Kona in front of the jump at this weekend’s show.

It has been almost a year since I got my poodle Kona.  Lauren yelled at me as I made my way home with him that night, but I have certainly won her over.  Kona has won me over as well.  I have other dogs but because I take him to the shows, the nursing home and even to Dairy Queen I spend more time with him.  I think he has won over a few non-Poodle lovers he has encountered as well.  Let me know if you have met Kona and enjoyed his poodly oodly self.

Point of this (although this post is called “Jumping Around” and I am going to do so a lot) is that even when I nicely asked Lauren to stand in front of the jump as the course was open for the riders to walk, she refused.  She said it was embarrassing to stand in the giant arena and have your mother take your picture by a jump.  Okay, I sat Kona down and told him to stay.  He not only stayed, sitting pretty at the jump, but I swear he smiled as well.  He was not embarrassed either.

Kona does have a little issue with other dogs although I am not clear why that is true.  He has been around dogs (although I do not believe he thinks he is one) since birth.  I have six other various shapes and sizes of dogs.  But when we get out, if a dog is loose and comes toward him, friendly or not, Kona bears a quick retreat backwards, dragging me with him.  At the show this week, we rounded a corner and big Corgi (who should have looked a little like Sneaky) came barreling up with two other canine friends in tow.  Kona dragged me backwards.  I came to two realizations at once.  One, I was now standing in the men’s restroom with my poodle and two, the Corgi was Nordic owned by Bruno’s former owner and former husband of Sneaky.  I mean it was like running from family, which sometimes is a good idea but not in this case.

The dog phobia thing got a little better as the weekend wore on and I was proud that I didn’t spend any more time in the Men’s room.  Other things got better as well.  Lauren had a good ride in the 1.05 meter class.  Feather was quiet, accommodating and on her best behavior.  Over the years, (I looked it up) Mickey placed in the 1.05m twice.  So, it was a big day to have Feather make her debut in the event and place sixth out of 23 horses.  I was hoping for a chance to see her go in the 1.05 Classic but Dev decided to end the show on a positive note and we all packed up and headed home.

In the totally schizophrenic world of south Texas weather we went from the 70s to the 30s again on Sunday.  I have lost count of how many times I have covered and uncovered the plants.  I thought it was funny when the weatherman said, “well, if you haven’t brought those plants in yet, they are probably dead so don’t worry about it tonight”.  But then I am easily amused.

We had left for the horse show early Sunday morning and left all the horses out in pasture without blankets.  I knew it was getting colder but thought we would get home first.  We returned to Wharton with Feather to rain and cold temperatures.  For once all the horses had been smart enough to come in out of the wet.

We called to set an appointment for rescue kitty Levi and Kona to be neutered tomorrow (told you I would be jumping around).  The vet office, verifying they had the right cat, asked if this was the tiny grey male we rescued in October.  I answered yes and asked how much he had weighed when he was last in their office.  They replied he weighed 15 ounces.  That was less than four months ago, and I guess you can say his stomach problems are a thing of the past.  He now weighs over 11 pounds.  Seriously.  The vet reminded me that this was a cat not an Irish Wolfhound puppy.  Oh, boy, I guess we will have to watch his weight.

Kona going to be neutered is causing me a lot of angst.  I want to ask my supervisor if I can take the day off for a family member having surgery.  I feel it would be appropriate.  Don’t think she would.  GEEZ!

Here is a collage from Lauren and the show.  Thanks for riding along on this crazy train.  May God bless you and keep you!

Lauren and Flagmount’s Irish Freedom at the Winter Series.