This and that and memories

We've been exhausted this week. I'd forgotten how tiring day shows can be!

It's lovely to see some sunshine. The garden is slowly coming to life and the magnolia is looking really lovely right now.

On Tuesday we had a good training session at club. We worked on a speed circle; opposite end of tunnels and missing the tunnel out completely. I am giving lots of thought to my opposite end tunnel training. I have decided that I am going right back to basics to teach Niamh to pick up the opposite end using a verbal cue. We'll see how successful this is in due course! Meantime I expect I shall continue to get it wrong in competition. I have resolved to teach Zeki this task properly from the outset!

The course we worked on was based on something I picked up from Lian's blog (thank you) with some added extras. Here it is in case anyone else fancies using the pattern.

We worked on the speed circle with the youngsters. We used the wings and tunnels and they all did really well. Zeki loved it and flew round the circle. Zeki actually chased Louise's puppy on Tuesday night which was good because I was able to correct her. This is the first time she's done this in a controlled environment and I was glad it happened. After correction she stayed with me and played with her toy. All in all a good session.

Tuesday was a bit traumatic as I had to have an MRI scan on my inner ears. This is to try to find out why I keep getting the dizzy turns. I have had two of these in the past but have always gone into the scanner feet first. This time I had to go in head first and for the very first time in my life I came close to having a panic attack. I stupidly opened my eyes when I was moved into the scanner. I told myself time and again not to do this but to imagine I was in a big space with the sky above me. But being me I had to have a look and it made me panic. My head was in a restraining frame and the scanner is so close to your face it's ghastly. I very nearly had to press the button to get them to take me out but I was determined not to give in (I am a very stubborn person in case you hadn't realised!!) and so I did some deep breathing exercises and gradually got myself back under control. I did not open my eyes again. I think if I have to go in one of these things again I will need to be sedated!

We have started using the new grassed area for agility at home. This is where the vegetable garden used to be. We rotivated it and sewed seed last autumn. Andy has been rolling it and at last it's ready to be used. We set up a sequence using the new area and it's really good to have the extra space. There is still lots of space to be reclaimed and fences to be repaired and renewed but we're gradually getting there. It all takes time and unfortunately money!


Zeki's training is progressing nicely. We have been continuing to work on her running A-Frame, so far so good. I have also been practising weaves and entries and again am very happy with progress to date. Today we practised some very flat weave entries following a jump sequence and after one mistake she was foot perfect. Next week I must move on with her dog walk and seesaw training. This has been neglected whilst I've worked on the A-Frame and weaves. I have also been practising our startlines. She loves this game!




Andy is working flat out today in order to get a big project finished by close of play this evening. This means we can both go to the Scrambles UKA show tomorrow! Yippee I am looking forward to this.

Meantime here are some pictures that Dennis took of Kizzy and Niamh from last weekend's Waverunners show. I especially love the first shot of Niamh on the seesaw. You can see her hind legs are off the plank and how much she is driving to the end of the seesaw before it tips. This is exactly what I want and it pleases me to see her doing this in competition. Kizzy is also driving well up the plank but obviously it takes a bit longer to tip with Princess than Naughty Niamh!








Last but not least a happy memory, well I have cried today, but overall the memories are happy. It would have been Abbey's fifteenth birthday today. I wish she was here with me but I know she's somewhere good curled up and fast asleep in the spring sunshine. Today at last I feel ready to sprinkle her ashes. She is going to be with Lizzie and Bessie's rhododendrons and her own little rose. It's a beautiful sunny day and the time is right. Now I'm crying again.


So to cheer myself up I'm posting this picture of the lazy little sheltie that is Kizzy. I couldn't make my bed today because she was installed and looking just too cute to disturb!