So much news and Bru goes G5!

 Bru managed to get his last win to go Grade 5 at Pure, it was a lovely run on a massive spread out course that really pushed Matt to get places with a slightly sore back! 

Spark also won a jumping class at Pure, clever girly! You can tell how cold it was as I had three layers on while I was running! 

Posers with their trophies!

A couple of stills from video of Spark

Bru and Brooke got their Hooperstars Level 2 awards through the post, the rosettes are stunning!

The weekend after we went to JDA and the shelties were running while Spark had a weekend off. Bru was in his 25 days limbo so Matt held some seesaws and I managed to win the C6-7 agility with Brooke bean! Here is our run

And the most appropriate t-shirt for the day 😂

Toad still enjoys watching the action and barking at the ring side!

Spark enjoyed cuddles on her day off!

We finally made it 'out out' into London to watch Andrew Lloyd Webbers new musical Cinderella which was awesome! It was my friend Nicolas Birthday outing that had been postponed a few times due to covid so it was brilliant to finally make it out and the production was amazing! Carrie Hope Fletcher as Cinderella was perfectly cast and the songs were so catchy! 

A very rare photo of me in a dress!!

Here goes with some random photos as the last couple of weekends we have been at home. Spark plotting some mischief!!

Bru with his tongue out 😂

We had a lovely take away in the garden with Matts folks, it was very tiring scrounging for fish according to the shelties!

Looks like a three headed sheltie...!

And a very tired little collie!

The grass has grown like mad recently so we bit the bullet and got a petrol mower so we can keep on top of it ourselves...my office looks so smart!

Toad had a bit of a flare up over the last weekend so we used the 'sheltie wagon' that my lovely physio gave us when she upgraded hers! Toad quite enjoyed being in there and at least he could walk for a bit and then have a rest

The longest tomato vine that I have ever seen!

Nice sunny Sunday morning walkies

Update on the peppers...still growing well!

And with the stress of the Euros 2020 (year late) final England v Italy we had a Pimms with our mint in it, very tasty! Unfortunately the football was not as successful as the Pimms 😖

These are our garden tomatoes, a whole load but none ripe yet!

Workshops, Inspire and garden update

 Last week Matt had a rare afternoon off to train Bru and I took Spark to a Dan workshop. The course was really interesting as it included 8 tunnels with multiple exits...some straight, some tight and some loose turns with traps which really tested the dogs! No video from Sparks first sequence as I forgot to set up my tripod, by half way through Matt had arrived so he took over filming! 

Bru 💛

Spark 💜

Spark and Brooke had the weekend off competing but Bru was entered into Inspire and he did really well getting a further two Grade 4 Agility wins! The progression rules changed not that long ago and have gone from needing one win at each grade to move up to Grade 5 to needing multiple wins at every grade. It is good for slowing the progression rate down but also frustrating post covid as there is also still the 25 days 'limbo' period from winning into your new grade to actually competing at it! Bru now has three of his four wins needed to go to grade 5 (two need to be agility so that is fine) Matt also trained his seesaws at Inspire so he learns he can't release until told in the ring as well. Here is one of his runs

My dragonfly friend at the workshop!

Someone was happy to be playing agility again!

Very proud Rupert with his rosettes!

The garden is starting to look more organised finally! The runner beans are finally growing well, the ones we planted straight into the veg bed are looking great. I am also trying peppers this year and so far so good!

Stinky little collie had to have a bath on Saturday...she was not impressed!

Random garden pics!

Tomatoes galore!

And a teeny weeny pepper!

Its been 25 degrees plus most days this week so I filled up the tub for the dogs and Toad stood in it for about ten mins! 💙

First lettuce of the year

Our first rose of the year too! It smells amazing

Summer has arrived!! Quadpaws and Kelluki

 We had a couple of weekends off shows which was nice as we did need some time to sort bits in the garden but also do some jobs in the field. I have found out that I have to move fields so that has been very stressful! Especially after spending a lot of time and money putting grass seed down to prepare the field for winter 😔 I won't be without a field but its less than ideal! 

I have started buying some summer flowers, I love these Petunias! 

One of my garden helpers!

Matthew assembling our new mini greenhouse!

And the monster tomatoes have made it outside...shelties for scale! 

The majority of over 40's are now vaccinated against Coronavirus, I had my jab in the middle of May and felt dreadful after it but it was worth doing for peace of mind and to protect other people. The pubs opened again from May 17th and me and my lovely friends Cathy and Annie went for a meal out and sat outside in the pub garden. It was FREEZING!! The pub provided blankets and hot water bottles thank goodness 😂 Here is a photo of me looking like ET!! 

Our blankets were very snuggly!

Then about a week later the sunshine arrived! Here are a few tyre pics! 

Some random photos...Spark trying her 'cuddle' trick out on a walk! 

Shelties love a box to climb in!! 

And Spark loves a log to climb on! 

Some sheltie sofa snuggles!

On Saturday I took Spark to Quadpaws to do the Masters competition with her. She was awesome in the agility and came just 0.1 seconds behind the winner (shame I didn't do the two blinds that I could have done as I might have squeaked the win and qualified for the finals that way!)  I was very happy to go clear though! The jumping was not our sort of course (unlike the agility which is below) and I'm still kicking myself that I forgot a front cross before the wall as it put me behind and although Spark helped me out I got a really bad turn! Still managed to go clear but finished 3rd and the top two qualify! 

Its such a pretty venue! 

The agility course

And her jumping run that a friend kindly filmed...I had planned a front cross before the wall! It was also the first show that I have gone to post covid that felt normal! No wearing masks round the ring! 

On Sunday we went to Kelluki, Bru had his first Grade 4 runs! He had a little blip in each jumping but managed to win the agility! It was so nice to see that all his jump skills were spot on as it was the first time he has had to do push rounds and threadles in the ring!

Smiling Rupert with his trophy!! 

Mr and Mrs! 

And Spark had a day off agility but did Hoopers in the ring for the first time! She missed a hoop but I was pleased with how she ran!