Hello.....and Good-bye

It's Mother's Day 2012, and I should be in day 3 of an obedience trial.  Instead I'm at home ruminating over new beginnings and, once again, facing having to let go of some goals.
Day 1 of the Obedience weekend began with our Sheltie specialty.  Moto was in Open B and Pinch entered in Novice B.  Moto's run was not good.  No "up" attitude as he slogged through the exercises.  When we came back from out of sight sits I was almost relieved to see he had gone down on the sit.  That was our 2nd attempt at an Open leg, and our 2nd NQ. 
Pinch really isn't ready for competitive Novice but I'd entered him to support our club.  He had a nice run but I knew it wasn't high scoring.  As it turned out, it had tied with the winner from both the Open B and Open A class for High In Trial.  We had a very unusual (especially for a specialty) 3-way runoff for HIT.  What happened in our runoff was one of those Lifetime Memories.  Everything just came together.  While we were in the ring I was marvelling at how good the run was going.  Pinch was right there with me, and under the pressure he was giving me everything he had.  Regardless of what the judge saw I was so happy with him I could hardly contain my emotions.  As it turned out we won that runoff and here is the subsequent picture.  It's been a long time since I've had a moment like that.  As Pinch's career and story begins that will be up there with something I will remember the rest of my life.  I'll look at the rosette and remember that run.  What an absolute treasure to have.
Yesterday (Saturday) just Moto was entered in Open B.  His run was even more dismal than Friday's.  Outside the ring we'd tugged and played.  His eyes were bright when we entered the ring.  Our first exercise was Retrieve On Flat.  I threw the dumbbell.  I sent him.  He trotted out to the dumbbell, stopped halfway, turned and looked back at me as if to say "do I really HAVE to do this?"  We completed our run and did sits and downs.  We stayed through the end of the class to watch an up-and-comer from the A classes win.  I was very thrilled for her.  However during this entire time I thought about Moto and the way he looked at me.  And you know what?  My answer to him is No, you don't have to do it.  I love you just the way you are.  You have your own, very different gifts that you bring into my life.  Obedience is not one of them.  Oh yes, we may do some rally and some non-comp classes in the future, but his time for competing for titles is over.  Why do that to him and myself?
Which brings me to the good-bye.  This blog is titled Five Dogs and a Blonde.  There are no longer five dogs.  There will never again be five dogs.  The Theme of this blog was life with five (and temporarily six) dogs, and to track Moto's training progress.  With both those themes absent, there is really no more purpose to continue writing it.
So many things have happened in the 3+ years of writing here.  The really bad things - losing my brother-in-law to cancer and the car accident.  The really good things - two grandbabies entered my life.  I've enjoyed and learned so much along the way.
It's interesting to note that the bedroom walls have that new coat of paint.  It's just a gorgeous color of creamy blue.  Hubby surprised me with it when I came home on Friday.  No sooner had I taken down old memories when a wonderful new memory was ready to go up on that fresh coat of paint.  Coincidence?  I think not.
In closing, while I'm saying good-bye to one chapter in my life, I have a new chapter beginning with Pinch's obedience journey.  As with all things in life, it is a bittersweet Mother's Day today.  Even as I write this, Moto is sidled up next to me, doing his "pirate growls".  I think he feels the release to be who he really is.  Pinch is on the other side of this chair, snuggled as tight as he can possibly be.  He knows I need him, and he's telling he he'll be right here.  Dogs are amazing creatures.

In loving memory of Westwind Destiny (Dusty), and Northlight Dances with Wool (Shiloh)

Gone from this life but forever in my heart

Memory Serves Me Right

The time has come and the Walls of Fame have come down.  Yes, I cried.  A lot.  There were a lot of holes that needed filling in and a lot of primer before we even begin painting these walls.  Memories are stored safely away in plastic bins.

What amazed me most was, I have a bad memory.  I can hardly remember what happened yesterday, much less years ago.  But it seems to be different when it comes to dog shows.  Those big ribbons on the wall were really easy to remember.  Shiloh had a "blue ribbon drawer" where I kept his first place ribbons.  He won lots of times, and in many venues - obedience agility (those were the most), conformation, and herding.  When I went through the blue ribbon drawer I could pull out any ribbon from any venue and remember the story of each first place, how that run went, and sometimes even who placed in the class with me.  I remembered the venue, what it was like there, and the entire experience of that day.  So many happy memories.

Most of Dusty's first place ribbons came from the veteran's classes.  He had a long and happy Veteran obedience career.  Those ribbons are every bit as precious as those pretty blue ones.  Shiloh's first "first" that counted towards his OTCH blue ribbon was encased in a plastic baggie.  Dusty's last Veteran's class ribbon was also in a plastic baggie.  Both of those memories are as if they were yesterday.

And now the painting begins - what a chore.  My daughter loves to paint; wish she were here to help out, I don't enjoy it a single bit, nor am I as good at it as she is.

Looking forward to putting new holes in the wall from Pinch and Moto, much to the exasperation of my husband!