Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Yahoo! Winter Olympics! Westminster Dog Show!

When I lived in Florida and Virginia, the Winter Olympics were something I watched occasionally - usually the ice skating, but nothing else (although I do remember the winter that Jean-Claude Killey was the star, and I watched with Mom and Dad)... Now that I live in Colorado, I can appreciate the grit, determination, drive and nerve that Olympic contenders need. I feel out-of-control on a small sled on a very small hill - there's no way you could get me on skis or a snowboard or a luge/bobsled and go well over 70 miles per hour! (A good gallop on a horse going 35 to 40 mph is the fastest I want to go without a seatbelt, helmet, and/or roll-bar. And I consider the hard roof of a metal vehicle an imperfect roll-bar at that, rolling down the highway at 75 mph.) But I am really enjoying the Winter Olympics this time around - maybe it's because skiing, snowboarding, and sledding are all around me from October through April, and I've learned (some of) the terms. In any event, I was happy that Bode got the Bronze in Men's Downhill; and I'm happy for all the others winners of medals, as well.
Thanks to a heads-up from Kathryn, I watched the first half of the Westminster Dog Show last night on USA and then CNBC. I had never seen a Norwegian Buhund before, nor a Pyrenean Shepherd. It was nice to meet two new breeds last night, and tonight the AKC will admit the Irish Red and White Setter, as well. Last night, in the Hound category, the top three were (first to third place): the Whippet, the Greyhound and the Scottish Deerhound. In the Toy division: the Toy Poodle, the Pekingese, and the Shih Tzu. In the Non-Sporting group, the results were: the French Bulldog, the Chinese Shar-Pei, and the Bulldog. In the Herding group, the winners were: the the Puli, the Belgian Sheepdog, and the Bearded Collie. Tonight, the three remaining groups, Sporting, Working, and Terrier, will be judged and the best of all seven groups will then face off before another judge for the Best in Show. I have to admit that since I am close to certain breeds, I root for them, unless somebody really catches my eye....
I am continuing to read like mad, as my PC is still in the repair shop - it's fixed, I just have to come up with the cash to get it back - and hopefully that will occur before the end of this month.
In the meantime, know that Lovey and Banichi are doing well, as am I; that I'm walking Rosie and Remy Monday through Friday; and that I'm enjoying our winter. It's cool outside, but as long as my ears and hands stay warm, the cold doesn't bother me - it's usually still below freezing when I walk the Rs in the morning. My knee is returning to its normal self - I have almost my full range of movement and flexibility back, and it only aches if it's below 20 degrees.
I'm still coughing from the bronchitis that is still hanging on, but the coughing usually only happens when I talk... So I'm not saying much these days. Take care!!

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