Counting Down

Getting very excited about the National coming up in a little more than a week.  I guess we leave for St. Louis in about 10 days.  In honor of the coming event, I thought I'd post a few pics here from prior years' gatherings.  Unfortunately, I apparently took very few photos at most of the preceding events and don't have access to the husband's camera (or hard drive) just at the mo, so I'll have to make do with what's on my own computer.  Note to self: take more photos this year!!

First, one of my all-time favorites:

Watson (l) and Wooster (r) with the "Duke of Newcastle," who lugged his period costume (fresh from Crufts!) all the way from England and did photo ops with the dogs as a fundraiser for the Clumber Spaniel Health Foundation!

Above, Wooster & I take a picture after placing in the Veterans' class.  You can just barely see the Delaware River in the background.  We showed in sweeps & classes for the National and classes for the regional that followed.  We weren't exactly the star attraction, but it didn't matter-- it was just great being in the righ with my Woo-man for the first time ever!  I am looking forward to showing again this year!

Terrible photo - great memories!  This was taken as we took Kipper (1993-2006) on his "victory lap" in the CSCA's Rescue & Placement Parade.  This was the 2nd time he made an appearance in the R&P Parade, the first time being in 2003, before we even joined CSCA.

Kipper with his friend June.  June does instinct (a/k/a "birdiness" testing every year at the National.  She comes all the way from Wales to do this!  In 2005, when Kipper was about 12 (we only got him at age 8 or so), she tested him.  He was "off the charts" (in my unbiased opinion).  Afterwards, he followed June all the way off the field, pouncing on her bird bag the whole way!!

Hopefully, you've enjoyed this little mini-retrospective.  Stay tuned for more National-themed photos after the event!

The Pitter-Patter of Little Paws

No, don't get excited. I do, in fact, mean little paws - four of them - not feet. As in, "When you don't crate the puppy, you spend the entire night listening to the pitter-patter of little paws."



It has become apparent that Gibson does not dig his crate, especially not for sleeping purposes, which is extremely detrimental to my own ability to sleep through the night. So Monday night we made the final leap in puppy-proofing the bedroom-- thereby exposing our own shortcomings in keeping the laundry current-- and let Gibson have the run of the bedroom, along with Watson, overnight.


So far, so good from my perspective. Turns out that even if I wake up a couple of times an hour to a 40-pound puppy vaulting over me to get back onto the bed, I am still happier in the morning than if I wake repeatedly to whining and yapping. There's just something about that noise.


Still, I'm not sure Watson would call the experiment a success. He vacated the bed in short order once he realized Gibson would be allowed to stay. Seems as though he preferred the noise.