Looking forward to ending 2011

Today will be a day of closing 2011. Last hunt with the pups, last ride with Josie, last entries of AQHA hours and the last post of 2011. I am looking forward to the new year. This year more than others. Next year will be a new start. First ride of the year, first hunt and a new year of posts.

Looking back, I feel I have met the challenges presented to me. It has been a very difficult year. I still wish I knew what I was here for. I am being strong and have decided that one of the things I am being taught is to accept help and to not be so proud.

I am very thankful for the peeps I call my friends without them I know I could have handled it but it would have been much harder.

What's been happening. Let's see, met with a recruiter last week. Possible temporary contract loading new laptops for Midwest Dairy. I hope I get it. It fortifies me when I can be a contributing individual.

I thought I had totally screwed up my Unemployment and mentally, had the dogs and I out on the street. A frantic early morning Monday call to CR got me grounded again. A text from the bank on Wednesday was a gift from heaven. I would get my check! Thank you! Thank you! It might be bad but it could be a hell of a lot worse.

Leaving Ms. Pixie at home. Smudgee, Wyatt and I went for a walk at the barn and for the first time crossed the creek on foot. The ice is thick enough for a gal and her three dogs. The creek is the lowest I have ever seen it. It is a different perspective and I developed an appreciation of how hard the horses work going through the trails.

The first big hill had me puffing a bit and feeling it around my thighs. It was easier after that. Smudgee and Wyatt were in heaven. Bounding ahead, hearing or smelling something and snuffling around for it. While walking I did a little trail maintenance, throwing fallen limbs off to the side. Such a nice peaceful walk.  Smudgee found a deer leg and the first thing I thought was I will never get that away from her. I did a bait and switch - offering the treat, her dropping the leg, covering it will my foot and giving her the treat almost simultaneously. Wyatt was trying to chew the leg from under my foot. Nobody is getting it. I found a nook in a tree where I could balance it.

I was delightfully surprised when I received an email from DogWorks about an agility fun night for Thursday. Yahooooo! I thought it was going to be two weeks before we could play again and here we are with a chance to strut our stuff. Smudgee can be a amazing little girl. We walked into the building to a cacophony of dog barks. The energy was palpable which Smudgee picked up immediately. After a little stretching we went in to see what the deal was. What I see is full sized dog walk and full sized A-Frame. Miles (this man has two wonderful shelties that he has taken to the big time - I idolize him) saw me and came over to explain what was going to happen. He said we will take a wait and see attitude with Smudgee and the Dog Walk. We didn't tell Smudgee that and she had no problem crossing but on the downside she cheated about half way down. M said it was because I had slowed too much. She likes to be with me on the course and not too far ahead. The hardest part for me is learning the course quickly. Watching others helps and keeping a repetition of tire, left tunnel, jump, jump, dog walk and tunnel going in my head works for the most part.

There were quite a few dogs and people. Most were walking 1-7 and looked like the professionals. I should have brought a crate as there was no room for tying up the girl. Instead, I carted her along with me. It is a bit difficult to walk a course with your dog wanted to check everything out but it didn't need to be perfect. This was a good thing as any mistakes made were this handler's fault. The longer we were there the more relaxed I was. We did the 12" first and then up and then back down again so we didn't have to change the heights so much. Only two of our class members showed. Not sure who all Suzie invited.

Smudgee was astonishingly obedient, not wandering to check other dogs out and a minimal amount of hoovering if something was on the course. She loves her agility more and more. I had decided not to do the weaves after speaking with M as I didn't want to mess anything up. The were expanding the channels for my classmates and in the end I decided to go for it. While the other pups needed a couple of entries, Smudgee got it first time through. We ended on that perfect note!

Agility for me is like jumping Josie, there is a high from the rush that is just incredible. Talk about your natural high. Both Smudgee and I were wound up on the ride home. I had thought for sure she would be nodding off but nope. She was attentively watching the traffic on our way back.

The pups and I have been averaging four miles a day the past week and a half. Without the snow hunting has been unsuccessful. We found two hot spots in the field this week. Wyatt verified but no voles.

Josie's feet are still looking very good. Supplements when not over done are amazing. She is not as fuzzy as she normally gets by this time of year. She is creme color ponies and crisp apple strudel (My Favorite Things). Her raccoon eyes look beautiful. With all this dryness, the horses are itching their faces and some are not as good as others. I keep my fingers crossed the Mare doesn't do anything like her ear notch. As usual my best rides are empty arena rides.

Met with L and E for post Christmas get together. L gave us a certificate for a lesson with H!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG! I am soooo excited. I will have to go into debt for gas so I can get a few rides in before a scheduled lesson. See what I mean about having the BEST friends?!! I will have to video it so I can catch all the details. Riding, listening and trying to do is a challenge.

Waiting to hear back on a couple of positions I applied for. Hoping it is due to the holidays that no word has been heard. With that, it is on to the New Year. May 2012 be a better year and if not we will do what we need to do to make it bearable.

See you in 2012! Have a great ride :)