A very pleasant weekend

What a lovely weekend we had.  The weather was glorious and perfect for training and gardening.   On Saturday I was out for the whole day training with Natasha Wise.  In the morning I ran Niamh and in the afternoon Zeki.  Tidey came along for the day and we did some crate games and playing whilst other dogs were running.   Tidey was really good and grabbed her toy as soon as a dog took off on the start line.  It was well worth taking her for the day.

Natasha focused on exiting turns in terms of where we were facing and specifically where our feet were facing. We applied the theory across all turns and it really worked as your dogs turned tight and moved confidently off the turns as they were very clear about which direction we wanted them to head in.  As always the training was brilliant being challenging, enjoyable and confidence-boosting.  We all came home very tired but happy and I was really happy with all my girls.

Karen joined us in the afternoon with her dogs and here is a picture of our crates all in a row.  We had to move into the shade as it was so warm.  Karen was rather confident about her crate training with Todd and was brave enough to leave the front unzipped.  It was hilarious when we turned round to see that Todd had exited his crate, moved in front and was laying watching us walk a sequence.  Good job Todd!

Andy spent the day in the garden, he had to move all the contact equipment from the agility paddock out to the front as we have sold it and a lady was coming from Norfolk to collect.   When he moved the seesaw the feet fell off and were pretty rotten.  Panic time because although we sold the seesaw with the plank needing refurbishment we hadn't realised the feet were knackered.  So, Andy rummaged around in the yard and found some perfect timber and voila - a brand new pair of feet for the seesaw!

We are getting new rubberised contact equipment in the next few weeks from Premier.  I have also ordered a set of contact covers.    At the same time Premier are re-sanding and painting our dog walk and seesaw from club.  The A-Frame is much newer so doesn't need doing (someone up at the yard broke our old one and bought us a brand new replacement.)   I am looking forward to getting it back and seeing it all smart.  It's the first time in twenty years that anything has been done to it.  It stays in pretty good condition as it never goes outdoors.

I am looking forward to training my dogs on the rubberised equipment.  We decided not to rubberise our club kit for two reasons, the main one being until rubber kit is the norm I want to be able to train on both for the safety of the dogs and the other is I'm not quite sure how rubber will stand up to our surface if it gets stuck onto the contacts areas.   Our surface is superb to run on but it is a bit sticky (hence no dust) and I think it could negate the effect of the rubber.  For now we have the best of both worlds.

On Sunday we had a lovely and productive day in the garden.  Again the weather was glorious and I especially wanted to spend the day out in the garden as it would have been my Mum's birthday.  She loved gardening and being in the garden and so all day my mind was filled with memories.   I have just one regret which was that Mum became ill before we bought this house and so she never got to see our beautiful garden which she would have loved so much.

Here are some pictures of the garden springing to life and of our doglets enjoying the day outside with us:

Mr Murf snoozing on the bench 

The magnolia on Sunday almost out completely; today (Tuesday) it is in full bloom, will take some more pictures 

The long border coming to life with spring bulbs and in need of a good weeding.  This has now been started as you will see from some pictures further down.

Tidey watching at the alley gate 

 The Naughty Niamh with her favourite toy

Tidey enjoying herself in the sunshine above and below

Tidey in full stretch

The series of photos below show how much Becky and Poppy have improved after their major surgeries and how much they are enjoying life.  You can see Pops lurking behind the fencing on one of her many circuits.  She never stops moving when she goes into the garden, round and round.  By the end of the day she is totally exhausted!

Poppy and Tidey watching through the gate as Andy is throwing a ball for Kizzy.  We don't generally throw toys for our dogs as we worry about injury.  However, we make an exception for Kizzle as it is just about the only way you can get her to exercise.  She is so lazy on a walk but goes crazy to fetch a ball.

Niamh is allowed to stay inside whilst Kizzle is being exercised because she just watches with her own ball and doesn't chase.  The others, including Becky and Poppy, would go crazy! 

The weeping willow almost in full leaf.  Crazy weather! 

Poppy on a route march 

 Becky and Murphy at the end of a long day in the garden

 Mr Murf (he needs to get practising as he is entered in all sorts this year; he is going to love it, I can't wait to see his little face when he realises he is in a queue and going to run!)

Julie came yesterday (Monday) and made a start on tidying up the long border.  I have had another go today but don't seem to make much impression.  She is coming back hopefully on Friday to do some more. 

Much to do in this part of the border and that's after I spent half an hour on it! 

More memories of my Mum.  That little cast iron trug was what she used for feeding her chickens.  So she is always here in the garden with me!  Much the same as she goes everywhere with me in the form of her shopping basket as my friends will testify to.

The 100-acre field behind us greening up.  It was only a few weeks ago they were muck spreading and now it looks like this!