Some very sad, neglected small dogs. Who at least got to walk to Bear Mountain. Which isn’t actually a mountain at all. But better than nothing.
After we practice, we always make time for even a teensy walk. Practice now equals just Banksy do some dogwalks, or Banksy does some poles. Or I figure out how to not do a freaky forced front cross, there should be no freaky in there, ever at all. There is so much potential for being good at agility with Banksy, actually it’s not Banksy who needs the practice, it’s me. Banksy’s already good at agility. So good at it that she amplifies my suck.
Poor Gooey. Poor Otterpop. Poor Ruby. Practice used to be this whole team thing, everybody with a turn, even if it was for some heeling around tunnels. Or cookies for playing ball. One little gamble. Everyone screaming on the log, waiting for their turn. Now it’s like a run run run up the hill, stay in the car, hope there’s no ice, set up the video, do some dogwalks, figure out why the misses happen, try to fix quickly, and then time is up.
Banksy of course loves it no matter what we do. Banksy, Banksy, Banksy.
My work is funny now, my business is still so very slow after the giant ranch implosion of last spring. I became a part time designer and illustrator again. I’ve been hustling up underbid jobs to do in my spare time. Perhaps you have one for me? Now scheduling illustration projects for after the holidays. Squooshed in between the barn and practicing and forest walks. Minimum wage by the time I’m done! But some money is some money, how else do I pay for my dogwalk running time? And some trials! Maybe even one with a fancy night at Motel 6! Goretex shoes with nubby bottoms? A vegan burrito at the deli? All of these things now fall into the luxury bucket, and these are all things I like very much. So squooshed life it is, always on the run again.
The dogs are very patient. They’ve seen this happen before. No matter what, there’s time for a little run up the hill. Then we run down, get back in the car, and wait for the next one.