Thoughts on Valentine's Day......Where is that Mr. Right?

I'm sitting here during the waning hours of Valentine's Day...having just read my sister's blog about the wonderful gifts her husband gave her. It has now been 3 years since I have had a Valentine's Day with a spouse to share it with.....and one of the "dumb" things I do is to buy an extremely romantic card.....in the hope that someday I'll have someone to give it to. I am wondering if each year alone gets easier....It is holidays like this that make me really think that I have "gone mad." And then some day, I wonder if romance really does exist....or if that only happens in the movies.

But...c'est la vie.

I did get flowers from ProFlowers (gorgeous - almost purple Irises) from my dogs that are living in Oklahoma. That was a kind gesture. Those flowers were so cool. They even came to my office!

I had a movie "date" with my friend, Anne. We saw Music and Lyrics with Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore. It was a great flick!! While Anne is a great movie-going bud....it would have been more romantic to have gone with Mr. Right....

The cynic in me suspects that he's not out there.....

But c'est la vie.

However....the "best" news is that.....last weekend, I took one of my Gordons to a United Kennel Club Dog Show (UKC) in Ixonia, WI. Here's an excerpt from my post to a dog discussion group -

Going to a UKC show is different venue. Points are earned differently but it is conceivable that you can finish a championship with the United Kennel Club (UKC) in one weekend which consists of 4 shows. Two shows are held concurrently on a given day. A dog needs to win 100 points with 3 competition wins. If you are the only one in your breed, you can earn competition wins by a group placement. So, if your dog gets a Group 4 and there are 5 dogs in the group, you'll get one of your competition wins. (That was how it was explained to me.)

On Saturday, February 10, under Judge Donna Rommelfaenger, River earned Best Male Gordon from the Junior Dog class and Best of Breed. He earned 25 points for that win. In the Gun Dog Group, River earned a Group 1. So, he had his first competition win. And then, the most exciting thing happened.....River was given the nod for Best in Show!! You get no extra "points" or anything for a Best in Show, but I was thrilled. In the second show, under Marsha Shively, River earned his 25 points toward his championship, but did not place in the group at all.

On Sunday,February 11, Laurie had Flame entered and I had River entered again. Gail Godding, who keeps River's coat up, feeds him and cares for him, came to watch and take him home when we were done. When we finally got to show today, we showed to Dean Spielvogel. River won Best Junior Male and Flame won best Junior Female. River got the Best of Breed so he got his 2nd competition win and a chance to go on to the Group. He did nothing in the group. The next judge was Carol Glodowski-Starr and she again gave the nod to River, but as we were leaving the ring she said, "but the bitch is very nice, too." That made us all feel good, because Laurie was the one encouraging me to participate in this venue. River by virtue of this win earned his UKC Championship title.

Then we went into the Gun Dog Group and River took another Group 1. What made it more fun was that Gail and Laurie were there to cheer River and me on. Then for the Best in Show we were in very good company. There was a Borzoi, owned by Pam (WI) who incidently gave River a Best in Sweeps at the Great Lakes GSCA Specialty in July, a lovely Beagle owned by Chardon Beagles Chuck Kitchell, a Schipperke, a Siberian, a White German Shepherd, Terrier group was not represented in the Best in Show that I can remember.

And...again, River won Best in Show. Back-to-back Best in Show wins at a UKC show is just such a thrill. And a new championship title, too!!

I can't thank Gail and Laurie enough for cheering us on. River, was so true to his graceful style and elegance. The judge was telling Gail that she knew that the minute he walked into the breed ring that he would get "something" as he has incredible movement and is such a flashy dog.

So...thanks to everyone and thanks to breeder Marte Wetzel for her support of this venture. Thanks to Gail for her idea of this co-ownership and to Laurie for encouraging me to try something new.

It was a blast!!

I am proud of Ch. BIS-U-Ch* Glen Oak's River Breeze Shiraz!! (*pending confirmation, of course).

River...for now...is that knight in shining armor. He really did shine...and that makes me proud!!