Thursday, December 31, 2009

That Time Of Year

For reminiscing? Resolutions? Parties?

Nope.

Inventory.

Kate always ready to be helpful
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Count ‘em. One Ball comma Tennis
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Good, right?
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Yup, one ball
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Bella tries to be helpful in her own totally unhelpful way
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That involves the canine law relative space:

Anything on the floor is open season.

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Whaa? Was unpacking.
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Sunday, December 27, 2009

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

This Is A Happy Face, I Swear

There have been a few threads going on various BC boards about how evil (or not) and mindless (or not) playing fetch with your dog is. Funny (or not) thing is that Kate hurt herself at the DP the day these threads started. She was not going after a ball at the time. Was returning one. She hurt her right front leg because she fell off the grass.

Yes, fell off grass.

The DP that we frequent in the mornings has artificial turf bordered by gravel. There is about a 2-inch drop from the grass surface to the gravel one. In perfect Kate style, she was looking in one direction and moving in another and basically twisted her wrist.

I am, however, currently referring to it as her cankle.

Who doesn’t love saying “cankle?”

We have not gone to the vet because I know how that would be. Walking fine, OK to manipulate joints, no swelling, no heat. “Soft tissue injury – rest for a few weeks”

I can say that to myself and save the hundred bucks.

Let me just say that “Kate” and “rest” do not go well together. I am not one of those people that thinks Border Collies need 12 hours of running a day to be whole. Bella certainly doesn’t. Kate, however, does. Not 12 hours maybe, but some. A good run does a lot for her mental health.

So to save our collective sanity, I let her do some recall games.

Bella *hearts* recall games.

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Really. That is actually a happy face.

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Kate is just sort of along for the ride

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Often decides she has other places to be

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Spends most of her time staring at Bella. Doesn’t get running with anything to chase

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She really doesn’t get games that don’t involve balls. Like crate games in the car. The Stay In The Car games often involves me jumping up and down and possibly playing with a ball and dogs that staying the car and get food thrown at them.

Again, Bella with the *hearting* ‘cause there’s food involved. Kate, not so much

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I think she is worried someone might see us

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Oh, like she hasn't embarassed me a kajillion time.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Dog Math

Kate + Ball Chasing = Heat

(Heat + Frosty Fake Grass) - Kate =

It's funny that you can see that even when she is laying down those back legs are always propped and ready to launch. Ha!

This is what my car said at Oh-dark-thirty this morning when we left to run dogs

Now sure, those of you that live in places where your high this time of year regularly doesn't even reach this are probably rolling your eyes at me.

But hey, this is California.

And one of the parts that supposed to be warm. I don't live in Tahoe for a reason. When you live somewhere that one bedroom condos go for a half mil you expect to be compensated in some way. One of those ways is great weather. 27° not great weather. I think every day below 50° should be a tax-free day.

You think The Governator would go for that?

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Cameras Not Good For Agility

A little too much spotlight time, methinks.

Catch a smidge of air
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Aaaannnddd…

Pose

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*Sigh*

Hey, you. Dog-who-apparently-wished-to-be-homeless, why don’t you try doing that where you are suppose to do that?

Ooh, my bad

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Tunnels no better. Crazy running tunnel face.

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Until we see camera.

Aaaannnddd…

Vogue

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Not Kate, though. Always with the crazy tunnel face.

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Always

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One can always count on Kate for something. Even if it is just a bit of crazy.

Monday, November 30, 2009

Spring Is In The Air

Some classic Kate for your back-to-work Monday.

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She would totally say “serp” if she could
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Sunday, November 29, 2009

Smattering Of Bella And An Acronym Rant

I guess annoying office people have hobbies, too. Some of them play agility with their dogs on weekends. You know the people. Those that take the last cup of coffee and don’t make more. Those that chuckle whilst giving you a little punch on the arm or slap on the back.
(Never trust a chuckler, they are totally bad news).

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Those are the same people that say things like “paradigm shift” and “thinking outside the box.” They also like to abbreviate when ever possible. Not sure why. Does it make them feel busier? Like, they just don’t have time to actually say something?

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Does it make them feel smarter because people have to constantly reply with a “what the hell are you talking about?”

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Unless you have a job that involves the government or guns or the government and guns or you at least wear a uniform that is remotely intimidating and authoritative you don’t need to acronymize everything.

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If you are playing agility with your dog on the weekends you totally have time to say Reverse Flow Pivot.

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You have lots of time to walk a course AND say serpentine.

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You can write BC, but don’t say it. They are Border Collies.

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And if you are one of those RFP - serp - thread - BC people, just know that if I overhear you I will totally be calling you names in my head.

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Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Selective Mind Reading

When I think something like…probably time to feed the dogs…or…where the hell did I put those bully sticks…the brown one is right there with me.
Every word, every step, every thought.

However, let that thought be something like…
have to make this gamble jump, frame, tunnel, jump…

she only hears jump, jump?

Or in Snooker, when I think to myself after successfully completing three 7’s…don’t muck up the combo…it’s a threadle, not a 180…

she hears…don’t muck up the 180

(three 7’s wherein the 7 is weave poles….weave poles!...us!...me and her…the crappy weaving people….three 7 weave poles!!!!...gah!)

She’s not reading my mind right now. Too tired from fantastical NQs
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She did have some great runs runs this weekend, just not the 2 that I wanted. Ain’t that always the way?

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^^Foot that doesn’t like yellow paint^^

Kate’s all tired today too although we don’t know why. Sidekick exhausting business I suppose.

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Sunday, November 15, 2009

No One Is Getting Any Younger

There are supposed to be a couple of benefits to having a heavily ticked dog. First, they hide dirt well. Doesn’t matter what we’ve been up to or where we have been, Bella always looks exactly the same. Just like hotel carpet.

Second, it should hide aging. No graying muzzles here. Except, she’s just graying in other spots. She’s got the old man tufts coming out of her ears and eye bumps that are starting to snow over.

This depresses the shit right outta me.

She’ll be 7 in Feb. I know that’s far from over-the-hill, but I still feel like we are cresting that hill. Meeting some sort of halfway mark in our time together.

Then today she’s just looking so young. Weird. Nice, but weird.

She gives me this shot. Made me smile when taking pics off the cam.
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I know, I can hear you….”Big deal, pic of Bella’s head.” It’s that it reminds me so much of her Super Blocky Head Damn I Hope She’s Not Going To Be Ugly stage. About 4 and a half months.
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Youthful head
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Old Lady head
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There are no signs of slowing
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Well, except when required by the situation :-)
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Just me being human, I suppose, and worrying about shit I have no control over.
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Bella wishes I would just shut the hell up and throw the ball already
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