More Science-y than Usual

Action and reaction, ebb and flow, trial and error, change - this is the rhythm of living. Out of our over-confidence, fear; out of our fear, clearer vision, fresh hope. And out of hope, progress. -Bruce Barton 



Ah the grass game, makes for some great photos. :) 


So I said we had a show, but we have training this weekend. Really looking forward to it. It's been forever since I trained with friends, (you know, without other people watching) or it feels like forever. Training by car headlights after the show doesn't count. I've been trying to study courses in my free time, for instance, on my lunch break, as a mental exercise. I am really enjoying Stoel's designs, it's like the dog needs a doctorate in jumping, and that's a good thing! Working his courses will be very good for the Katerade! 



That's right Kate, collection!  


I've been melancholy today. I think my medicine makes me tired. I've had a perfectly normal week though. Work... change is a good thing, I just have to keep reminding myself. Also. Vacation is a bad thing when it comes to volume of work. Apparently Coke still gets sold without me there!   





One of the things I miss about going to classes is seeing people. Someone else's training ideas are always good too, without having to set it up myself. Or beg someone to let me set it up at their house. ;) Then I get home from work, and I'm tired and I can think of 100 reasons why I don't want to get into that weekly commitment again. I do miss it. 



Starters Snooker - AD title run!!! Weeeeeeeeee!!!


I had this foolish notion that I was going to buy a picture for every title. Just around Christmas, I was going to save all my ribbons for 2012 so I could take a picture of Kate lying on them. I just can't do it. Buy pictures or get ribbons. Failed, didn't even make it to the end of January on those. Hey look, it's Kate's AD run. Thankfully I have friends who take pictures! 





We've been training Kate for the Quadruped series, kicking off in Florida in 3 weeks. Kids hanging on the fence, squealing directly behind her, teens kicking soccer balls and throwing baseballs the next field over, nothing distracts her or even catches her eye. Killer focus on this dog. She's not 100%, she relies on her ears too much. But she's better than 66% and with 3 throws per round, I think she's going to do fine. Of course, I hope she can win again, but mostly I just hope she does well. It's amazing to watch her go, she is crazy fast. I really wonder - Kate vs a tommie. And not a Busch Gardens one, like a real African one. 



pretty sure this is like the farthest thing from "proper running form" 


It's been warm lately, too warm for January. Even for FL. Of course the biggest solar storm in 8 years might have something to do with it. I love it. I've been following it with as much devotion and fascination as I do hurricanes. Coronal Mass Ejection?! Which is to say a bit too much fascination. It's insane to think of life without electricity though. No TV. Eh. No microwave. Eh. No blogging, no video editing, no VIDEO. No photos, no radio, and... no music at all, except the good old fashioned kind. That's where I draw the line. Life without music seems wrong. I wonder if telephones would work? Sounds like no. Oh, you came here for science speculation time right?



if a picture could document one issue of Kate's running aframe - and look, only took her 1.5 seconds to get up there!


I have done some more jumping work with Kate this week, dog walk still disassembled. I did take the dogs for a hike, to our old place. Even though it's warm. Kept them close to me, of course we didn't see any snakes, the dogs got great exercise, in spite of my panic. I have seen two alligators in as much as two days within two miles of my house. They really are everywhere in FL, kind of like giant lizards with teeth. Lizards scare me. 



Ready, Kate? 


Busy spring coming up, trials, training, a road trip with my dad. Oh and some sheep for good measure! In my mind, this is experience phase 2. Lots of runs and focus on betterment of what we have. Better communication, better quality training, reinforcement. 


When I was young, I used to wear my father's shoes & stomp around making the world a better place for us all & today I see I'm not the only one who did that & those shoes aren't anywhere big enough for who we are now. -StoryPeople


All photos courtesy of Kaimen Miller - thanks so much!!