Not much happening

We're hitting a lull this summer. I don't do well in the heat, so I haven't been very motivated to work Jane. With as cranky as I get in the summer, and our recent come-to-Jesus sessions, I haven't really wanted to go there. I am making her more accountable than ever (really!) around the house and out running for listening to me and doing what I tell her.

I took the afternoon off work to go work her, but it was just too hot, so we bagged it and came home to make green chile enchiladas. . .not really a great choice for a hot afternoon. . .but they were good.

I'm making my fall plans. Going to Soldier Hollow to watch for a couple days.



Did you know that it's all the rage today to post this clip? It is! I've seen it everywhere. Nice music!

"They" are making a movie about some of the top handlers and their prep for Soldier Hollow this year. Filmmakers. The movie is called Away To Me. Those are Jane's very favorite words that I sometimes say to her. I usually only get "Awaa" out and she's gone and out of distance where she can hear me. Her favorite partial word.

In mid-October, I'm going to Dayton, NV so that I may travel to Yearington, NV to take lessons from Pearl's breeder. Then in late October, I'm traveling to Idaho to attend the famous, infamous and very popular Sheep Camp.

I hope that the winter weather will cooperate and let me attend the winter Idaho trials. . .and allow me a Christmas trip to Michigan.

See??? This summer heat forces me indoors to dream to cold, crisp fall days, gray skies, snow, wind and ice. My Carhartt bibs stand at the ready!

December. It was a happier time!

And I don't even live in the parts of the country that had the horrible heat wave this summer. I just had normal, regular, SHORTER THAN USUAL Nevada summer.

Downtown Reno. July, 2011

We went downtown yesterday to see some Artown stuff and do the wine walk. The river is running fast and high.

Some really cool pieces in the NadaDada show.

West Street Market has looked like it's dying, but rumor has it two high end restaurants are moving in soon. I love the bike rack.

Roller Derby seems like a perfect fit for Reno!


At the wine walk, participating merchants decorate wine glasses.

I don't know if you can tell from the picture, mine had stones and feathers. Chris went for the googly eyes.

It was a beautiful day! I miss some of those characters you only meet downtown. Sortof. Now that I work in the old money part of Reno, I don't see those folks. But, I kind of like my rich ladies. . .they tend to smell better.

Got My Run On

A little later than usual, Jane and I loaded up and made the quick drive over to the Marina for our thrice weekly run. I should probably run in different places, but I like the Marina and it's pretty flat. Hills are too mentally challenging for me at this stage of the game.


In our Couch To 5K program, we are at Week 6, Day 2. (The royal we: my good dog Jane and me.) Today was a five minute warm up walk, ten minute jog, three minute walk, ten minute jog, and a five minute cool down walk. It went well, though I walked a few steps here and there. I know that is also a mental thing for me, because I wasn't terribly winded or gasping for breath like I sometimes am, and I didn't feel fatigued until the very end of the last run. Today, however, I did feel sore when I got out of the car at home. . .something I haven't felt since week two.

With the help of a friend who is a trainer/nutritionist, I'm changing my pre- and post-run eating/drinking/supplement habits. Looking forward to seeing some changes with that.

Three weeks till my first 5K! I'm really looking forward to it!

Friday

Therapy

I abandoned my pity party of last week and headed to Idaho with my two good dogs. (I left two good dogs home, too!) It was a bit of an unusual weekend in Caldwell, in that many of the "Idaho gals" were off at a trial. DD's kids were out of town, so I had a huge morning Saturday of private lessons. It was very intense for Jane and Pearl. Friday night, DD and I had a long talk about my "issues" and concerns about where Jane and I are and what's happening. We had some DD winecoolers (Fresca and Chardonnay -- quite tasty!).

Saturday morning we got up, had coffee, fed dogs, I went for a run along the ditch bank with Jane, and DD hit the treadmill. Our friend PS was braver and stronger and was out doing a half marathon. I think the "runners" call it a "half." Whatever you want to call it, color me impressed!

After the morning running, the texts started zinging in. DD was getting texts from everyone at the Athena trial. I was getting texts from MM on the progress of her trip and her roadkill count. We worked dogs.

Pearl was the main focus of the weekend. She is nine months old and has seen sheep a handful of times. She is extremely keen, shows some style and moderate eye. But, she's also a puppy and is just plain crazy for the sheep. She worked several times, improving her thoughtfulness each time. I'll plan to take her back once or twice before leaving her with DD for a few months training in October. I'm pretty excited about what I see in her. She's going to be fun!

With Jane, we worked in a small space to reinforce that she has to listen to me no matter what, and she has to figure out for herself when to stop and how to nicely get up and walk onto her stock. She got some time out in the bigger pasture, but she had a lot of work in the small yard, and learned (I hope) how to deal with the pressure and know that she will live, even if she is in trouble and there are fences.

Saturday night was a great dinner party with friends and family. Good music, conversation, friends, wine. Even a little roping. I won't post those pictures. Somethings don't belong on a blog!

Sunday morning, we worked the dogs again and then it was time for Jane, Pearl and me to head home. I don't know about Jane and Pearl, but I had a lot to think about on that long drive. I have some changes to make in how I handle my dogs and already, I'm seeing an improvement. I need to raise the bar of my expectations in a very big way. With Pearl, I'm not to really do anything with her, other than work on some manners things. With Jane, I have a lot of work. I got called on the carpet about some of the things I do that sabotage us. It was good. Stuff I kinda knew, but nobody ever said anything to me about.

On that long drive home, I thought about what I had heard/learned over the two days as I dodged pieces of tire all the way. These are good people and I'm honored to be traveling and studying with them. And, I have so much to learn!

Also, saw a bi-plane crop duster at work. Cool. Hope I won't die because of whatever he was dumping!

Taking Off For The Weekend

It will be good to get out of town this weekend. Heading up to Idaho, of course! I was having a little pity party yesterday morning and almost canceled my trip and sent my puppy on without me for a couple lessons.

Through the late spring and into this summer, I have been pretty disappointed in the lack of progress and even regression that Jane and I are experienc i bbbbv g bb (Pearl was helping me type!) experiencing. We just aren't where we were back in March. I really had hoped to be trialing in Novice this summer and ready for P/N in the fall. It's not happening.

So, yesterday I thought I'd avoid my problems, and not go show off to my coach how bad we are! As I thought about it all day, I realized that taking it to my coach is exactly what I need to do. I need a little pep talk and some direction.

I also realized that one of the things I like best about my Idaho friends is how they just take you for what you are. And for the most part they like you the way you are. It'll do me good to go spend some time with them. A little sheepdoggin', some food, red wine, lots of laughing and maybe even a little running.

See you next week!

Cowshit.