Another Nearly Day

I’m at a dog show somewhere near Rugby today and I wonder if MD will start off in style like he did last time out. Nope. The little sod completely skipped his dog walk contact but (and it’s a big but) I suppose otherwise it was a good first run. However we still went straight on to the practice ring where he managed eight perfect dog walk contacts in a row. As I said, little sod.

L parkruns and then spends two hours rolling around on the floor at Pilates before heading off to meet her sister who is in town visiting their brother.

Meanwhile MD has a good run in Jumping but demolishes a jump. I give him a bit of a talking to/pep talk and then head off for a brief lunchtime run to try to loosen my tight calf.

We do at least go clear on the afternoon's Jumping course but it’s very scrappy and only good enough for 11^th place. He also gets all his contacts in the Agility but again has a pole down. We find out that we got a rosette for 13^th in this morning’s first run despite our 5 faults. So it was very much a ‘nearly’ day.

L and I are both doing the Calke Abbey 10k tomorrow so it’s pasta, AF and a night in tonight. So with no pub it’s a case of make your own entertainment. You can never have too many Fridays.

(Saturday 17^th September)

Ready And Focussed

So no parkrun but an extended lie in and an afternoon where Derby hit four for the second game in a row as they beat Bolton 4-1. Not a bad day so far unless you're from Bolton, who are relegated.

The evening means staying in to get ready and focussed for Sheffield tomorrow. So big plates of pasta all round although it looks increasingly likely this will be to keep L’s strength up for supporting not competing.

(Saturday 9^th April)

A ‘To Be Or Not To Be’ Moment

With us being in Ipswich, this enables us to receive a visit from Doggo’s twin brother’s owner, who visits the dog show to see us.

MD promptly fluffs the one run he gets to do in front of her. Although it actually wasn’t that bad. It started really well and it was actually me that fluffed it. Sorry.

He did get a rosette for 12th for an earlier run. As he was only 1.8 seconds off the winner, it was a surprising 12th. Last week we were 1.5 seconds off the winner and came 2nd.

Doggo is clear in his Vets but outside the rosettes.

Later we head off to pick up our race numbers from Half Marathon HQ and then search out even bigger desserts and pasta for tea. We head down to the harbour front and find a pleasant traditional pub, the Lord Nelson. Stumbling upon Adnams’ Ghost Ship is an unexpected distraction and produces a ‘to be or not to be’ AF moment.

'Not to be' is the answer. Hopefully everything will be counteracted by the Lemon Sponge dessert.

(Saturday 22nd September)

Protective Suits And Breathing Apparatus

A fairly relaxing Saturday, a lie-in and then on the park with the boys before heading up to Sheffield for 4pm to collect Daughter. We’re hoping she’s up by then. She’s coming home for Easter to do hot dog (as in dog toy) throwing duty.

Unfortunately protective suits and breathing apparatus are not handed out at the door as we venture in to their ‘well kept’ student accommodation. We aren’t invited up to Daughter’s room, probably wise.

We head back to Nottingham, for a gentle pasta filled night before I hobble around Reading tomorrow.

(Saturday 31st March)