The Crazy Cousin

Some of you may already know that I have a Crazy Cousin Louise.  She hides out a lot but when things are going well she may come out to tell everyone how it's all about her, she did it, and how wonderful she is.  Ok, we get it.

Well, she's got the world's worst case of cabin fever right about now, and was really looking forward to going to Myrtle Beach and then to Texas.  The Texas part of our trip got nixed as my sister-from-another-mother has to travel for work and won't be around.  So, CCL is all upset.  On the other hand, although I miss my Texas family more than I can say, I'm also thinking there might be a silver lining in this cloud.

Instead of going to TX now, we might just go in November, stay for Thanksgiving and then come home in early-mid December.  I'm thinking this could be a pretty darned great time.

And I'm still waiting to get Rigbee back with a new hot water heater, new coach soleinoid and fixed awning (not that I will use the latter).  

Crazy Cousin Louise will have to content herself with a wonderful trip to Myrtle Beach next month and a delightful trip to Maine in May.  Just suck it up, girl!

Trials and Tributes

Date:  March 21, 2021

Place: Tails-U-Win, Manchester, CT

Time:  Almost all Day

Thank Heavens for great weather.  Warm and sunny with barely a breeze, temps in the low 60’s, just a beautiful spring day.

Two years ago, Tripp and I attended our first Agility Trial.  The lowest/easiest level is called “ACT” for Agility Course Trial.  Dog and handler must be able to negotiate a course of basic agility obstacles.  In order to “title”, a dog must get two “legs” or two good runs within the allotted time and then they  move up to the next level.  ACT has two levels, ACT 1 and ACT 2; there is also Standard and Jumpers.  Long story short, Tripp got his ACT1 (standard) two years ago.  We took two shots at a “leg” in ACT 2 (standard) and blew both. 

Between traveling and COVID 19, we haven’t taken a shot again at ACT 2,  Until today.  Yes, today we attempted ACT2 Standard again.  This time, Tripp and I were… Holy Smokes, he was great!  And his handler didn’t screw him up.

Left to right: Blue:  First place (!!), second run.  Green - leg ribbon for second run, Blue and Green Rosette:  ACT2 Standard Title!!!  Green - leg ribbon for first run, Yellow: Third place in the first run.  Wow!  What a haul!

 

I’m so proud of my boy.  He hung out in the car as if he did it all the time, and was a real pro in the arena.  He only back-talked to me when we blew his entrance to the weave poles.  He let me know I screwed him up (too close to the entry, not enough warning) and then came back and ran them perfectly.  He was probably delighted that there were only 6 poles!  Such a wonderful boy.  I couldn’t be prouder!

 

But we weren’t the only ones with success today.  Two of our friends from class were also there.

Jessica and Holly did ACT 1 Jumpers and got a leg!!  Holly (the dog) is not so keen on the Teeter/Totter – the sound of it hitting the floor scares her, but she jumps beautifully so she competes jumpers where Teeters are not an obstacle.  After we left, they competed in ACT 2 Jumpers and they were perfect in both runs.  They got their ACT 2 Jumpers title!!!  Leg ribbons, Title Rosette and 2 Red Second Place Ribbons.  There was one very quick 20" jumper that was quicker than Holly.  Holly is such a beautiful German Shepherd and a very sweet and sensitive dog.

Ronnie and Daphne competed both in ACT1 Standard and ACT1 Jumpers.  They brought home a HAUL of ribbons.  Daphne is going to be a star in Agility, and she’s just a sweet dalmation.  Ronnie is a wonderful owner/handler/breeder, Ronnie has  Daphne’s mother, too.

Ronnie has a fist full of ribbons!

Daphne, Ronnie and their Ribbons

 

 

Daphne's Ribbons

Here are the people who won or placed in the morning, during the ACT 1.  There are Standard and Jumpers here.

 

 

These folks all got their dogs Titled in ACT1 Standard and ACT1 Jumpers.  Great job by everyone!

 

I couldn't stay until the end, so sorry no pics of the ACT 2 presentations. 

 

Lenten Feast

Sorry, no pictures today...

I just have to share one great lenten Friday meal.  A little history here:

As a child, I dreaded Lent because of Fridays.  The taste of tuna fish was just too strong for me along with most other fish.  So while the rest of the family delighted in fish on Fridays, I hated it.  If I'd been allowed a grilled cheese sandwich for dinner, or some other meatless meal, it wouldn't have been so bad, but no.  What was dinner for one was dinner for all.  It burned my butt that if my sister didn't like a certain meal, she was allowed to eat something else, but I wasn't.

I can still remember the awfulness of those meals.  Bad enough to be unable to enjoy lunch (I'd be so hungry, I'd eat most of the sandwich) but to then be presented with Tuna Casserole or some other stinky, strong fish for dinner was just unkind in the extreme.

As I grew older, I gradually learned to like certain fish.  I always loved the expensive shellfish, but it took a while to develop a taste for swordfish, halibut, haddock, salmon, etc.  Even tunafish, especially a tuna melt with cheese, potato chips and sweet pickles is good to me.  I still love shellfish best.

So when Lent comes around, it is an excuse to eat fish on Fridays.

Tonight I made a meal fit for a queen.  Shrimp, asparagus and long grain and wild rice.  It was soooo good.  And some white wine too.  Now, this is not what the catholic church had in mind for meatless Fridays, but it's perfectly legal, church-wise.

So, I got a bag of raw, easy clean shimp in my shopping supplies.  They were supposed to be cleaned, cooked shrimp, ready for cocktail sauce.  So I need to cook these little shell fishies.

The only thing I don't like about this dinner is that it takes 3 pans/pots.  That's what dishwashers are for, so... I got out my biggest stainless steel fry pan and that's where I cooked (boiled/steamed) my asparagus.  Then a medium sized pot for the Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice (I love the seasonings!).  Lastly, my trusty non-stick fry/sauce pan for the shrimp.  

The asparagus and the rice take about the same amount of time, so I got them going first.  Then I melted a solid tablespoon of butter in the little fry pan and added a heaping teaspoon of chopped garlic.  Once that was sweated, I added the shrimp and a half cup of water.  As soon as it boiled I added a healthy tablespoon of lemon juice.  Once the shrimp was cooked (it turns pink pretty quickly) I took out the shrimp and added some of the still-cooking rice to the leftover liquid in the little fry pan and let it (the rice) finish cooking.  At the last minute, I put the shrimp back in, including any liquid in the bowl.

Okay, I have to say this:  It was unbelievably, freakingly good.   I had a single serving bottle of Sauvignon Blanc in the fridge.  Note that I said "had" -- it went very well with this dinner.

Oh yummy.  Guess what I'll be having next Friday?  

Probably linguini and clam sauce.  Extra clams, lots of parmesan cheese.   

Blessed Lent.