Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Agree completely with what you said. They should say nothing or they should be honest. How sad that getting assistance in improving our health is so shameful that it can't be mentioned. I still get amazement when I tell people I had bariatric surgery and now I am taking tirzepatide. Many say well you weren't that big...but they don't understand how difficult it was to bring my BP down or how sore my knees have been.

You all just made my day. Thank you so much for the support (and love) for Blitz and me! Blitz was such a good boy. He had a good time and really enjoyed showing after a 5 month hiatus. I was really proud of him. Personally, I like him better than the best of breed dog, but naturally this dog papa is biased. There was a lot of ringside support for Blitz, too. Many people expressed the belief that in their opinions he should have gotten best of breed. Either way, I am so happy to be coming home with Blitz!!!!! He is my best boy!

I am liking the tirzepatide much more than the semaglutide compound I was taking. Absolutely no side effects! The "full" signals are extraordinary. I enjoy the taste of food just as before, but my "done button" gets pushed much more quickly. We ordered burgers on Monday night. I ate about a 3rd and I was DONE! Last night I ordered a blackened chicken sandwich. I ate the chicken breast and a few of the fries and that was it. I ate lunch at the show site yesterday. It was the only meal I have finished while traveling. I wonder if it was because I ordered a wrap that was meat and leafy veggies, or if I was just plain hungry after not eating since dinner time the day before.

All three of us (Blitz, Ron and I) must have been wiped out. I slept until after 9:00. Ron slept until almost 11:00! He's bummed out that we missed the breakfast at the hotel. Me, I don't care so much. I have a Quest Bar, if I get peckish.

We have a late flight out and luckily have a 3 pm check out of the hotel. Makes for a nice leisurely day. I am not looking forward to getting to bed around 2 am west coast time and getting up at a regular teaching time! UGH.... But, that is the price we play for playing hooky! I was a "good boy" and sent a couple of photos to my superintendent thanking her for granting me the time off. She, too, had been watching and bubbled over with congratulations! It's amazing how many people know about the Westminster Dog Show and that it's the "Dog Show of the Year" in the United States. I have never been to such a well run, swanky dog show. It's an experience for sure!

I am looking forward to my next shot tomorrow night and weighing on Friday. I think I will skip tomorrow, since weighing after flying is never a good idea for me.

I think Blitz was the only one with wags! He knew he belonged there. And the only dog the judge talked to directly during pictures. He's got personality! I love that there was a lot of ringside support for him as best of breed. That's so validating.

Here are all the questions I wanted to ask:

Did I see right that one of the other dogs was related to Blitz?

Are owner/breeder/handlers rare at that level?

Where do that many dogs go potty??

What did you think of the poodle that won? I have to admit, I have never understood the appeal of traditional poodle grooming.

1. Yes, one of the girls has the same sire as Blitz. She is the one who was awarded Select ***** On my FB page you can see a photo of the two half siblings together.
2. Yes, owner/breeder/handlers are rare at this level in Airedales. In some of the other "easier" breeds (less grooming, fewer performance demands) you will see more owner handlers. In terriers it is a rarity. Blitz was the only owner/breeder/handler Airedale to be invited to show at Westminster.
3. There are potty areas all around the show site. The USTA site is built on the site of the 1960s NYC World's Fair Site. Just outside the gates is a beautiful park called Flushing Meadows. Some of us walked out dogs there, too. The nice thing is that Westminster spends an absolute fortune on lining the walkways with plants. The boys all use those for pottying and it is encouraged to do so.
4. I watched to Miniature Poodle in the breed ring. The dog was a clear winner the moment it walked into the ring. The personality, presence and showmanship of the dog was amazing. I had pegged it as Best in Show or Reserve Best in Show in a friendly wager with a friend. I won! I don't like the trims on the poodles either. But it is interesting to know where it comes from. As hunting dogs they were used as water retrievers. The poofs on the legs were originally done to keep joints warm in colder weather and the poof on the tail was to keep track of the dogs in water because Poodles tend to swim with their heads beneath the surface of the water with the tail erect like a periscope. I would like to see Poodles shown in what is called a German Trim, but that trim is not fancy enough for the die hard poodle fans. However, you'd be able to see the structure much more easily in that trim.

I loved seeing his tail wagging! What personality. I don't know much about Terriers of any kind, bu****ching Blitz I thought this breed seems to be a dog with a really fun temperament. I thought a dog show would be very serious deportment, and he did his part when needed, but like others mentioned, he also was very joyful.

Everybody I know is a Westminster freak, as am I! Probably because all my friends have dogs.

Of course, I love the Irish Wolfhounds, since that was my favorite doggie ever!

Greetings all

Early day for me. For some unknown reason I woke up early. Good thing because our housecleaner came an hour early by accident. Blames it on her phone alarm. Who cares! Its a nice sunny day and it may get to 70.

Finally found Peps and Blitz on youtube. Wow that was an extremely formidable bunch of Airedales! All of them fabulous! So awesome to be Select in such a strong group. Blitz did show beautifully but they all did. I noticed the one man who was very pigeon toed (man not dog) and it made me think of the movie Best In Show where Eugene Levy character had two left feet! And yeah CC dog shows are museums for women and clunky footwear. In defense, you are on your feet so much and often on uneven ground. But I agree, why not pants?

Heading for the studio in a bit. Need a drug store stop for coffee and toothpaste. I am thawing some ham for dinner tonight with asparagus.

DH is in heaven with his new iPad pro. He says it's much thinner and lighter than the old one.

Liz yay on being sling-free. Two hands are useful.

We watched more of Sugar. A very weird twist in episode 5. Last one tonight.

I think I finally found a yard service. Someone finally called back. Works for me.

CC wishing you the best with new furniture. Fun to get your home all pulled together.

Not sure what to think about Kelly Clarkson. Oprah certainly has been up front about stuff which is a good thing. But even a celebrity has some right to health privacy. Still, if it's a thing that is visible and there is a chance to help others......I was very open about VSG but not so much now as I am embarrassed about having gained weight back. Time to do something...

Diane s