Chapter VII
November 28th, 2010
The very end of August I flew to Atlanta Georgia. Cheryl and Susan met me at the airport. They took me to a motel and Susan gave me a massage. It was wonderful; it made me feel so good that I couldn’t remember why I was there. The next morning we went to a big dog show. My friends Janet and Laura were there. I hadn’t seen them since we were in Topeka more than a year ago. Laura had a pretty girl dog named Rosie with her — she was very cute. I got to sit in Janet’s lap for the whole dog show. She has a really pretty girl dog named Scout. When Scout came out of the ring she jumped on me and licked my face. I must say I liked her too.
Scout and me
After the show we drove to Tennessee and I went to Susan’s house. Cheryl’s little girl Treasure smelled very nice and Cheryl didn’t want any accidents (it would not have been an accident). Susan has ducks at her house, and she has another house where she has sheep. Wow! I was really beginning an adventure. We went out every afternoon and I made the ducks go where Susan wanted them. It was so much fun – and they were great big ducks, taller than I am, but I was the boss of them. The ducks squawked and flapped their wings to try to scare me. It didn’t work. The sheep were fun, too. They were afraid of me and huddled around Susan, but if I got too close they would take off running. Now, that’s what life is all about. I would get to run after them and round them up to bring them back to Susan. She calls it “bowling for sheep”. Susan also has baby sheep. There were 12 of them and they just ran all over the place on stiff little legs. Catching those lambs was pretty tricky, but really fun.
In the middle of September I went to live with Cheryl. Susan needed a break from my relationship with her dog Kearney. Kearney is about Holmes’ age – a teenager – and needed to be straightened out. If I didn’t help him, he wouldn’t grow up to be a good dog. We must maintain standards. Anyway, Susan thought my lessons were trying so she sent me to Cheryl’s house and from then on I’ve seen Susan only on the weekends.
For all the fun I was having, Susan kept reminding me that herding was serious, that it was a real job and I needed to pay attention. I loved it. I love every minute of herding the ducks and the sheep. We were getting ready for another dog show, but this was for herding only. We drove to Georgia and I moved some sheep up and down a field four times. When I had done that, the judge said really nice things about me. She also said I was part Border Collie. I AM NOT! Anyway I got a couple more green ribbons and an HT title. Susan called Penni to tell her I was a good dog which Penni already knows, but likes to hear anyway.
Then Janet brought Scout to Cheryl’s house – whoa! Scoutie was irresistible. We had a wonderful week together. Now I hear I must develop some skills and get a job because Scout and I have young ’uns on the way. They’re due just before Christmas. I wonder what it costs to send a puppy through school? Meanwhile, back in Albuquerque, Leidy had puppies. There are two boys and two girls. I miss being there to raise them right, but I’ve got to work – it’s more mouths to feed.
Last weekend (before Thanksgiving), Susan took Kearney and me to Kentucky. I moved some sheep around and got a couple more green ribbons and a PT title, but Kearney was the big hero. He got rosettes and people kept coming over to say he was awesome. I didn’t get to see what he did because I was locked up in the car, but it must have been great. Susan said he got high. I told him that was awesome, dude. It’s lucky I have him straightened out. I hope I have a chance to get high, too.
I’m going to keep working with the ducks and the sheep. I won’t be going to any more trials until the end of March because I will be in a new and more complicated event then. So I need more practice. I did go to a regular dog show and got some light blue and white select ribbons. We’re going to more dog shows while we wait for the March herding trial. Then in April, I’m going to Houston. Susan and I are going to be in Started Sheep and Started Ducks. Penni and G-Ma Carolyn will be there, and Cheryl is going to fly in on an airplane to show me in Herding Titled class (because I am). The Cardigan Welsh Corgi Club of America is giving me a new set of letters – it’s VC. It’s because I’ve been in a bunch of different events and earned degrees in all of them.
I have an autograph book/photo album that Cheryl and Susan carry with them. Lots of people have signed my book and Cheryl has put photos in it showing all the places we’ve gone. I’m a lucky dog to have so many good friends and to get to herd the sheep and ducks.
See you in the future if not in the pasture – that’s a human joke!
