All Right Jack

Wooo hoo...Someone got a whole 6.5 hours of sleep last night!  WARNING: This is a real long post...Hey, I'm making up for lost time.  Before I start this post...A SUPER BIG THANK YOU to ya'll for your great emails and comments.  I know I've said it before, but I really can't express how super-duper cool it is to have a cheering section giving you some oomph and a smile to boot.  You guys are great!  (Joanne...you're killing me woman!  Oh so imaginative.  Now you know what I go through every time I post and have to come up with a title that is a Pink Floyd lyric and yet somewhat related to the post!)  Thank God Floyd has lots and lots of songs...with weird lyrics to help.)

So, I had planned to FINALLY make it to Knit Night at Knit Happens tonight...at least I had, until the first hour of work this morning.  My day never goes as planned.  But I'm not complaining because I had an awesome day at work today. It started out shaky, like it could turn into a bad day...I quickly fell into step and had full control all day. I finished a report for a client, got some goody-good intel on several legislative items, and had a day where every five minutes something new popped up but I was able to squash it before it even had time to have its fuse lit.   I just love it when that happens.  But best of all...at 6 PM tonight (err...last night now that I notice it's after 1AM) the Ways and Means Committee handed us a big, big legislative victory!  Yippeee!  At least it's a hurdle cleared...we still got a long way to go.  But I left work feeling great tonight!

Do any of you watch West Wing and how it portrays the chaotic inner workings of the staffers? Damn, I love that show.  Well, never, ever, doubt that that is really how wonks work...we seriously do. That is exactly what my work day is like (including the hours, eh!) But I love it and usually thrive in it. By the time I leave the office and don't have to work anymore...I'm a completely a different person. I shed off the "professional" exterior and become my second-self.  Loud. Obnoxious. Ditzy. Goofy. (Sarcastic)...It's a defense mechanism.  The only way I can survive it all. You have to let the stupid cells take over so your good brain cells can rest.  At times, it can get hard waking the good cells back up...they hit snooze sometimes...that's what coffee is for.

Ok...Enough about my boring work stuff...What did we do this weekend?  We drove out to the country with Marley in tow.  She had her own special day.  We went to the Jack Russell Terrier Club National Trials. (Go browse around on this site...it's adorable and really informative.) Let me tell you, there is nothing more hilarious than hundreds of Jack Russells in one spot together.  That and all the knowing owners that don't have to explain why they are nuts about their Jacks...nor be embarrassed...because that thing bouncing off the walls at the end of the leash...is at the end of their leash too!  We all know we are nuts having a Jack...It adds spice to life...Once you go Jack, you never go back.

So what do we do when we get our dogs together...We make them do the things they instinctually love, and are amused to death by it (Did you get that one Joanne?).  There is racing, steeplechase, agility, go to ground (the dogs have to make it through a simulated critter hole and that is in a maze...They are timed on how fast they can smell and make it to the quarry.) and all other kinds of working Jack stuff. We didn't enter Marley into anything but she had a BLAST anyway.  This was her first time witnessing the races.  She caught on quick and SO SO SO badly wanted to join in the fun of chasing after the lure.  She expressed her desire in typical Jack fashion. We had several people come up and ask us if we raced her...when we said no, their comment was always, "Well, you should."  So I'm thinking about putting her in a race this coming weekend.

So some fun pics.  I didn't take many it was chilly and rainy and I kind of had my hands full.  At one point, Marley literally broke out of her harness and ran straight after the lure on the side lines. But here's what we got.  Warning...lots are just blurs or specks...It's hard taking pics of racing Russells.

AND THEY'RE OFF:

FULL SPEED AHEAD:

ARE THOSE JACKS OR MINI SHEEPDOGS:

THE CATCH:

I CAN SO DO THAT:

A POOPED RIDE HOME:

For those who don't know how the races are run...they muzzle the Jacks and put them in little boxes where they can see out and see a lure (usually a fox tail) that is on a electronic motor that winds it back up behind some hay bales at the end of the course.  The Jacks are going nuts just waiting to catch it. The boxes full of scratching, barking, frantic Jacks are all of suddenly released open and out they come, barreling inf full force like the devil is behind them catching their tails on fire. The winner is the dog that makes it through the hole in the hay bail first. The fun part is watching them come out on the other side(see above).  They all come flying through the bales and usually six or seven catchers are there to swoop them up so they don't fight over the quarry or manage to get out of the pen in their excitement.  It is nutty trying to get hold of a hyped up Jack after a race. Think of a greased pig scene. 

Comments

[LauraRN]

Well, it looks like you had a well-deserved weekend escape from your very stressful existence. The dog pictures are a hoot-- and Marley is as darling as ever. Take care of yourself!!! I miss you!

[Lizzy B]

Oh, I bet that was SO much fun! I think Jacks are great. Max isn't a Jack, but he's a terrier mix, and I would bet you money that he would have been just as nuts over the fox tail! Heck, I just let him chase the squirrels now since he just stops under whatever tree they run up and waits for them to come down... Poor little dude doesn't realise that they don't HAVE to come down. :)

He's also quite intrigued by mole holes... Now THAT would get messy!!!!

You should let Marley race. You know she wants to... :) Please Mom?

Great to see you back by the way Miss Shelly.... Hugs and kisses to Marley and Piper...

[Joanne]

Kind of puts you in mind of a Night of a Thousand Furry Toys... or dogs, as the case may be. Welcome back! The trials sounded like just the right break you needed.

[Rebekah]

Oh sweet Marley, everytime I see her, my heart just sighs, she's just so dang cute.

I love WEst Wing! I've often wondered if life was really like that, I'm so happy it kinda is. Tell me more, tell me more. I love learnign about other avenues of employment!

[--Deb]

Marley looks like she was having a great time, and I bet she'd love racing! I'm a committed Boykin Spaniel person, but Jacks do definitely have their charm--and their hilarious to watch when they race!

Oh, and I love West Wing, but miss it . . . it's just not as good as it used to be (sigh).

[anmiryam]

I hope Marley was dreaming of her future as a racer. I envy you that you seem to be able to function on so little sleep!

[Debbie]

I just love terrier trials!! I started going before I got my Jack - I tell people who want one that they should go. If they aren't scared to death by what they are getting themselves into, they become committed Jack people. Alas, when I got a JRT I got one of the rare subspecies - the lazy jack. She has no interest in any of those silly games and just wants to meet the other dogs or make friends with the rats. What are ya gonna do?

[Mary]

What great fun the JRT event looks like! Two of my friends do lure-coursing with their whippets and they say that there is nothing as wonderful as watching their dogs do what they were bred to do (and what they LOVE to do!).

Your pups are so cute!