Doing what we do best

Today had to be a highlight of the week for the boys. I was in the kitchen getting the chili ready for the hotdogs we were having for lunch, and as I was putting it in a bowl to nuke it, it dropped out of my hand. Chili went everywhere and I burst out laughing. My daughter (3) didn't think it was so funny, as chili hit her in her mid-section and she had the "sharks" circling her, deciding who should attempt to lick it off of her first. My husband, looked at me like I was completely nuts, because he didn't realize I'd dropped the bowl, but then saw chili splattered on our daughter, the bottom cabinets by the stove, across the kitchen on the wall, on the countertops/upper and bottom cabinets, and on the undercabinet lighting. Hey, I did manage to grab the bowl before the "sharks" were able to dive in and eat it all. So, the "sharks" helped me clean up chili off the floor and the cabinet doors they could reach. I told my husband, "see, this is why we have dogs"! After I got all of that cleaned up and the boys ushered outside, we went out and ate on the deck. Some chips were dropped by our daughter and smashed on the deck. Leo hopped up there and gobbled them up before Cosmo had a chance. As I was walking towards the door to go inside with dishes, Leo ran in front of me, then, as if he'd stepped on that proverbial banana peel, did this weird back flip and landed upside down BECAUSE he'd almost missed those smashed chips and did a really sudden about turn to gobble them up. Of course, I didn't have the camera with me to catch that. It was hysterical. My boy is going to need a doggie chiropractor if he keeps his stunts up.
To round off their day of feasting on stuff they normally don't get, they got scrubbed clean and Cosmo got a hair cut. Leo was next, but the battery died on my clipper and because I need new batteries, it takes too long for me to want to wait for it to recharge. At least they're both smelling really nice.

Our very first AKC show

The weather could not have been much worse today than it was. It was horrible. "Froggy" as my son calls it, gray, and that yucky rain. Not the hard downpour or the gentle rains you don't mind listening to. The yucky middle ground rain that is just miserable. There is red clay underneath the grass, and because of the amount of rain that we've received since yesterday added to the numerous cars, motor homes and RV's that were driving around the show site, it was all churned up and just a big mud pit mess. Thankfully, I was able to keep Leo out of the mud. My car was not so lucky however. Oh well....
Our day went pretty good. The judging was running late, which was not helping my nerves or the feeling of doom that I had in the pit of my stomach. We were the first ones in to start the judging of the ECS's, so there was some pressure there (at least it felt like it to me). Leo did really well in the ring, and I didn't trip, fall, or stumble, so I think I did pretty well too =) Leo held his stack on both the table and the matting. He only slightly moved his head a little during the exam, but wasn't obnoxious about it. For that, I was most thankful. Leo took 1st place in his class. I guess I should mention that we were the only ones in his class. I look at it like this. At least we weren't excused from the ring! That's where our journey ended for today. We did not place after that. Cosmo's breeder (Mindy) was handling in the 12-18 mos class and she took RWD. WTG Mindy! I do owe Mindy a huge thanks for cleaning up Leo for me where I'd left on too much hair. I was afraid of taking off too much and ending up with a naked dog we couldn't salvage. Leo's breeder, Betty, was there and it was nice getting to see her, and Leo's litter sister, Kit again. They are leaving for the National soon. Wish I was going, but will have to wait til it's closer again for me to be able to go.
Cosmo stayed home and was pampered by the kids. He had a nice hambone to keep him occupied til I got back with Leo. Poor Cosmo kept going around the house looking for him while I was gone, and it was obvious that Leo missed him as well.
Hopefully, it will dry out a little tomorrow so they can run and play outside. Cosmo has had one bath, and Leo's had two this week, and I'm done with bathing them again for awhile (I hope!)

Lazy days of spring

Man, nothing like having a 79 degree Spring day and getting to lounge on the deck and watch the world go by! And that is exactly what these two knuckle heads did today. Maybe they were recouperating from the shock of unexpected baths, and for Leo the beginnings of his show groom for his first official show debute this Saturday in Charlotte. Or maybe it was because they not only missed their ACD buddy, Jake, but were recouperating from all the running around and playing they did in a three day span. Whatever the cause, we all know that a tired ECS is a happy ECS!