Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Trust....

Something very odd happened to me tonight.  I don't want to go too far into things but basically I am being accused of something I did not do.  All evidence looks like I did this thing but I didn't and I have no way to prove that I didn't.  So, it comes down to trust.  How much do we really trust someone?  How far does someone have to go to prove something?  Truly ask yourself, if all evidence was pointing to someone, and they denied it, would you believe?  I am in this predicament and I really don't know what to do.  I know I didn't do something and have no way to prove it.  As I look as the evidence, I wouldn't believe me.  So again, it comes down to trust.  Trusting that I am telling the truth.  I am at a loss.  SO much so that I am blogging it!  I can only hope that I can figure out how this happened and prove my innocence.  It is a horrible situation to be in, I am in a true predicament. 
So, friends...pray...please pray that I can figure this one out!

Monday, January 23, 2012

Week 1, DONE. 13 more to go!

Week 1 of training for the 1/2 marathon is done.  I made it through just fine.  Good runs, little pain.  Actually feel kinda good!  Funny, I was running yesterday on a 3 mile run.  The route I took was the beginning of one of my usual long runs.  I was 1/2 way done and thinking, "Wow, in a few weeks this will seem like nothing."  Geesh...I hope so.
Friday night and last night I brought Rev to class.  She is coming into her own.  I think she is getting it!  She is picking up speed and confidence and what fun she will be to run, when I actually trust her!  Jumping is gorgeous.  Nice and long striding with no hesitation.  Thank Goodness!!!  But, no screaming....yet.  Her Teeter is looking beautiful!  Now to drag the other contacts out....in the snow.... 

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

And the training starts...

Goals are good things.  They keep you honest.  I started running about 3 1/2 years ago.  I am not a good runner, don't break any records but I do put one foot in front of the other, quicker then a walk.  There.  I run.  I was always athletic but never a runner.  So, with the advise of a friend, I started the journey.  I hated treadmills.  I don't care what is on TV, you are running and going nowhere.  You are still in the same place.  Not for me.  I ran on treadmills to lose weight, not to run.  So, I took a running class and aspired to do a 5k.  I started to run outside.  I fell in love with trails.  I loves to plan the run and not long after I ran a 5k race and then a few more.  I loved them.  Loved competition, loved the people and what it stood for.  I never won any age group but liked to see my name under results.  What I loved the most was that when people were finished they would stay and cheer others on, everyone, even those of us finishing in over 30 mins.  I can remember a certain turkey trot I did and at the end you had to run up a big hill.  After the hill, it just evened out and you had another 1/4 mile.  No down hill, just flat.  I gave it everything I had up that hill and was done.  Then there was a guy just clapping yelling, "1 block, 1 time around the track to go!  You can do it!" I had no idea who he was but he was cheering me on.  I love this sport.
After a few 5ks I decided I wanted to run a 1/2 marathon.  13.1 miles.  I set out for it, looked up training schedules, spoke to my coach and off I went.  I trained by myself for 14 weeks and ran a 1/2.  I didn't break a record but I ran the whole thing.  No stopping, no walking.  That was my goal.  I finished in just over 2 1/2 hours.  1/2 way through the training I remember having a conversation with my husband about it.  I kept saying, "I can train for this thing all this time and then that day something could happen!  I could not feel well or just not have stamina, or...."  He would just look at me blankly.  But, I put it out of my mind and told myself, "I will finish, I will run the whole thing."  I just kept telling myself that over and over.  On the days I didn't feel like running, I kept telling myself that.  I visualized what coming over the finish line would feel like.  In the meantime, I inspired my sister to start running.  She is in great shape so it came natural to her.  Her normal speed is my sprint!  We ran a 5k together and she was hooked as well. 
The day came and I drove myself, alone to the race.  I had my usual long run breakfast and tried to stay calm and not over think.  When you run races there are lots of people around and the adrenaline can get the best of you.  The bell sounded and I just told myself, "run your race, no one else's."  And I did.  I ran my race.  My family was there every couple of miles to cheer me on.  I came over the finish line and gave my sister a hug with tears in my eyes.  She said, "I think I might want to do this!"  and so now....she has run 2 halfs to my one and has run multiple 10ks and 15ks.  She is now training for the NY marathon.  I am so proud I inspired her!  Now she inspires me!
SO, we are both running the Asbury Park 1/2 in April.  It will be the 2 yr anniversary of my first 1/2.  It is 14 weeks away.  I started training on Sunday. 
I am not scared, I am not nervous.  I am at peace.  I know the journey. What it will bring me and how I will feel.  The training has begun....

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Ow, Ow, Ow

Dentist last night.  Lost a filling.  Took 3 shots of Novocaine and lots of drilling.  Now I feel like I was hit in the face.  Jaw sore and tooth hurts.  OW!  Mouth pain sucks.  Just plain sucks.
My baby (well, 17mos) GSD, Rev, had another training session and then playtime with her buddy "Switch" this Friday.  She loves that dog.  Funny.  He isn't much smaller then her and she is 1 yr older!  he is only a 6 mo pup.  But they play and play, wrestle and tug.  I love watching this.  I know that dogs remember their puppy friends.  Draven at 12 still remembers his puppy friends.  Watching 2 dogs play is one of my favorite things.  They know no status or money, no gossip, no discrimination....they just play.  Kind of nice.  Imagine if we could look past all of those things.  Money, skin color, age....none of it would matter.  Ahh, to live in that kind of world.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Rain Rain Rain

It is pouring here in NY/NJ.  I mean POURING.  Pull the covers over your head and stay in bed pouring.  Chins are not happy, I mean, it is a well known fact that Japanese Chin melt in the rain.  *EG*
I watched a show on TLC last night on dog cloning last night.  It was strangely creepy.  Not the cloning part, the people part.  I get the cloning thing.  If I had 50k I would gladly clone Draven.  I would love lots of Dravens.  But then the question of Nature vs Nurture comes up.  Would Draven be the same Draven if I had him from Day 1?  (He is a rescue).  Would he have the same phobias?  Would he love agility as much?  Lots of questions.  If people could, would they clone extremely talented agility or show dogs?  Is the talent from the traning or inate in the dog?
But the people, the people were just odd.  One guy literally has not gotten over his dog's death in 8 years!  He had her cloned and was singing to the puppies in the incubater.  Creepy.  He put his picture with the dog in the incubator.  One person had a dog communicator talk to the cloned puppy and apparently the puppy knew he was cloned and is the same dog.  um....ok.
so...here are some Draven baby pics....

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

People never stop surprising me

So I went to this new vegetarian place yesterday for lunch.  They have been open for a few weeks and the food is very good.  I ordered my hummus salad and while they were making it asked if I wanted a pita.  I said whole wheat but the person making my food told me they were out.  He was quite apologetic and I understood.  The person in front of me asks for a bag and he says the same thing, that they are out.  Again, apologising.  The customer raises his voice and asks, "WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?"  I am thinking, "Um, you have a pita in a box sealed and a salad in a box sealed, you can't carry it?"  Again, the worker apologises.  He makes a big thing saying how there are no whole wheat pits and no bags and how are they running this place, blah blah blah.  I could not believe people can be so mean.  I am sure the worker who is probably making less then $10 an hour did that on purpose.  So, I left and was very disappointed in people. 
When I got on the bus to go home, it was super hot.  I sat down and tried to get my winter coat off without making a scene.  The man next to me took the sleeve and pulled it off to assist me.  How nice!  He looked at me and said, "I know, very hot in here.  Glad I could help!"  and smiled.  OK, so my faith in people was restored. 

Monday, January 9, 2012

Happy Monday?

Mondays come way to quick.  Just when I am settleing into the weekend, it is over.  Not fair.  Mondays and Fridays should be optional work days don't cha think?
So I taught my 2 agility classes friday night.  The first is advanced beg and the 2nd is beginners.  I always drag myself to teach these classes until I get there.  Once I start setting up I get motivated to teach.  I have a particular dog in the 1st class that amazes me.  A few weeks ago she wouldn't even go near a jump bar.  The dedicated owner brought it home and had her eat next to it.  With a little tough love and coaxing and lots of treats she is now wagging her tail and going over jumps in succession.  I actually jumped up and high fived the beaming owner.  What an accomplishment!  That is what teaching is all about.
After class Rev had a play session with Switch the bc pup.  She had a blast.  This was the first time she played with out any growling.  I was thrilled.  So, she is now in love and dreaming of next friday for another rendezvous with the black and white dog.
Sunday evening brings me to another set of classes.  I love these students.  They are funny and willing to learn and love their dogs.  Last week one of them thanked me for making her stay in the sport with her over the top lab.  Now I was beaming.  They are becoming a team.  One of my puppies, Bella, is in this class.  I get to see my grand pup!  And then there is Samantha and her mix Marge.  I am most proud of her.  She cam to me in beginner agility and I have watched her create her own calm and lovely handling style.  She and her dog have overcome so much not to mention earning a 4.0 this semester in college.  She had now taken the reins of running my rent a border collie, Arrow.  I love coaching them.  What a team.  I can only imagine what Sam will do in the future of this sport.

And now it is Monday.  oh Monday....you should be optional.
Here is Rev with her new friend Switch

Friday, January 6, 2012

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." — Ferris Bueller

I found out this am that my friend Dawn passed away in her sleep.  She was 37.  I am in shock.  It made me think of the quote from Ferris Bueller above.  I wake up every day looking forward to finishing work or the weekend or the dog show and I am not just being happy I am waking up.  I should cherish every morning, every sunrise and sunset, every kiss from my dogs or training session.  Every hug from my husband or smile over dinner.  I am going to make an effort to do this every day.  Just cherish life.
On a completely different note, we had this small skateboard in our office for months.  One of my co-workers challenged me to teach one of the dogs to use it.  So, I took it home and armed with my clicker and treats I let Rev out to play with it.  Within 5 mins she had both paws on it and was able to walk pushing it.  I kept thinking to stay calm and patient and let her choose to play with it and not me showing her what to do.  She did great.  I am so proud of her. 
Again, cherish all the moments.  I am lucky to have a dog who wants to play much less play with a skateboard!

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Another day....but it is warmer

So, I ddn't run on the treadmill this am.  I just couldn't get up.  Something about a nice warm bed in the am.  Just doesn't lend to getting up to run....
Last night I came home from work and ran out to work on a newfie.  She is a lovely dog who had some neck and back problems 2 weeks ago.  She lives with yet another newfie.  Going there is fun.  2 big fluffy dogs who love to be massaged.  And last evening was no different.  Warfy (newfie #1) was remarkably better.  She was shaking her head around with her toy in her mouth.  Never underestimate the powerof massage.  And her housemate, Gritty, got a massage too.  Somehow I don't mind getting cover in hair and drool from these dogs.  They are just so cool.
I came home and played ball with the dogs and tug with the chins.  I can never get tired of that.  Something about the raw fun dogs can have with just a ball or a toy.  Why do we need such intricate gadgets and they just need a ball or a sock....
Puppies....ahhhhhh....they are now standing up and wag their tails when they hear my voice.  I love that.  And my hubby was home when I got there to give me a kiss.  I love that too....
So now it is Thursday.  And it is getting warmer.  I am still not running outside in the am.  sorry.
So...here is Pirate wagging....

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

First Blog Post...why am I doing this again?

So I have been following a bunch of people's blogs and really enjoy reading them.  Why?  I am not sure.  I do know I love to read and my favorite books are autobiographies.  Maybe that is it.  I kno I love to read about how a person becomes who they are, their life and their experiences.  So, here is it, my own blog...or autobiography, um, from today on....
So it is extremely cold here in the north east today.  I mean really cold.  Like single digit windchill cold.  With it being so cold and so DARK in the am, I blew the dust off my treadmill last night and set it up for a morning run before work.  For those of you that don't know, I took up running (I use that term loosely as my pace is pretty slow compared to real runners but hey, I run in my book....) about 3 years ago.  I quite smoking and started to run.  I started with 5ks and then decided to challenge myself with  1/2 marathon.  yep, 13.1 miles.  I took a running class (yes, it actually taugh me HOW to run) and trained by myself.  I ran my 1/2 in April 2010.  It inspired my sister who now has 2 1/2's under her belt and is planning to run the NYC marathon this year.  Yeah Gaetana!  So Gae and I decided to run the Disney Wine and Dine 1/2 in November.  But I digress....
So, I decided that I would not only run Disney but the Asbury park 1/2 on April 21st.  I like that 1/2 (it is fast and flat!) but it is also put on by my running club AND it was the 1/2 I did 2 years ago.  In order to run that mileage, I need to start to up my running now...hence the treadmill.  Problem is....I HATE THE TREADMILL.  I don't care what is on tv, what I am listening to, I just can't get over the fact that I am going NO WHERE.  I am running but not moving.  I just have an issue with this.  And it shows in my running.  I feel like I am killing myself but yet my average speed is slower.  Something about running outside with my dog that invigorates me.  The mileage never seems to be and issue.  So, I am going to "suck it up" and run on the treadmill until it gets light out earlier (or later).  But I am not happy about it.  Ok, but I did it.  I did run this am.  Much to Draven's chagrin.  He was a bit pissed that I was up and running and he still had to pee.  Sorry bud, ya gotta wait.
And with this cold and dark brings me to yet another problem, the dogs.  They don't get nearly the exercise they do in the warmer months and I am forced to train little things in my family room or florida room.  So, my dogs can now run out the door, weave 6 poles and run back inside.  YEAH!  But weaving with my next to them...problem.  ha!  I guess there cold be worse problems right?  So, 1 jump exercises and weaves.  if it isn;t muddy or freezing we do the teeter but I do envy those with indoor training areas.  There are some here but with my work schedule (I leave at 7am and don't return until 7:20) it is very hard to find a place I can rent or even take a class at 8pm.  SO....2 more months of this.