IT WAS A GOOD DAY

I did enjoy Cruft’s. It was good to meet people. Gill was very kind and brought a wheelchair for me to use. The halls are very large and the loo is always a trek away so the use of the chair really saved me much pain and fatigue.

I had a chat with Wendy about Barcelona. It is her favourite city, I think she said. She gave me information I needed and spoke of how beautiful the Gaudi architecture is. This is what we want to see. Wendy also pointed out that English is not spoken. I do regret that my Spanish speaking mother did not bring me up bi-lingual.

I didn’t get around any of the trade stands which is probably just as well. I did buy two kitsch pieces from the Midland Lhasa Apso Association stand. Both are Lhasa Apso is shopping bags!

I am going to start offering ‘lots’ of my stash for sale. I really do need to start de stashing seriously again. I will offer branded sock yarns in 500g lots for £20 plus postage. Much cheaper than one can buy them. Regia, Opal, OnLine, Lana Grossa, Trekking etc. However, there will be no pick n mix! Each lot is the lot on sale.

Bridget will be leaving home and going off to be a Hearing Dog. She si just thr right temperament for the job.

WHEN WILL I LEARN?

I entered Cruft’s against my better judgement. I was persuaded my decision and pre-judgement was wrong. It wasn’t and I now know that just as I did long before I entered!

On the bright side, Whitney’s pea in a pod brother won Best of Breed and was in the final cut in the group judging.I was thrilled with his win and hurt my arms thru clapping so hard!

It was surprising that the shared qualities of Whitney and her brother were not apparent to the judge.

It takes a great of grit for me to attend shows and uses up 3 days worth of my allotted spoons, so it really would be to  my benefit to listen to my gut rather than let it be swayed by others.

WHITNEY GETTING GLAMMED UP FOR CRUFT’S

I just had my bath. Now I am dry. Can I go to bed now? oh goody. And so to sleep for my Big Day tomorrow.

FRIENDS INDEED

I arrived at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) by 6 am and was at the benching next to the breed ring by 6.30. I parked myself and my dogs and stuff. In common with the others who had arrived early, I parked at the end of the benches, not in a bench. This is much easier for those of us who find movement more cumbersome.

At about 9am I came back from a visit to the loo, to find my bag and chair, and other belongings thrown out into the middle of the walkway and someone else's stuff put in it's place. I moved that out of the way, put my stuff back , sat down, and proceeded to knit.

Very shortly, an elderly woman was screaming abuse at me. She wanted to be where I was and thought I had no right to be there. Presumably this woman thought she owned the space. I was perplexed, really, because I was astounded that she was being so vicious. really, the venom from her had to be witnessed. This was not just a woman put out, you'd think she was confronting an object of extreme hatred to her. She was soon joined in this attack by another woman and her husband.. I assume one was her child and the other the child's spouse. This is when it really got frightening. They too laid into me with a great deal of venom. This is what I found so shocking, the force of this attack. Like I had at one time caused her family great pain. The man especially became crazily abusive, shouting that I was handbag thief and all sorts. They hemmed me in so I couldn't move, not that I was intending to, and he looked as if he was about to physically attack me. Then he noticed my sticks and thought better of it. Not I am sure because he wouldn't hit a handicapped person but because he was afraid I'd use the sticks on him.

Whilst this was going on, I was taking it in but not feeling a thing. I disassociated. I didn't move, another thing I do, freeze.

Those who know me could see something was wrong because of my face I presume. I was also mentally vague as I was feeling really not present at this point. Anyway, my friends and even those I had only a passing acquaintance with, rallied round and my dogs and stuff were not left alone for the rest of the day.

The dogs were my major concern. Something the woman said, which seemed not to fit her gripe, made me wonder later if all this transpired because of jealousy of my success with Whitney. A photograph of her and me stating her Top Puppy 2008 status and Junior Warrant had appeared in the dog press that day and two weeks previously.

As much as I tried to not let his affect my day, it did. Even now the scene keeps flashing back into my consciousness. You'd think with my experience in life I would not be shocked by people's behaviour. I am. This caused feelings in me that I had felt in childhood. I felt very unsafe and threatened.

However, I am in no doubt that:

1. I did not cause this truly abusive behaviour

2. I did nothing wrong.

By 1.30 pm I was in a great deal of pain and so I went along to the Kennel Club office to ask for an early removal pass. I got that with no trouble. The man who dealt with me, seemed to know me, or at least recognize me and he asked what was wrong other than the pain. How he knew that I don't know. I told him what had happened. He persuaded me to make an official statement about the people who had abused me. He spent some time persuading me because I was loathe do so. As child complaining just meant being ignored, blamed, and more abuse. well I am not a child and these people behaved appallingly. So the KC man wrote out the complaint for me, (I can't write anymore) and I signed it.

Fortunately for me, these people live in Aberdeen, Scotland, so are not going to be at the shows very often.

On the down side, I had not thought to eat at all as when I am stressed like that my appetite goes. It wasn't that I thought to eat and decided against it. I just didn't think to eat. When I got home at 5pm it had been 24 hours since I last ate. Suddenly I was ravenous and I ate the nearest and most available and quickest thing-a sandwich. My gut knows this today.

As for Micah and Whitney both going unplaced, well that's the dog show game. You win and you lose. This does not affect my day at show. I enjoy the day, the company of friends and seeing other dogs. Yesterday I did not enjoy at all but for the reasons already written about.

The NEC does have disabled parking but it is still such a long way from the showing area so by the time one gets there, one is done in. The LKA dog show is also held there. To be frank, I am going to have to give serious thought to showing at this place again.

CRUFT'S

EDIT: the emotional/physical shock was the result of being abused by a trio of people, not because my dogs were not placed! The dogs not being placed has happened before and will happen again. It is all part of the game.

Just a quick note to say I am okay. Very tired, shell shocked by what happened but will write about that tomorrow.

Neither Micah nor Whitney were placed. The judge though was NOT judging faces but dogs. His choices were what he thought and I can live with that. My friend's top winning male went unplaced too. His eventual choice for Best Male and subsequently Best Of Breed is a dog I know, have examined, and like very much. The other big winners were not what I would have chosen.

If all judges agreed about the dogs, there would be no point in having the shows!

I am annoyed with myself for not following what my gut told me days ago-stay at home. I have set myself back physically and the emotional shock I got to day I could have done without. amazing how certian things one never grows out of: I disassociated immediately, and when I got back into myself shook like a leaf for ages. On the positive side. I know for sure now that my gut feeling about this show was accurate.

LESS HASTE MORE SPEED

KNITTING

I did a silly thing. I changed my mind about the length of Patrick when I got to the armhole shaping. Before I shaped the armholes, I knitted some more rows. Simple enough to do. When I came to knit the back, I had forgotten how many rows I had increased the front by. I tried to tell just be looking but I couldn't and the last thing I wanted was to have mismatched shoulders and sides because one piece was shorter than the other. I frogged both pieces and started again. I ether have to start writing my patterns down, or stick to my original plan!

I am almost finished now with the Blue Faced Leicester / Nylon socks. I have made a start on a lovely new yarn from Wendy called Happy. It is 75% Bamboo and 25% Nylon. Feels very nice. it is red and blue and is knitting up as wide stripes. It feels very nice indeed.

The Sweet Feet socks are still on the needles and I am only half way thought the foot of one of them.

I think that for tomorrow, I shall take my Aran and not any sock knitting. This will ensure that I work on it. I am past the first armhole decreases and am no shaping the raglan of the back piece. The front is completed. I shall then make a start on the sleeves which will not have the front panel on them so will be much easier on my hands and thus a faster knit.

SWIMMING

I have been swimming everyday Sunday to today. Cutting back on the amount I do has made a big difference I think. Only yesterday did I decide to swim further and today I had to swim less. I think there is a connection. I have been less fatigued. I wish I could say I have been in less pain but alas I cannot. My hips are especially sore and now even swimming hurts. Prior to this last few months, swimming has always been my relief. I think this is the longest flare I have experienced. A flare is when the intensity of the pain and the fatigue increases considerably before it settles down to a dull roar again. I am still waiting.

They are refurbishing the showers so are allowing people to use the disabled facilities (they are always dispensable). Well, I am waiting to get into the room to my clothes, and watch this man showering. No not for a thrill. I couldn't believe what he was doing. He lifted each leg alternately onto the sitting bench and proceed to wash and shower them. EVERY area of this room, including the support bars etc, were soaked. I had nothing to support myself with and no where to sit down in order to dress. I felt like asking this pratt to come and hold me up whilst I dried and got dressed. Honestly, people' stupidity and self centeredness still manages to surprise me.

TESCO'S

Whenever we have been to the local brand new, huge store, I have parked in a convenient spot, knowing it is not a designated parking bay. I did so as a protest because Tesco have so far refused to have proper supervised parking and fines for those who use the disabled bays when not entitled to, like the other major stores do.
Yesterday, I was told that now they are indeed turning it into a supervised car park with the power to move vehicles and fine drivers. Not before time either. It is a shame though that here in the UK we have to do this because our population is so moronic. Doesn't happen on mainland Europe, at least not the countries I go to. Not only that, they understand that we have no choice but use our cars and thus we are not charged for parking. Here in the UK we are and most of the time not even provided with the facilities anyway.

I met a man while out yesterday who, like me, is a wheelchair user. He finds the exact problems as I do and we both agreed that other people give us far more pain and grief than our respective diseases do!

CRUFT'S

Micah and Whitney are both bathed and dried and ready for tomorrow. I have collected my frock coat from the dry cleaners. The rest of my clothes are ready. I shall be in bed by 6pm and up at 2am ready to leave at 4am. Hopefully I shall be at the NEC by 6am.

CRUFT'S OUTFIT 06/03/09

WATCH YOUR BACK

I have a service to take on the 15th of March. This is a new church so I called the medium's secretary just to check that I had the details correct in my book. A man answered the phone and I asked to speak to ******* please. His rely was 'no you can't, she died.' I was very tempted to reply 'I could give it a go' but I resisted.

I have broken my no sock yarn buying fast. Not bad. It's been six months since I last bought any. I have bought about 12 hanks.

There are also two new pairs of DM's on their way in Scarlet and Royal Blue.

CRUFT'S

It might well be an event to be remembered this year. First of all the BBC are not filming it for the first t time in 40 years. Too long a story to go into but it seems the animal rights liars are behind it all. They, the animal rights lot, are planning a demonstration of some sort too.

I may not be going but for entirely different reasons. It looks as if Whitney is coming into season and this means she will be ripe on the day of Cruft's which will make it somewhat difficult a sit may well affect her behaviour and will surely affect Micah's behaviour also. Time will tell. I'll decide the day before.

Anyone who treats people with such malice in the name of compassion for animals is a liar and is acting out from a far more personal agenda. They be far better off dealing with their inner turmoil instead of acting out in this way. Compassion, I think, is fake if it does not encompass all.

They display a certain ignorance about dogs, abotu pure bred dogs, and about breeding practices. They clearly don't know about how nature handles breeding, how packs of animals in the wild are all closely related etc.

Their ultimate aim is to ban all companion animals: that is no cats, dogs, or any form of pet. They also want us all to be vegan.(The vociferous anti Atkins Diet commenter were so called animal rights activists. I assume they would prefer I die than eat the diet I must in order to live and live well) The mind set of these people is no different to the mind set of all other fundamentalists. They want to control us.

That is not to say that their is cruelty heaped upon animals, of coruse there is, and some of it by so called dog lovers who also breed and show. We need to stop it. Tarring us all with the same brush will not work.

The RSPCA need to stick to dealing with this, cruelty and rescue. I stopped donating to them many years ago when they wasted millions on a campaign to have the dog licence, which most of us did not have, retained! A dog licence will not mean the owner is fit to care for a dog and is a waste of money. The RSPCA need to stay of politics and do what it's remit was originally about-stop cruelty to animal NOT wage a war against people such as myself. I was sent a missive from a 'concerned' twat,(who was bewildered that I was not charmingly grateful to her) written by Dr Jane Goodall regarding the horrors of pedigree dogs. Considering that woman is a scientist, I was horrified to read this article and all it's errors re pedigree dogs, and most especially because under my breed, the Lhasa Apso, she couldn't even get the correct photograph of the breed, instead using another breed's picture!

FEAR is really gaining a foothold in our world. I do believe it is this fear that is behind the modern day obsession people have with wanting to control every aspect of the lives of others. (note: not theirs, yours and mine, because they of course know better. they are right and wouldn't even consider that they were not.) I tell you, the trouble in this world is caused by those who believe they are absolutely correct in their judgement and because of this belief in their own infallibility it is very very difficult to stand up to them and show them their fallibility. It is like bashing one's head against a brick wall. But fight them we must. There is too much darkness already in this world and if we allow the self righteous to hold sway, we will be swamped. Nothing will grow in the dark and we all wither and die.

SWIMMING

My swim went very well. I think I am going to cut back to Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday and see how that goes.

Cruft's

Me showing Micah.



Karen from Denmark.
Linda from Hartlepool.
Debbie from Hartlepool.
Elaine and hubby from Chester.

Wonderful Day Times Two

My friends arrived at 9am. We had a good day just catching up. In bed by 7.30pm.

Our day started at 2am. We got up and did what we had to do with the dogs and ourselves. We left by 4am and were at the N.E.C. by 5.30am. We unloaded the car, put the dogs in the show trolley and all our stuff, and made the long trek from the Disabled Car Park to our hall. In typical British fashion, we could not go in by the normal route and we had to struggle another few hundred yards to the entrance they decided we must use. Still, we were at Cruft's so we just got on with it.

We got in, set up and sat down to gather ourselves again, drinking coffee and looking around.

We were very surprised and pleased to find that our friends, Laurent and Francois from France and Frauke from Germany were also there. This on top of seeing my other friends was a real bonus.

Time to show. Now I fully expected to not do well here and was just there because of Karen and Gitte from Denmark staying with me. I could hardly not go!

I went into my first class with Micah. There were 20 of us. She pulled me out along with others and when I looked down the line I realised that she had only pulled out 5 so Micah was at least going to be placed. Much to my surprise and pleasure, she placed Micah 2nd.

My next class was with Shameless. Now Shameless is a little tall for my liking and by this time I realised that the judge preferred smaller too. However, Shameless is a real show off, loves to move around the ring, eyeing the crowd and posing. She is also well made. Anyway, the judge gave her 5th, with the 4 in front all being shorter in height.

I was very pleased to say the least with my dogs' placings.

The breeder of Micah's father won Best Bitch with her girl and this made her a Champion. She burst into tears. I, along with others, was very pleased for her.

The following day, Friday, John and I took Karne and Gitte into Peterborough for shopping. Shopping is always good fun though Karen and Gitte were appalled by the poor service we received everywhere but Cafe Nero, who provide very good service. I had previously told Karen how awful service in this country was and now she knows I was not exaggerating. Even John Lewis was appalling.

Of course all this has left me exhausted and sore but it was all in a good cause.

The trouble I have with my ribcage at night is back with a vengeance, four nights in a row now. I found a solution last night which may work again: I got up and sorted the pillows out and added the v -s shaped pillow, so that I was lying with my top half propped up. This stopped the pain immediately and I was able to get more sleep.

My next dog show will be in April and then they are every month thru till November.

Better Day

Well, my fiends showed up at 9am and caught me by surprise. We are all done now, dogs bathed and groomed. We have done the shopping we needed to. Are relaxing now and will eat soon. Then off to bed by 7.30pm as we are up at 2am. Hopefully we shall arrive at the NEC by 5.45am.

Not A Good Start......

Okay, so it's just as well no one is around here yet. I awoke with the hump. I had a bad night pain wise. Yes those spasms the new drug is supposed to stop.

The house smells lovely as I have a chicken casserole in the slow cooker (crockpot) going since before I went to bed and it will stay there until we eat later.

I am about to start bathing Micah and Shameless. Hopefully, I'll be in better mood shortly! I am sure I will when be by the time my friends get here. I have not seen Karen since we were at her house back in August 06. I feel really comfortable with her and her husband Kim. There house feels like home. I usually go to the loo as soon as I get there because I have relaxed enough to be able to! Yes, it's a running joke-I don't poo away from home so do so at their house is a compliment!

I had another dental appointment yesterday and the the woman who dealt with me was really very nice. It was one of those fortuitous moments. She is training to be a therapist and was talking about how she was learning about the effects of abuse....coincidence you think?

The sun is very bright, it is a beautiful day, it is very cold. Just the sort of day I like. I hate in between days, neither hot not cold because it usually means it is dull and rainy.

Well, get a coffee and get a dog wet....see you after Cruft's. Ick help!

EDIT: KAYONI, I ACCIDENTLY DETLETED YOUR COMMENT WHEN DELETING SPAM.PLEASE LEAVE AGAIN IF YOU WISH TO.

Listening To My Body Talk

I think I am figuring it out. I awoke at 6am in order to get ready to go to the pool. I felt as if a truck had hit me. I knew it would not be laziness if I went back to bed and decided not to swim. That is precisely what I did. What I thought was another 10 minutes napping was in fact an hour and a half.

Now that I am up and have fed the three puppies, I know I made the right choice. I am aching all over. Today, I have two dogs to bath and the two who are going to Cruft's get done tomorrow. My friends arrive tomorrow.

I won't now be able to attend the pool until Saturday. It appears though that three days on and 1 off is the way to go. At least it seems I have figured that out. Better than pushing myself until I am useless.