Friday, April 15, 2011

Wednesday....Dancing Our Hearts Out....



Wednesday began with a leisurely morning, strolling into the building around 9am. My friend Candy asked me when she could "have" James to groom him for the event tonight. I was heading to the Hospitality Room (with James in tow) to help Anne Cross create some posters about the 100th Anniversary of the CCA (THAT happened in 1986....THIS year is the 125th Anniversary). About 10 minutes, Candy came and escorted Jamie out to her grooming station. She was Intent on making sure that he looked like a SuperStar for his Dance Debut....What a Friend she is! What a giver of the gifts she has. I am greatly humbled by her desire to help me, a stoopid liddle nobody, make my precious boy look his Very Best.






Here's what I found when I returned to her grooming station!









He got the FULL treatment! Candy and her friend from Canada fluffed and puffed James for at least an hour, and James was quite happy to allow these ladies to have their way with him. Of course, Candy bribed him quite freely with her homemade oatmeal cookies....






No chalk in the building!






Here is the (sort of, there was More to be DONE right before he took the ring later this evening) finished Collie! Wowsa! His fur literally EXploded!!!






Later on, my Norwegian friend, Linda, came and took James away because she needed a Collie-fix....

I found them later, practicing their own kind of Freestyle....I think that James might have taught her a few new moves....



Several weeks ago, Prosper's portrait was entered in the Wichita KS "Art Show at the Dog Show," and won first prize!!! The artist, Glenda Harlan, brought by a print for me, and also some note cards and coasters and a trivet with his dear picture on them!!






She couldn't stay for the Nationals....She was told that there was "no more room" for vendors....I don't get THAT at all.....But I suppose the show people had a oversight on that one....

 
Around noon, who should arrive but my favorite Bikeman!!! He'd come to see us dance tonight!!!





Cute old couple, huh?



Here's Carl showing a blue dog. Doncha just Love the "Carl Knee" move?!
And look at the light...He always finds the spotlight to put his Collie in.  Amazes me.


I got dressed in my pretty dre-yuss around 6. Candy had already come and retrieved James again for the Final Touches. Rob and I headed for the Crush Lounge. He ate MY portion of supper---I wasn't gonna eat before I danced. Or drink. So I sipped some sparkling water and enjoyed the noisy crowd....







Here's me and Leigh---BOTH of us celebrating Momentous Occasions tonight....Her smooth dog, Crush is Number One in the country this year, and so was in the Top Ten presentation tonight!






Candy presented me with THE Beautiful Collie in the World at ringside! I had Never SEEN such a magnificent Collie in all my days! His mane was a massive halo circling his face, and his soft brown eyes looked up to me in Great Anticipation.





And so we danced. We danced like nobody was watching. We ran out into the ring, struck our opening pose, and became the Only Two in the building. We were alone out there, dancing our hearts out, loving each other and turning our bodies in sync. Two different species, gliding and moving to a beautiful ballad in complete understanding.




We DID it! We danced at the Nationals, and everyone declared it stunning and exquisite

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

tears of joy in my eyes over this one Toni. You are such an ambassador but not only for collies and the relationships that are possible but also for finding and sharing joy in every aspect of life however small. You make life a celebration and you take the rest of us with you. I'm so glad to know you and call you friend.