Dreams do come true :)

Wow what a great weekend of agility at the FCI World Championships.

We've been to this event 3 times now and this was the most exciting and emotional so far. The British Team were excellent. Medals were won and lost by a split second happening : eliminations, rolled poles, missed contacts and even a run past the last jump. I'm exhausted. I'll let the usual sources tell the full story, main highlights being: Bernadette and Zaz getting Bronze medal in the overall smalls, large team getting 2nd in Team jumping and so nearly getting at least silver overall and the mediums getting bronze in overall team - something for every height there :)

Seeing Ashley Deacon winning the smalls - such a tall man hiding his face in his little dog's head to hide his tears when most of the crowd was crying anyway was a particular emotional moment.

It was brilliant to see Zaz's agility run. Then edge of the seat stuff watching the remaining dogs going, hoping and hoping that she would remain where she belonged in a medal position :)

Previously I have also indulged myself in how I would be feeling with Flint or Torro on the start line. I really do believe that Flint and I would have been brilliant for the Team event and although maybe not quick enough for a Gold individual, he was superb on carpet and we worked very closely together so could get round most courses.

However Torro and I are different. Comparing him to the dogs there I'm sure he could have passed every contact, start line or weave challenge given. He's never worked on carpet so I'm not sure what he would be like for turns. Speed wise he's can be very quick. The falling point is that this year our partnership has not been one of mutual understanding and staying on course could have been a major problem.

Still I do know dreams can come true so with the right training and attitude we could be there this time next year. The thing is I'm not so sure it is still a dream of mine.

When I was younger I seriously dreamt of wing walking - just how amazing it would be to be up there strapped to a bi plane.

Mark treated me to a flight in a Biplane for my 40th and it was great - we did loop the loop, stall turns etc and I even got to do some flying :)

I would still love to do all that again but the appeal of doing it strapped to the wing has completely gone.

Is it sad that your dreams change or is it's just natures way of stopping you making a fool of yourself?

When It's Your Turn to Go.....

I do believe in fate in that if something if going to happen then it will. I do also believe that we can do what we can to help fate and by being positive good things will happen. For example selling the house is NOT happening so we're doing all the stuff we can to help it look better - even downsizing our bed from super king to improve space in the bedroom. In my eyes it isn't selling for a reason to do with what fate has in store for us. Maybe that dream house we like is not as good as another one that will become available once we've sold :)

Fate plays a part in our agility with weather, running orders, judges choice of challenges, other peoples form etc all acting together to create or detract from that winning run. Again we can do all we can (Mark's courses are good for helping decide what) to help these things either not matter or even better work in our favour but fate (or maybe luck) still has it's part to play.

Mark and Devo really should not still be in Grade 6 - or is there some good reason to keep them there? Maybe in a perverse way it will help him with his own Psychology :) Or maybe it's not a good thing to be working all over the country, not train your dog enough and feel too relaxed to concentrate on winning.

This morning fate really showed it has ultimate control in the most fundamental element of life - LIFE itself.

When I opened the blind I saw an upside down fly. As I went to pick it up to throw it away it righted itself. I'm not a fly lover but thought this dying fly would maybe enjoy it's last hours outside in the beautiful sunshine. I opened the window and scooped it out. As it gratefully flew away it went straight into the path of the spider busy finishing off it's web. Well I suppose the spider was happy.................