Left-Handedness

This is a photo of Riff, who is wondering what the frickin-frack happened at the AKC trial today.

He crashed into the triple jump, in both classes. He also crashed the double in Open Standard.
He is such a natural, easy jumper. What happened?

Actually,we had some splendid moments. He was fast, he had drive, and he looked like he was having a lot of fun. Since "FUN" was my goal today, I am HAPPY!

Unfortunately, we also had some very awkward moments. They were, of course, caused by my handing. I surged forward in the jumpers class (excited about our run), which caused him to drop that last bar (the triple) and lose our Q. (We may see a video, sometime...)

In Open Standard, I clean forgot to front cross during the opening....d-oh! and, thrown totally off my stride, tried to rear-cross the triple (stumbling all the way). D'OH! and CR-Rash!!
Poor Riffle.
He is a Very Good Dog. He IS improving. I can see it. And I can celebrate it. Celebrating!!!

Sometimes I think my left-handedness gets in the way. I get turned around, and confused. Is this something that started in me dear ol' mama's womb? Maybe! I was born a twin. The baby doc told mom we were "identical mirror twins." My sister is right-handed. I am left-handed. Her moles are on one side of her body, mine on the other. She was big and round at birth, and I was small and dented. Her first marriage was to a very short Arapaho Indian named "Midge" and my first marriage was to a very tall Minnesota cowboy named "Art." (We didn't even know we were dating such opposites, until we all met one Christmas, at our folk's house....) Etc etc etc. Our family (such as it is) has long speculated on the many "mirror" moments that have happened during our twin lives.

And I have long speculated on what it means to be left-handed. The nuns at our elementary school tried to make me write with my right hand. (Did you know the devil is left-handed. No? Me neither. The nuns thought so. I'm not even sure such a thing as a devil exists.) The forced right-handedness was an illegible failure. But I am somewhat ambidextrous, as a result. Which is pretty cool.

However, I still get lost all the time. I get lost in San Francisco, and you know how hard that is! I even get lost in Santa Rosa, and I've lived here since 1971. (Sigh....) Blame it on Urban Growth.

At the moment, I just wish I could keep agility courses straight in my head. I walk them alot. I try really hard. And Riff is such a good, good boy....

So - tomorrow is another day. We'll do better!

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL. (maybe I should get a tattoo...)