What am I going to do for 5 months???

Strange but true, after what seems like 5 minutes our agility season is over for another year. Doesn't seem a week ago we were so excited packing up Walter for our first camping trip, wondering how the year was going to pan out, and I was counting the days until Georgie was ready to compete.
In some ways its been a disastrous year. The weather put the dampers on a lot of shows. A few we were concerned about the journey as there were strong winds in June, 3 we had to be towed off of due to the mud, and a few were cancelled, yet through it all we laughed and had fun with the dogs and our friends.
Did I achieve my goals? I achieved 2 out of 4 so not a bad year.
Goal 1. I was hoping Lily would gain another win in Grade 6, but although she managed numerous top ten places, and finished in 2nd on a few occasions, I failed on that one. Perhaps I should have had more determination, and not hoped but been more positive she would.
Goal 2. I wanted Twiggy to win a Grade 4 class and move up to Grade 5. Well Twiggy has been incredibly consistent, being placed top 5 nearly all season, and yes she managed 2 wins, however they were jumping classes, so although part of the goal achieved, she remains in Grade 4. 3 2nds in Agility, so frustrating!!
Goal 3. I wanted George to go to his first show and go clear. Nailed that one! George came out with confidence, and although he has some growing up to do (no hurry for that) he was placed 11th and 10th at his first show Prestbury Park.
Goal 4. I had a secret goal of getting George into Grade 4 before the end of the season. He had 5 shows to do it in as he started in September, and he left it until the last one but did it in style!! Won the jumping and Agility at Dartmoor to go Grade 4 with his last run of 2012.

George has been placed top ten in all 5 shows since he came out, and increasingly higher places with each run. I love him so much. His honesty, enthusiasm and genuine character make him a total pleasure to live with and train. He gives everything 100% and is a very clever dog, working out what it is he is doing wrong and correcting it quite quickly through all our training. He just wants to please and he is a total joy.

Twiggy is also so consistent, so clever and talented, and every day with her is a joy too. All our dogs, in so many different ways are constantly surprising me, making me smile and laugh regularly when things are getting me down. I am very lucky.

It has been a sad year, as a few of our friends have had sudden losses. Dogs that were far too young to be taken, have gone to the agility field in the sky. Tragic losses, which make me appreciate what I have even more. Without the love of our dogs, where would we be?

So now for a few months our dogs are going to have a well earned break from agility. No training after the end of November until 1st February 2013. They will be running around, chasing rabbits, getting filthy no doubt in the lovely mud around the farm, running on beaches, trekking through woodlands and unwinding. I don't know how other people do things that's just the way I like to do things. I don't know if there is a wrong way or a right way, but for me it feels right to let them have a complete break from it all. Its hard for me as I have become more obsessed with training and working with my dogs over the years, and its so rewarding to see them develop, but its also very relaxing to watch them just be dogs. I am going to continue with my new positive approach to life. No more negativity, no more moaning minnies in my life, just happy people and fun times, and living my life how I want to. I have an amazing family, beautiful dogs and lovely friends and that's all I need.

Now to start counting down to the first show of 2013!!!!!

Leaves have started to fall.

Sat in our cosy cottage, aromas of a spicy  chicken dish wafting through, 7 dogs all relaxing or casually chewing a toy, or another dogs leg, the heating is on and outside the wind and rain are battering the windows, and for the first time we have leaves blowing around the garden. This time last year it was 30 degrees and we all got sun burnt at Chippenham show!!! At this precise moment I am not even certain that the show will go ahead but if it does we will be there for our last weekend in Walter before we shut him down for the winter. Where did the year go??
At our last show 2 weeks ago, Twiggy had 2 3rd place trophies and a 5th, Cove had a 2nd and a 4th, and Georgie a 5th and a 3rd!!! Twiggy is the boss in our house, and the cheekiest, noisiest of the lot. Georgie has suddenly become a young man and all his skills are starting to come together, and Cove is now 3 years old and a regular consistent performer. Life passes by scarily quickly. 
We all spend so much of our lives working hard, trying to earn enough money to keep a roof over our heads, and food in the cupboards. In our family, there is no chance of any early retirement.............or even retirement full stop! Business is good, but we will never be rich.............but we are lucky to be rich in love, and lucky to share our lives with our wonderful dogs, and for that I am always grateful.
Recently friends have lost dogs, either to old age, or in freak accidents losing them way too young. I also have a close friend whose son has been diagnosed with cancer and has started chemotherapy this last week. He is our Ferns age. Where is the justice?
I wish I had a magic wand, or some super powers to make everyone happy but I dont. I am just grateful for what I have, and sometimes I just sit and look at Rog & Fern and smile :-) I look at Lily, who has never been an easy dog, but such a star in my eyes and I smile. I look at Olli, and his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth, Dave with his perfect smart sit and "rattle snake" tail, Stan with his whitening eyes, grey muzzle and wonky legs and I smile, Cove with his goofy look and his grin, George with his always happy enquiring face, and his wonderful "talking" and I smile, and most of all (and I know you shouldnt have favourites) I look at Twiggy, she looks at me and I feel like she is looking into my soul, and I wish I could look into hers and know what the first part of her life was like, then she nuzzles me making her unique little grunting sounds as she does and I smile. 
The world can be a horrid place, but appreciate what you have and your own little world can be special.