Sinning, Penance, and Training

People are so disappointing sometimes. I do not really expect everyone to do what I think they should, but couldn't they at least do things that are right and ethical and reflect integrity and good choices???? The answer is apparently NO. I guess I am supposed to learn more about Compassionate Detachment? Or maybe faith that all will be okay?? Or maybe I will just become a hermit... Oh wait -- I already have...

However, it is a good thing I am a hermit today because I am willing to admit that I feel murderous -- is that the word that one feels when one is so angry that one wishes to make another person vaporize? Close enough -- slow to anger and then scorched earth -- that would be me. Good thing the object of my "affection" is in another state -- this time that rattlesnake is seriously going down -- fair warning Mr. Snake.

I like the idea that we get to make our own choices but that consequences are really out of our hands. It reflects the reality that people do have free will - they can choose to be really stupid. And at the same time, it means that we do not have to put up with what other people dish out -- they get to choose how they behave but they do not get to choose how WE behave in response. Where is my hoe?!

Moving along...

We have some exciting things happening this fall and it has made me feel like I need to get busy and train some dogs. Well, I already train dogs but it has added urgency to that! And when I feel that sense of urgency, I make weekly schedules -- and so that is what I did both to take my mind off sinful murdering thoughts and to get myself on track for the rest of the summer.

Mrs. Maize has a Happy Birthday coming up in ten days, and her goals include walks and some brace carting and agility, just for fun :)

Halo, because of getting a second utility leg just to prove Leg #1 was not a fluke, will be doing a lot of obedience practicing, which she LOVES. I am showing her again in three weeks -- sigh. I suspect she is thinking like this: "I had eight tries to get Leg #2, and I did it in just two, leaving six. I have eight tries to get Leg #3 but I should get to carry over the six unused leg attempts from Leg #2. Therefore, I can flunk Utility 14 times before she throws in the towel!!!" More sighs....

Cadi needs to get her CDX before October when our excitement really begins so she is going to be getting ready for that as well as doing agility. We are doing one day of agility at the same show where Halo will do two days of utility -- in three weeks. Did you follow that?

Asia is all about VST (Variable Surface Tracking) right now. We will enter two tests in August, including the one on our home turf -- the University of Montana. She is a splendid tracker and loves it -- and I enjoy it a lot, even when our track goes through the sprinklers...

Zoey will be in another beauty pageant show in two weeks in Coeur D'Alene, so no overnight required. I want to try and get as many points as possible while she has this nice coat; she is also doing agility and learning about drafting since I hope to get both kinds of titles on her this fall.

Syd will not be getting any new titles this year but rather will be doing training in various things.

So you can see why some focus is required -- and therefore we have a new weekly schedule with cute little boxes to check off.



Karma and Asia had a conversation about the mouse Karma brought in recently -- it went like this:

Karma: "...and so I brought in this fat field mouse to play with..."
Asia: "do you mean that one that was running in and out of Halo while she was trying to take a nap?"
Karma: "Exactly -- that was the one! Can you even believe that Halo let herself be used as cover?!"
Asia: "Well, yes I can actually."
Karma: "Anyway, who told Mom about it?!!!"
Asia: "I think your frantic running over Halo was the giveaway."
Karma: "...and what the heck -- why did mom spend ten minutes with a can and a fireplace instrument trying to catch the stupid mouse when I could have just used my claws and dragged it from the heater?"
Asia: "Haven't you noticed that every time you bring in a friend, it gets deported in the empty pumpkin cans?! Well, except last week when you tried to kill Chippy on mom's bed -- he would not fit in a pumpkin can so good thing the door was open and he was able to run out."
Karma: "Yes, but it is so fun to watch Mom try to save my friends without actually touching them..."

Hmmmm.... I think I might know just the "friend" that Karma should go after next -- and I will definitely put the pumpkin cans aside for that!!!!!

Now I must go say three Hail Mary's and one Our Father as penance for my sinful thoughts... and then train some dogs so I can check off boxes...

Hope your day has been a sinless one -- or that at least the sins were fun ones ;)