We all gave up smoking in November, and by Christmas I was really starting to notice differences. I could taste better, smell better (and SMELT better!!) but also my breathing improved. I had not really thought I had a problem, but as I now seem to have more puff I must have been doing some damage!
I had decided it would be a nice change to go away for Christmas, with all the dogs, and to spend it with some distant friends, so I text Natalie on a whim, and before we knew it we had booked one of the best kept secrets ever!! We had rented the chalet next door to Sharon, Chris, Sam & Nat for 3 days over Christmas, and they had no idea. When we arrived on Christmas Eve to surprise them in the Sandsifter Pub on the beach, there wasnt a dry eye in the house!!
It was the best Christmas. We walked on the fabulous beach and dunes, we laughed a lot, we managed to cook a scrumptious Christmas dinner between the 2 chalets, and it was all over far too quickly. Twiggy got to spend the holidays with her favourite ever foster family, and we loved every single minute of it.
Coming back was a downer, but we had a small cunning plan up our sleeves. Another little secret that we were going to collect on the 29th December.
Meet FlickFlack Will.
For months we had been discussing Fern having a youngster to bring on. Cove was her first and only agility dog, and as he will be 4 this year it was agreed that another pup was needed around the start of 2013. Sadly a few of the lists that Fern had been on, had not produced a boy pup for her, including the Flickflack litter, which produced 2 girls and 1 boy pup who was already booked. 2 weeks before Christmas I had a surprise message to say that the boy could be ours after all, but he wasnt "perfect". Well define "perfect". After a very emotional excited phone call, a 2 week wait, a 408 mile round trip we have a "perfect" pup. Stunning, bold, confident and has fitted in here as if it was meant to be. He has a slight overshot jaw, which meant he couldnt go to anyone for breeding or working trials, so he obviously knew where his home was :-) Fern has her boys now, and I think this new lad is going to be a hell of a lot of fun!
Twiggy was named "Rescue Dog of the Year" in the Supadarl league this week!!! her story was voted as the best and I am so thrilled with her! What an amazing start to our year! She has come along way, and I hardly even think of her now as the nervous little freaky dog that arrived 2 years ago, but its such a lovely award to receive, and we now have the Supadarl rescue dog finals to look forward to in June :-)
I have a few tough goals this year. Well they are not so much tough as challenging for me and my dogs. Lily & Olli are still very much in form and are not going to be slacking off yet! I would love to get those last 2 wins with Lily and retire her at Grade 7 and I would still love Oliver to get to a big final, ABC probably. Twiggy & George are my stars, and I know they will both go far this season providing we all stay fit, healthy and have fun like we have for the past year. Will be interesting who moves up the grades the quickest!! Cove will almost definitely go quickly into Grade 7 to catch up with his siblings, and Dave is going to be competing and will be an interesting prospect in mediums this year.
So I have 2 new repaired toes and have started to run with my renewed smoke free fitness, the dogs have all had 6 weeks off agility and are chilled, happy and raring to go, and Fern has a busy year ahead training Will!!
Thank goodness we have Rog to support us. He has a new found hobby being Jamie Oliver!! I can hardly get in the kitchen these last few weeks, as he has taken it over and filled it with some herbs, spices and oils I had never heard of!! He is so good! Some amazing meals being produced at the moment, but the real challenge will be if he can do this in the caravan! First show March 16th, and first camping booked for Easter and Kernow K9 :-)
Lets get this show on the road!!!!!!
