Friday My Town Shoot Out - Birds

Well, the topic for this week's My Town Shoot Out had me stumped.




Birds.



Paducah isn't known for its birds. There is a lovely Great Blue Heron that hangs around the river, but I don't have any fantastic shots of him.

Hmmm.

Then I had a thought.


We do have creatures capable of flight in Paducah.

Emmett

and Swede William.

Hug your hounds

Here we are!

Emmett

Playing catch up.

I've got some orders to get out: thank you wonderful people who are buying my book! You know how in that James Stewart Christmas classic movie every time a bell rings an angel gets wings? Well, for me, every time a book sells, I feel like I can fly. Just for a second.

But it feels great, so thank you.

We went to a dog show on Sunday and had a blast. All three dogs showed like pros! Emmett went first, and did better than I imagined he would. His Heather was home - baby Ben's little brother is due in four weeks, but that wasn't why. Ben's daddy had to work, so Heather had a day with Ben, just the two of them. My great and generous friend Dee (of Lee and Dee fame) went with me, packing a yummy lunch to eat on the way, to hold dogs ringside and be excellent company on the SIX hours - three up, three back - of fascinating southern Illinois Interstate.

So Emmett had to go first, and didn't have his Heather to cheer him on, but he was a brave and happy and wonderful boy. No stage fright for him! Then it was Swede William's turn and he gave me goosebumps. Not so much the judge, though, who apparently got indigestion from William's glorious Swedish color. Dee reported hearing collective ooooh's and aaaaah's from the whippet folks ringside, which is gratifying.

Lindy Loo, who is the worst little fussbudget when we practice, was showier than a Rockette! She stood like a statue, arched her neck, cocked her head at the judge and moved like a dream. I couldn't help smiling - okay, beaming - at her. She had a blast.

These three dogs just love to show, and that makes it so much fun for me. Plus I got to see some friends who I haven't seen forever. Dee and I got home to Bill and Lee enjoying wine and cheese in our kitchen while Bill made a signature pasta dish - oooooh sun dried tomatoes artichoke hearts shrimp wine and cream sauce ohhhhhh ahhhhhh. It was just a great day. I was asleep under a pile of whippets by 8:30.

Work is going fine. (Although you've noticed it cuts into my blog time something fierce.) Bill is doing a heroic job of being primary dog servant. I am so enjoying giving patient care again: it is such a special privilege. I don't have the time to devote right this minute, but in another post I'll talk about that. The gift of caring for people.

And I'm having a blast getting to know the staff of the floor where I'm working. It's a delightful, fun, energetic, responsible, cooperative group of people. They help each other, and they put their patients first. That makes for a rewarding work environment. My preceptor is a very good nurse. So young! More on that in another post, too.

It's a busy day. The Paducah Kennel Club Christmas Party is tonight. No rest for the weary!



Hug your hounds - it's good to 'see' you!

For Ben: A Special Party

Once upon a time there was a very helpful little boy named Ben. Ben lived with his mommy Heather and his daddy Jason and his whippets, Edgar and Emmett.

One day, Emmett had a birthday! Ben, being a helpful little boy, suggested that Emmett and Emmett's sister Lindy Loo have a Pizza and Pupcakes Party. The big day arrived and Ben helped. He helped his mommy make the Pupcakes and he helped wrap the presents.

It was time! Patience came in the big Whippet Wagon with Lindy Loo. She brought even more presents. Emmett and Lindy Loo don't have thumbs, so it was up to helpful Ben to unwrap the gifts for his friends. Ben has thumbs. And a very cute tongue.


The Pupcakes were very fancy as you can see because Ben helped with the decorations.



Emmett got so excited about his first present - a squeaky stuffie birthday cake - that he got a little googly-eyed.



"Here you go, Mr. Googly-eyed Emmett," said helpful Ben, handing over the toy.




While Emmett enjoyed his gift, helpful Ben opened the next one, being as he still had his thumbs handy.

Emmett said, "Whoa, Ben! You ROCK!!! A squeaky duck for my birthday! Cool beans!"

Ben ducked, too.

"Woo-HOOOOOO!" said Emmett and his sister, Lindy Loo. "We love youooooooo, helpful Ben!"

Ben got right back to business and opened the next gift, ever so helpfully.

"Look, Daddy," said Ben. "It's a sock monkey lead. I like it!"

Then Ben's mommy lit the candles on the Pupcakes which Ben had helped to make and decorate. Ben helped the whippets contain themselves. It was pretty darn exciting, I tell you that!

Lindy Loo and Emmett had a terrible time making their lips blow, so Ben came to the rescue and helped blow out the candles.

Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you.

Happy Birthday dear Emmett and Lindy Loo.

Happy Birthday to you!

"Yayyyyyyyyy!" sang Ben, helping the grownups remember the words.

Ben helped put the Pupcakes on the plates for the whippets. Emmett did not need any help eating his!

Chomp, glomp, slurp, gulp!

Lindy Loo needed a little help eating hers, but Emmett had learned from Ben how to be helpful, so he pitched right in.

Then it was Ben's turn. He chose a beautiful Pupcake with green sprinkles.

It was delicious and a half!

Emmett and Lindy Loo say

Thank you helpful Ben for our BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!

We sure do love youooooooooooo!!

hug your hounds

What Do You Love To Do?

(Emmett at practice a couple of years ago)

I don't want to begin this post with a poor me litany, but I need a preface for the thing to make sense.

Let's just say that since March, I've have more than the usual opportunities to build my character. Way more.

Last night I was calmly listing the factors involved in creating the sensation that my head was screwed on too tight. You know, the feeling that your eyeballs didn't fit in your skull anymore and at any moment they would go *BOING* and pop out on cartoon springs, while your ears flap like two flags in a hurricane. Bill listened, and agreed that events over which I have no control were standing in a long line to whack the snot out of me.

"All you can do is take it as it comes and do what you can to get through it," said my wise and wonderful husband.

That conversation happened while I was packing up Swede William and Lindy Loo for their weekly handling class (practice for dog shows) at the Kennel Club. I would pick up Emmett on the way. Sometimes it's a pain in the ass to get up the energy to go.

An Afghan hound breeder and I share the teaching duties. She's been wonderful about taking up the slack when I can't be there. Plus, she's a talented handler. I learn a lot just by watching her.

Last night I wanted to work with Emmett. He needed more one-on-one than I'd been able to give him. Vicki kindly put her own dog away and let me be a participant.

Nothing earth-shattering happened. Emmett did great. I watched other dogs improve. We laughed. We encouraged each other. We celebrated Esther's wins with her Shar Pei puppy - her first ever wins with her first ever show dog. I fed my soul with forkfuls of a silly happy whippet standing like a champion race horse. Wearing a look of eagles and then dissolving in goosey wags.
Oh. Wait. Something earth-shattering did happen. My headache went away. The knots in my gut relaxed. I forgot that I was worried. I played with dogs.


I just played with my dogs. And that is what I love to do.




hug your hounds