Thank you for the well wishes, the emails and ecards. This is yet another reason why I love my Diaryland community.
Loch and I had herding lessons today. Everything went really well until the very end. My other herding friend arrived, which always changes the dynamics with the trainer. The trainer wanted us to demonstrate something and we didn't do well. A couple of things happened: she told me to relax and not be nervous (which hadn't occurred to me until that moment) and to not forget what we'd been working on (which to me means do as I told you to do). We went on to the field, I sent Loch and we did our thing. The trainer was talking to my friend directly behind me and I didn't think she was paying attention until she started to second-cue me (echo or say the cue slightly before I do). This always throws me (and other clients but she doesn't know because no one has said it to her face). Things on the field got out of sync and our little demonstration of what should be turned into a demonstration of what shouldn't be. Boo.
No big deal, but it just showed me one more time, after so many really good herding lessons in a row without anyone else to distract the trainer, having someone else there is not beneficial to us. The change of dynamics is due to the trainer, not because my friend is there. She and I work together when the trainer is unavailable and the flow is completely smooth. I'll have to work around this fact the best I can without hurting anyone's feelings.
I've asked for an appointment on Thursday morning. Hopefully, we can get back to just two humans, two dogs and a flock of sheep.
Before my life got rather serious last week, I ordered this cute sweatshirt at the animal rescue site. It's very soft and Hubby thought it was really "cute," said in a good way. I told him by buying this I also paid for 28 bowls of food at an animal shelter. He smiled and shook his head. He doesn't have to understand me, just love me.