First, to explain my title....the landscaping outside the soccer building was some sort of laurel bush (I think) and it was in very full bloom. The blossoms were cloyingly sweet in fragrance and attracted all manner of insects. At one point during the day on Sunday, I took Jimmy out for a potty break. I wasn't even that close to the bushes, but a wasp did a super fast fly-by, stinging me, through my sock, on my ankle. It felt like being stabbed with an ice pick! I went right inside and got a bag of ice from the snack bar. A fellow competitor even had a first-aid kit with a bug bite pad, so I used that too. I haven't been stung by a bee or wasp in years, but I wasn't really expecting too much of a reaction. Between the ice and the medicated pad, I pretty well stopped the reaction. It was a bit itchy and sore where my shoe rubbed it but not too bad. I was very thankful the wasp stung me and not Jimmy! To my knowledge, he has never been stung before, so I certainly didn't want to see what his reaction would be at an agility trial, and away from our usual vet.
 |
| Photo credit: Key4Prints |
On Saturday, just after our first run of the day, a thunderstorm rolled through. It came with several loud peels of thunder and sent Jimmy into a meltdown. We spent the next hour holed up in my car with the A/C running. Jimmy feels much safer in the car so we went out there to try to re-gain his sanity. Fortunately, I had a really good audiobook going, so the time flew by. Also, a fellow competitor had a product used to reduce anxiety called VetriScience Composure which comes in biscuit form. She gave me one for Jimmy to try, and I do believe it helped. The trial was a one-ring trial so our runs were spaced out by many hours, so Jimmy had pretty much recovered by the time his next run came due.
 |
| Photo credit: Key4Prints |
On Sunday, the day dawned sunny but oh, so HOT . It took your breath away to go outside. There was no walking the dogs to kill time, or get exercise. It was quick business....(get stung by a wasp!) ....and hurry back inside. Thankfully the A/C kept up with the heat and the building stayed pleasant all day.
 |
| Photo credit: Key4Prints |
As to how our runs went.....Meh! Jimmy and I were only 1 for 4 by the end of the weekend. Each run had just one mistake....a dropped bar, a table refusal in the run after the thunderstorm. I don't think Jimmy wanted to have to stop as he was still a little stressed and moving felt safer, and finally a dogwalk contact got us. Sigh. Jimmy did redeem himself in the very last Jumpers run, Qing and getting the blue ribbon.
 |
| The view of the trial from an upper mezzanine. |
Tracking Jimmy's PACH progress:
Very 1st Double-Q: Saturday 06/21/2014
Masters JWW legs: 19...MJP Title 01/25/15
Masters STD legs: 18...MXP Title!10/24/14
Double Q's: 10
PACH Points: 858
AKC Nationals 2016:
Double-Q's: 3 (out of 5 needed)
Points: 336 (out of 600 needed)....
Masters Legs: 15 (out of 20 needed)
Update: Forgot the maps! D'Oh!
