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~SAD~
These were taken in 2002 after my retina detached and I had the surgery to repair it. Not only did I feel like I had been punched in the face, but I looked like it too. It was a tough time for me, and I was very sad.
Okay, I know that you all have been dying to know how I did with my diet during my trip into Amish Country. Pennsylvania Dutch cooking is simple, homemade and just plain delicious. This is the kind of food that makes a Weight Watcher shake with fear!
And shake I did!!!
Now I tried to be good. I had packed Weight Watchers yogurt and Weight Watchers snack bars to keep me honest. On the first day I even made myself a turkey sandwich on diet bread. Oh, I was feeling strong!
Then came the dinner at the Angus Beef Steak house where I chowed down on Beef Wellington, which I sort of felt I could get away with because I didn’t have a baked potato with my meal, just a garden salad and no dessert. The next morning, however, I totally screwed up.
Pancakes, maple syrup and bacon!!!
Okay, I could get through this. I’d just make it up at lunch. What did they serve? Pulled Pork sandwiches, chips and cookies. I was good. I didn’t eat the cookies!
That night the banquet was amazing. The most delicious chicken cordon bleu ever, with baby red bliss potatoes in butter sauce, corn and green beans, salad and for dessert, triple chocolate mousse cake!
Yes, I knew then that I would burn in hell.
I also did not watch what I ate when we visited our friends in the Catskills. She is a remarkable German cook and I enjoyed every single bite of her cooking. Yes, every single bite!
So, what happened to me as a result? I gained a pound for all of my transgressions.
I’ve now hopped back onto the Weight Watchers train, and I am taking care of myself again. It makes me realize just how easy it is to slip back into old and bad habits.
Time to get out the carrot and celery sticks!
As many of you know, I was not exactly happy with the results of the dog show. I was, however, very happy with how Anneliese performed, and I felt very much at one with her as we walked the ring. She was a real pro and I have only good things to say about her.
Anneliese is a beauty. In my opinion she deserved better than she got, but then, politics has a lot to do with the actual scoring at many of these events. It was the first time this had happened to me and so it caught me off guard. I think I am still recovering. In fact I know I am. I feel slightly disillusioned and disappointed.
I’m grateful that I don’t have to show any more dogs. I will always be a dog owner. But I do not believe I will stay in the show ring. I simply cannot take the unfairness of the judging, or the politics behind it. A dog should be judged on their own merits.
Was Anneliese the best and most beautiful at the show? Probably not, but she did meet all the standards and should have been judged fairly.
It still hurts that she wasn’t.
On our way home from the Zuchtschau, Barbie and I took Anneliese to visit her Grandmother. Asta is owned by Jurgen and Lore and they invited Barbie and I to spend the night with them on Sunday.
It was raining cats and dogs as we drove along the country roads of upstate New York. We could see almost nothing. The GPS did the navigation, and we pulled into their driveway just after 1 o’clock.
Jurgen and Lore’s home is truly a sanctuary for all the animals of the wild, including the most wonderful herd of deer. I found myself sitting in front of the picture windows snapping picture after picture of those precious beasts.
Anneliese got to meet her grandmother, Asta, and she also got to rest. Barbie, Anneliese and myself were all feeling a bit weary after the Zuchtschau and Lore and Jurgen’s home was so warm and welcoming to us.
That night I climbed into the large and comfortable queen sized bed and sank into the softness of the down comforter. I slept as though I hadn’t slept in years. A true respite from the world.
The leaves were just changing and the next day as we drove home from there we oohed and aaahed at the beauty around us.
Today is the birthday of my best friend, Uschi. I cannot begin to explain how special she is, or how important she is to me. I love her like a sister and I am so grateful that the good Lord brought us together! How else can you explain a woman in New Hampshire and another in Germany finding each other in this big, big world?
So Happy Birthday, dearest Uschi and many, many more!!!
Anneliese and I arrived home at 5:15 this afternoon. A little tired and a little road weary, but home, safe and sound.
Hubby, Fritz, Greta and Arnie met us in the driveway with a great deal happiness, and Anneliese and I were happy to see them too.
Sometimes it just feels good to be home.
Anneliese was the third dog presented on Saturday morning to the German Judge. She was a bit nervous, but I felt she was doing very well. My first indication that perhaps all was not well was when I heard words like, not correct, gaiting too close, and my heart began to sink.
However the judge also indicated that she was a beautiful, well proportioned female dog with excellent rough fur and a beautiful head. By all appearances she was an excellent dog.
But in the end it was the way she walked that gave her two demerits and brought her score from a perfect Excellent to a Very Good or in German Sehr Gut.
This means that she is in a good dog, eligible to breed, but not perfect.
Am I a little disappointed? Yes, a little. I’d hoped that she would score as an Excellent dog the way her mother, father and her brother had before her.
Then after the show I sat down with the judge and we had a long talk about Anneliese and he explained that she is special and should be bred. He said that she is beautiful, and her errors could more than likely be trained out of her. Was it that important? If it was, then I should work on it and try again next year. If not, then allow her to breed after her birthday in December and look for a male that can compliment her. He wanted me to know that she has a spark of beauty that should not be ignored.
I’m not sure what I will do, but for now I know that no matter what she will always be Excellent in my eyes!
Anneliese being judged.
Anneliese kissing up to the judge.
(Saturday Scavenger Photo is below)
Despite the rain that dogged our drive yesterday, we arrived in Reinholds, Pennsylvania right on schedule. Anneliese made the trip like an old pro, and got settled in last night pretty easily. She did not stay down though and awakened me at 3 AM for a walk in the night. Thankfully, it wasn’t raining.
I’m dressing now and we will leave in a little bit for the show. More to come!
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~View~
The view from my house at sunset.
Okay, who stole the summer?
I was walking Emily back up to her house tonight and the air was cool and crisp and as the sun was setting, I noticed bright red leaves had fallen under my feet.
It’s Autumn. It’s really Autumn, and soon the winds will blow and the snow will fall and it will be WINTER!
When I was a little girl I remember thinking that each day was an eternity long. Each year, between birthdays seemed endless. I thought I would never grow up, never have a drivers license or get married and have children. I was going to be forever in first grade!
The time did pass and little by little these things all happened. I got my license, got married, had 2 beautiful children, and the days passed me by. Still, back in my twenties I felt that time was still going rather slowly.
Then one day I woke up and bam, I’m 49 years old! The year between 49 and 50 has flown by and soon it’s going to be winter and I’ll be 50!
So what happened? Does the world just start to spin faster the older you get?
Meanwhile, as I contemplate the time and space continuum, I remind you all once again that we leave tomorrow for the German Dog Show, also known as a Zuchtschau.
Anneliese is packed and ready to go. I’ll be writing on Saturday night to report in on how things went.
