by BirdbyBird » Mon May 09, 2022 10:21 am
Checking in. The 50th college reunion two weekends ago was interesting. Transylvania's Graduating class that year was just a bit over 200 (which actually was about the size of my high school graduating class). The smaller sizes do make reunions more interesting even for someone who has never been a social butterfly like myself comes back to visit. In high school I had the advantage of having been the yearbook editor, so there were more names and faces in my memory bank and more of the few close friends I had actually showed up four years ago. Out of the 200 college graduates, the reunion committee counted 35 that had already passed and only about 35 of us showed up. What I found interesting is that after fifty years folks seem to cross over the old social divisions of sorority and fraternity lines and include everyone. Call it maturity of life or recognition of survival. But folks did include me in conversations that hardly would have said hello 50 years ago. I think I was the only one who shows up by myself.
On another interesting note, I did decide to take the RoadTrek to the reunion so I wouldn't have to think about checking motels for bedbugs, roaches or loud neighbors. The difficulty came when I found that the very large campground at the horse park was completely full due to the Rolex Event (Yes, I did think of you horse lovers, Cheryl.) Without any other close campground I figured I would park at either a Cracker Barrel or the Cabelas, when on the Friday morning right before I headed south I got the bright idea to call the alumni office and...I got permission to park on campus. There are benefits to smaller universities. Anyway I was able to walk to everything and Lark and I were able to walk around the campus and around the neighborhood that is full of some of the most elegant and majestic old homes and tree lined streets. The homes and the settings reminded me of Savannah, but of course when I went to school in Lexington, I had never seen Savannah, I only knew that in those days, without cars, getting out of the dorm and walking through the neighborhood was one of my mental health cures for the stress of college. Each house seems full of history and stories that could be told. Whole novels of lives right before one's imagination.
This past weekend was spent in Lima,Ohio, at a 4 day dog show were Jane spent her time helping others pick up points. Some shows are like that. Good things were happening for other people. And yes it was raining most everyday except yesterday. This particular show site is outside with a large covered area where we can stand will waiting but then the actual rings run out into the grass. This weekend the rings ran out into the rain and the water which by Friday had turned the grass into some mud here and there. I did like that even the handlers who generally dress in suits and dresses, were now dressed for success for rain and mud. About 80 percent of us showing wore whatever worked. For some of the handlers even that was jeans and paddock boots and raincoats. One person I know who shows Goldens commented that her dog thought she was crazy, since she was asking the dog to go gait(trot) around in the flooded grass in conditions that the dog would never have been allowed to muck around in the yard at home.
And since it had rained heavily earlier in the week, RVs were getting stuck trying to park on Wednesday even. The Lima Kennel Club show grounds have their own RV sites and electrical hook ups. What they don't have is gravel or concrete pads. Everything is on grass. Some areas are more elevated than others. Which means the rigs and even the mini vans can get stuck anywhere while certain areas with enough rain become small lakes. I did get electric on what I have observed, from past rainy shows, as high ground. I still didn't get to back all the way in before one of my rear wheels began to spin but my neighbor and a fellow owner handler was there to monitor my progress and I was able to stop immediately. By Sunday, following a very windy day and half of drying out, I was able to pull out. But from Wednesday watching the larger rigs getting pulled out of the mud to even park, to Sunday watching the huge tractor spend the day going from one area of the grounds to another methodically pulling out the larger Rigs, I felt lucky to just have my RoadTrek to worry about. And yes the Lima Kennel Club always makes sure that their tractor is on the grounds and available. If they didn't fewer people would even bother to enter and show up. This is the glamorous life of dog show people that isn't represented at Westminster or down at Orlando in December, but these are some of the same handlers....
Enough storytelling/sharing for one day. But since I don't cook, not currently creating any art pieces, don't currently worry about or spend my limited resources of energy on home improvements and gave up on gardening years ago, I wanted to do my fair share. And I do enjoy reading about all your endeavor. Someday I will no longer have my dogs to distract me from other worthwhile responsibilities and hobbies, so I will enjoy them while I can. I will leave you with visions of RVs laying down extra large ruts in the grass, spinning tires and sinking into the soft earth up to their axles. While Jane and I carefully pulled out, hooked up our trailer full of equipment (the "trailer" is sometimes used as a Honda Fit) and smiled and waved at the nice man on the exceptionally large tractor.
Tina and the furry companions...Lark, Audrey and Jane