Brrr

Well yesterday at the dog show it was COLD! It did me no favours at all. It was windy too. So my legs became painful and it was rather difficult.

I got a 3rd with Micah and a 4th with Whitney in large classes (9 and 11). As I know dog people read this blog, I can't be as forthcoming as I usually am. Meaning I can't say what I would want to say about judging and what goes on at the shows. I can't write about judges who don't know the breed or judges who place dogs according to who is holding the lead, or about judges who diagnose defects without benefit of x-rays and knowledge, or judges who only give high awards to their friends, or how certain dogs become Champions just because 3 friends gave them the required award.No I cannot write about these things at all. I can write though that mostly what happens is above board. When it isn't, it is obvious and one crosses those judges off one's list. I do wonder if those who judge the wrong end of the lead realise they are being watched by people who KNOW? Or are they so arrogant as to think we are all stupid?

I have sold what I want to sell of the puppies. (They have not left yet - too young.) I have also found a very good home for Lui, I think. I am disappointed to be letting Lui go but he will much happier to be just a house dog. He HATES to show. Despite all his good physical attributes, I decided against breeding from him as I do not want to pass his temper on. You can bet your life that he will sire an excellent puppy that will also not like to show! Temper is so important. It is number one. Most puppies go to pet homes and they need to be sound and stable.Too many people ignore this. Obviously there is nothing about Lui that one would describe as bad tempered, he only doesn't like the crowds and showing. I have seen dogs though at shows who are scared, who are aggressive, who do not have the 'gay' character that Apso are supposed to have. They are also assertive and 'chary(wary) of strangers. Too many people use assertive to excuse aggression and chary to excuse nervousness. A dog that will not show, that continually drops his tail is not 'gay and assertive'. Nor is a dog that refuses to be handled or touched by the judge.

Again, I have not gone swimming today. Feel too weak and sore. Mainly weak. I seem to be going thru a fatigue and weak phase rather than a bad pain phase. Trouble is for pain I can take drugs. For this, I can do nothing.It is more than irksome! Even my fingers feel heavy.

I have been having some very odd dreams recently. I am one of these people with a vivid dream life. I dream nightly and recall them. I know everyone dreams but many don't recall them. I do. In technicolour too.

The night before last I dreamt I was in some sort of Jane Austen period drama. I was having bad stomach cramps and the two women in the dream were asking me what was wrong,I was unable to tell them because everytime I tried, I burst out laughing. I was trying to tell them I was not ill but in labour!!!! Now I have dreamt of being in labour once before and I could feel these painful contractions. I awoke thinking this was very odd when I had the contractions again! Turned out I had food poisoning and this was the beginning of a 10 day illness. I couldn't stop throwing up. Anyway, this time I am not ill though I wonder if I was having cramps from the IBS.

I also have dreams that herald change in my life. I am mostly not aware they mean this until the change occurs. For instance, last year's grief was indeed heralded by a very clear and to the point dream. I missed it's meaning, but I guess I wanted to.

I have also had dreams that come true. For some reason I dreamt of the Russian nuclear sub that sank years ago. I dreamed it before it appeared on the news. One of the most vivid dreams, and scary, I have had was I awoke from sleep and was in the kitchen of my flat, making coffee when I saw a mushroom cloud rise into the air. I was terrified. I calmed down when I realised that the bomb had gone off in Iran, not London. Given the present situation, this dream is often on my mind now and I dreamt it in the 80's.

Oh and guess what? Today is cold, wet and grey. Just for a change. Global warming anyone?