Injured Simon

So last thursday I went down the stairs in the morning to let the dogs out but forgot that two days earlier we moved our shelving unit that held the key. I went back up the stairs and Simon, excited as usual followed, then whipped back around when i went down the stairs. He miss stepped and fell. His ankle swelled and but he didn't appear to be in pain from the touch, he wasn't stepping on his foot though. We figured it was a sprain and waiting for it to get better. Here we are a week later and he's only starting to put the foot down. His spirits have been high but we decided it was time to see the vet. The young lady who saw us said the way he was moving she thought it was a torn acl. She xrayed to check it wasn't something else and to see if it was the acl which is only viewable a teeny amount. She said the xray didn't show it but three other drs checked him out and concluded it is torn or partially torn. She suggested surgery but didn't push it. We looked like two kids in zombie t-shirts who can't afford mcdonalds. We have a surgery consult on Tuesday. Its so hard to decide what to the do. The internet tells you all sides and who knows which is best. I know one thing, agility has no more decisions to be made. We're done. Our decisions are not financially based for the surgery it is simply what is best for the dog. I had started to think about putting Simon on some gluecosamine a few months back. I wish I had. It would have helped prevent this although probably not a 100% bet. He will be on it now, he has some signs of arthritis, as do we all :) He's turning 9. Yes, he's getting older but I still think we have a good 3 years out of him pending major issues. I can't believe its gone past so quickly.

Agility Event Results

We rocked the house.... it was a great venue, it wasn't hot and you could hear the spectators which felt great as they all gasped in pleasure as I turned simon off of doing a wrong turn in his last event. He was about to do a wrong jump but with my call his did this great arch towards me and chose the right jump.
Usually by the end of a show its hotter than fuck and I know Simon won't complete his course right because he's just so pooped. It helped that the door right by where we wait to go in was open and we could sneak out for some grass and breeze mojo before we ran.This show went longer cause there was only one ring instead of two but Simon was bright eyed and bushy tailed at 4:30 when he completed his last leg of Novice Jumpers with Weaves... yes I know, I just sound like Charlie Brown's teacher when I talk agility. We got first in the Open Standard run and second in the Novice Jumpers with Weaves and finished our Novice legs for Jumpers with Weaves...another words, we did great and were very pleased.

The Jersey Shore

Not that crappy one on MTV.....
During spring in STL the fan comes out of the basement for enjoyment in the evenings. Its not quite AC weather yet and frankly we don't want to pay the bill sooner than we need. Every year when the fan comes out I become nostalgic for the Jersey shore. Growing up that was the only place I can recall needing a fan. Whenever I hear the soft whisper of the fan I listen for the sound of the ocean in the background. I always come up short seeing as I'm in the middle of the US. A week ago when I was breaking Passover on my front porch of the new house a breeze came through that threw me back to the shore. It was nice cool evening breeze on the stonework of the porch. I don't miss the east coast and I love STL but there are times when I miss the ocean. Of course I forget about sand in my shorts, stepping on seashells, and the lack of people my age by a good 40 years. Boo and I went back a few years ago, it was, as most things, the not same. I'm sure the hurricane that came through probably didn't help. I still would like to return to my grandparents home there even though they are no longer at it. Its a family place and quite a nice perk seeing as I'm 1000 miles away and don't have to maintain it. Its apparently changed alot in the last few years but there are parts that always stay the same, the lighthouse, the water sound and the cool evening wind.