Life Adventures

It's been an amazing February for Braddock and I in agility.  Last weekend was marked by his success at Westminster.  This weekend was not only 100% qualifying runs, but also MACH 4 with 2 first place runs.  He also got first in standard day 1. Now is truly his time and a time to celebrate.  While I don't want to lose sight of that, there is a nagging sadness that this won't last forever.  I have another sobering thought as well, that there will never be another Braddock. He ran brilliantly this weekend amd even though almost 8 years old, he was still 30 seconds under time in standard and 17 seconds under time in jumpers.  Little man hasn't lost a beat.

Tour of Celebration On Monday evening we headed to Celebration with Mom and Dad.  We left the dogs behind.  It was a warm day and thus not safe to leave them in the car, or to walk Logan around too much outside.  We arrived at dark, so we couldn't really see the town that well.  Our destination was my favorite restaurant, Columbia Restaurant.  It's a Spanish restaurant.  Excellent food and wonderful patio area on Front Street.  Because it was warm, we wanted to sit outside.  Last year when Russ and I went, it was much cooler, but we still sat outside because the restaurant had powerful patio heaters. Our first trip to Columbia Restaurant in 2014, Braddock's first trip to the Invitational We had a cocky waiter named Paul.  He was good though, just had a very cocky demeanor.  I remembered our favorite dish was Mahi Mahi Verdadero.  In fact, that is the exact dish that Paul recommended to my mom.  It's apparently a customer favorite.  We love it.  The other option

Orlando, FL (Tuesday December 13 – Tuesday Dec 21) Tuesday We decided to leave Myrtle Beach a day early due to the rainy weather.   I was hoping the rain would take a different course and give us one more day, but rain was on its way.   Fortunately, we left early, and pulled out of the campground just as the drizzle began.   One thing I have come to appreciate about the RV life is the flexibility.   When we want to leave, we leave.   Yes, we were out a night’s pay for a campground site, but we were heading to the Thousand Trails in Orlando where we stay for free so really nothing lost. What we didn’t think through well was the distance from Myrtle Beach to Orlando.   It was an 11 hour trip after our 3 stops, and just too much to do in one day.   We were exhausted when we rolled in.   My parents met us at the office and we got a site as close to them as we could.   We were in B 23, a newly renovated site. The only thing we did on our first evening was walk the dogs around the c

Disney Springs We ate in Wednesday night, and afterwards I went out with my parents to Disney Springs.   None of us have been there.   I’d say I wouldn’t need to go again.   It’s not my kind of scene.   Lots of people, loud music, and all about shopping.   Nothing of interest to really see, and besides, I can shop at home.   I did find Russ a Columbia shirt that was a bargain.   The only point of interest was watching the hot air balloon on the lake and then the fireworks.   We left after the fireworks.   No one had an interest in staying longer.   If we were to do it again, I would park in the lime parking garage (we parked in the orange parking garage) and I’d walk over to the marketplace to see the specialty shops  and do the trail of Christmas Trees. In front of big tree at Grand Floridan Hotel Disney’s Magic Kingdom For the third time now, we went out with my parents for dinner in Disney.   It was their treat, which was really nice.   We went to the same restaurant, ne

Today was a day of a life worth living.   At least Logan saw it that way.   It’s as if he said, “hey world, look at me, I can still run.”   Towards the end of the two mile walk at the park this morning he started this game where he’d lag behind, and then take off running to catch up and get a treat.   I always said, that dog would do anything for a treat.   The beautiful thing is that he still has the will to do it. We had a follow-up visit with Patti a couple days OK.   The basic diagnostics are as follows; gums and tongue pink, eyes bright and white, weight holding steady, and an even body temperature to the touch.   All good signs apparently.   We were having some trouble with starting the SamE.   We administered the supplement every other day, and on the days he took it, he was definitely more lethargic.   Patti recommended to keep him on the every other day ritual and continue to give with food (which decreases potency).   Ideally, he would take every day and 1 hour before o

“Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey.   It reminds us to cherish each moment, because it will never come again.” – anonymous My first Ridgeback Specialty was in Ohio 2007 and I entered in Agility Excellent STD and Excellent JWW with my Logan, MACH3 Oridgenal's Poet Laureate CDX MXC MJC MXP NJP, TDI, HIC .   He was young then, not a speck of grey, his eyes were bright, and his body knew no limitations.   The event was a one-ring trial.   Spectators sat in a line ringside with a perfect view of the course.   Throughout the day there was clapping, excited gasps, and laughter, but when Logan hit the weave poles, the crowd roared.   The way he moved through the poles was so unlike a Ridgeback.   He just loved to move and to go as fast as he could.   While he dominated the course in speed, he didn’t qualify.   It would take another year before I could learn to handle his sheer power and drive on the course.   But I’ll always remember the smile on his face when he ran

Friday A quick morning at the campground because it was the first day of the Invitational Agility show.   We walked the dogs (all except Cadia) around the campground.   Cadia and Frye got a special bike ride up to the office to tire them out.   The goal of the trip to the office was so I could extend our stay an extra day.   We were going to leave on Tuesday for SC so we could spend a day at Kiawah Beach.   But, I decided I’d rather stay here, in the warmer weather, and less time in Yemassee, which is really not a destination.   So now, we will only be in Yemassee 2 nights.   This is that flexibility of the RV lifestyle I referred to in an earlier post. We reserved a hotel near the show site to make transitions during the day easier.  Traveling back to the RV would be a 30 minute drive without traffic.  But this morning, we left the dogs in the RV as we only headed to the show site to check in.   So we stopped at Whole Foods on the way in and then went to the site to check in an

This weekend is the Westminster trial in NY.   I am apprehensive with the thought of taking Logan into the big city.   Especially with a concern on how we could get help quickly if there were an emergency.   I needed some data to help me make an informed decision, so I decided to get Logan’s blood rechecked. Recall his liver values at the time of his diagnosis on 12/1/16: Serum chemistries demonstrated mildly increased ALT (227 U/L), mildly increased GGT (19 U/L), normal ALP (64 U/L) and normal total bilirubin (0.2 mg/dl).   Phosphorous (2.2 mg/dl) and magnesium (1.3 mg/dl) were mildly (1.3 mEq/L). The new liver values look quite promising: ALT (160 U/L), GGT (1), ALP (52 U/L) and total bilirubin (.1mg/dl).   I’ve attached his bloodwork for those interested. It’s important to interpret these values the right way.   When the liver is compromised, because there is less normal liver tissue, one could explain a lower ALT value.   However, if this lower value was d