More dog or more cat?

Richelle is: 50% Dog, 50% Cat

You are a nice blend of cat and dog.You're playful but not too needy. And you're friendly but careful.And while you have your moody moments, you're too happy to stay upset for long.

Are you more dog or cat?

Portland Show

So, we didn't go yesterday due to Paul's work stuff, meaning we were up at 4;30 a.m. and on the road by 6:30 today. I'm pooped! The good news is that Savannah managed to hold herself together through most of the show, including looking for treats on the judge. She won her class again, so we were off to winner's again. She did great in winner's...until the judge put us at the front and asked us to go around again, that is. Then the bad news....at that point, she sort of had her usual fall apart...she was too busy turning around trying to figure out why all the other dogs were behind her, which made her hippity hoppity, and we blew it. We got RWB, so not a total loss, but we blew it.

I can't be too upset. It was only her fifth show and ninth time in the ring (if you count sweeps at Nationals). Counting sweeps, she's won her class 6 of 9 times. And now she has her first reserve and it was a major reserve. Not too bad. We just have some kinks to work out. Silly girl! Our smaller, more private handling class on Wednesday helped a lot, too. I think I'll ask if we can go first next week, just to get her used to it. The Petsmart maulings have made her more interested in visiting strangers in search of treats. I may even try to sneak her in for a half day at work next week. We're getting there!

I musta jinxed it!

There hasn't been enough sun to get good pictures of my lace shawl. Dang it!

In other news, I think I may have found a dog sitter. This means there may actually be a time when Paul and I can go to Alaska to see the folks. Yippee!!!

Catch up

I've said it before, but I suck at this blog thing...and keeping up on other people's blogs and keeping up on email. Sorry to all of you!!! I just spent three hours trying to catch up on blogs alone. Good grief! I think I've got something of a handle on what's been happening now, at least...missed birthdays and all!

Things have been busy, busy, busy here. The hubby is working insane amounts, but hopefully it'll be well worth it in the long run. Work for me is not only busy, but odd and changing and uncomfortable, but I don't want to go into that here. Suffice it to say that my job is safe, though my duties may change down the road. I hope that will be for the better, too, but we shall see. Sure wish we had air conditioning at work, no matter how things are other ways!

Knitting...I've been knitting...A LOT! I finally finished the second gigantic sock (see older post) and the Tuscany shawl from "No Sheep for You" in bronze Handmaiden Sea Silk...pictures of that will go up if the sun is cooperative tomorrow. Love how it looks...on smaller people. Tempted to take the cast off out and add another skein, but it's some damn expensive, yet wonderful, yarn, so it'll wait awhile. I've started Sally's Favorite Summer Top out of Sally Melville's "The Knit Stitch" in SWTC Bamboo. It's amazing how light and cool and airy bamboo yarn is. Lovely! And I got sucked into Melanie's Mystery Stole 3 by the Yarn Harlot (or, perhaps, Stole Pimp would be a more appropriate name for her these days, since 2400 people joined the group after she posted about it...Enabler!!! :) It's coming along, but I chose difficult yarn and I'm using beads and I've only knit a year and a half, so.... We shall see! Planning a pair of Jaywalkers by Grumperina in Socks that Rock mill ends (I think it was Watermelon Tourmaline that got too fuscia in the pink) that I got at Black Sheep Gathering and have some other projects in mind, but no super firm plans at this point. I've become such a knitting geek! I can't wait for the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival! I plan to spend the entire Saturday there, shop first, then take a class, hopefully. Too fun!!!

The dogs are wonderful! Ethan is starting to regard Savannah as a full, if junior, pack member and they get along fine...even in the house. The only issue we have is if I'm sitting in "my" chair...both would like to "own" me. So I move around a lot or sit somewhere else and all is well. Dogs are weird!!! It's just nice to have my darling, sweet Efa back. We've got all Ef's winter weight off and he looks really good, if somewhat hairless. Libby's losing again, too...still Libby, but she can gain weight by looking at food, like me.

Then there is Savannah. She really is an awfully pretty little puppy. Shedding like crazy now, but very pretty. We decided after Canby that she needs more "odd situation" training than show training right now. We're taking her lots of places and giving people treats and asking them to maul her. She's gone to handling class, just to be mauled...I knew people there would really grab her. She's been to Petsmart a few times...the last time was really good, because we basically did our own handling class while a puppy class was happening. Tons of distractions and she had to pay attention to me and did well at it. She went to work one day when I was on vacation...we were there nearly three hours total and she must have seen 40 or 50 different people and been in five different office areas. It's been very good for her. I think we'll take her out to Petsmart for a crazy Saturday tomorrow and really get her some exposure. We'll go back to actual handling training this week, too. We'll do the EKC class on Tuesday that we usually go to and then a private class with another instructor at her house on Wednesday. She's hoping to pull a small group together, so we can pretend we're doing classes and winners'. Savannah's okay in classes, if there aren't too many distractions, but she falls apart by winners'. Little brat!!! So, we'll work on all of that. We're showing in Portland (probably daytripping - ugh!), then Roseburg (definitely daytripping), then Eugene (woo hoo, home show!). Keeping our fingers crossed!!!!

Phew!!! Long update!!! More soon, I hope!