Woody's Ex jumpers run was good, but we were 1.43 seconds over time. I was just devastated. Later, I checked the score sheets and he qualified! 1 second over time. 97 points. Must be some ExA rules or something, but whatever! He got his AJP title! And being the only dog in the class, got a blue ribbon as well. In his STD run, he did his chute thing again. How embarrassing. I could see his head rubbing on the fabric inside the chute. The chute straightener jumped up to rescue him, but I just opened the thing myself. I had to yell to snap him out of his trance and then he stood up and shook his head. Brother. What a mess. I totally suck at this.

Car stinks from puke. Removed the car seat cover and stuffed it in the back. We went back to the hotel. I opened a bottle of wine and tried to figure out all the closing dates of the trials I had entered so I could cancel out of them. A trusted advisor told me to stop doing agility for awhile and now I totally agree with her. Shane and I are going to do obedience and I'm going to focus on his contacts. Kind of Blue indeed.

Boys woke me up around 2 am to pee. Pouring down rain. Sorry boys. Back to bed. CRACK. A thunderstorm woke us up again. Woody is going nuts. Squirted Rescue Remedy in his mouth and tried to sleep. Prospects for Sunday are looking low. Not much sleep. Woody won't eat. No one has pooped.

Drove to the show in the pouring rain. Luckily, there was undercover parking so we didn't get drenched. Unfortunately, the storm blew in the rain and our gear was soaked. My chair, the crate pads, the crate cover. What a freakin mess. Won't set up in this spot again. Mud everywhere. Walked the boys and they are now a mess. Still no poop.

First run of the day was Woody's Ex Std. Shane was due to run in Open JWW at the same time. Walked both courses. Hope to remember them both. Told the Gate that Shane had a conflict and then forgot about it all. Woody was pretty worked up being wet and muddy and hungry. Teased him with some cooked chicken. First obstacle is the chute. Told the Gate that if he did his antics, we were outa there. Shoved him in the chute and started yelling for him to come out AND HE DID! On we go. Woody was fantastic. His old self and we sailed through the course. His last STD run and it was glorious. Well under time. What a great little dog. That was his AXP title, and now we are done. Blue ribbon again.

Sorry Woody, back in the crate, which I hate to do right after a run. Grabbed Shane and off to Open JWW. We were moved to the last dog in the class. Forgot a cross and got a refusal, but on we go. Great run, his weaves are fantastic, but we knocked the last bar. My fault. I suck.

Thought about pulling Woody from JWW, but what the heck, let's do it anyway, just for fun. Talked to the woman in front of me waiting and her dog is almost 12. I just can't see running Woody for another year. Yet, he had another perfect run and a blue ribbon. Best to end on a high note. Three qualifying runs in one weekend! Woody is such a trooper. Maybe I don't suck as badly as I thought.

OK. Let's try this again. Walked Shane up and down the road behind the barn trying to wear him out. Finally pooped. Gave him Rescue Remedy. Please calm down little boy. Off to our Nov STD run. Got the teeter! Got the A frame! 2 refusals somewhere. Can't remember. Last three obstacles are the tunnel, dog walk, and a jump. He came out of that tunnel on to the dog walk like a rocket. Can't get up there! SPOT. WAIT. WAIT. WAIT. WAIT. I was screaming. He leaps off and heads for the last jump. Drat! I have to trust that he'll get onto the thing and just run like hell to get up to the end. I waited too long and couldn't catch up. 25 seconds under course time.

Waiting around for Nov Fast. Why do I do this to myself? I should bail and just go home. Frank has made dinner and I'm hungry. Figured out how to do the course without any contact obstacles. Maybe we have a shot. Off we go. Shane took a few jumps I hadn't planned, but what the heck. BONUS! Tried the teeter. Flew off. Whatever. Last couple jumps are high points. We made it! 1st place and his title!

OK. Three titles in one weekend. OK. Maybe I don't suck all that badly, but I am vowing to work on Shane's contacts every day. He doesn't fly off the teeter at home. Another trusted advisor told me to enter a NADAC show so I can train in the ring. Darn. Now I have to end my personal boycott of NADAC. Very good advice though. I'll enter one on Monday. So my Kind of Blue weekend ended with 4 blue ribbons. Spirits are lifted. Not so blue anymore. Woody is now retired, but we'll play in the backyard every day. He's been a great agility dog and I've loved every minute of it. We had a very rough start in Phoenix, but we hit our stride in Florida. I'll never forget when a handler came up to me and said "I can't believe that we beat Woody." At the time, I'm like "What bitch?", but now I feel pride. You are the best Woody!

Elwood Blues II (Woody) MX AXP MXJ AJP AD SSA AJ AS AR

Kind of Blue
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