Today I worked Pat at Dianne's. We just sort of worked on various things. Driving, penning, shedding..just Pat and I, in the snow, and some sheep.  It was good.  Sometimes I have to remind Pat that I only want to say  or whistle "LIE DOWN" once, but it only takes a reminder. One time running through the sheep asking sternly, "WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?" does it. He looks away with his "No Trouble Here" Pat look and he listens more closely from then on. 

Pat just wants to do Good.  Pat is excited to Do the Right Thing, even if the thing that I'm saying is Right…he feels, or knows, is actually Amateur and Stupid.  And sometimes, though I feel that I am getting better, it is both amateur and stupid. I make mistakes with timing.  Pat tries. He tries to disregard common sense and follow direction, but he's fast and sometimes common sense takes him down a path lined with my screeching contrarian whistles.  Again, I love Pat.  It's not because we work so much better than Jen and I, or that he's so much more anything superlative than any other dog I have….it's just something especially endearing and engaging to me in Pat.  Something that clicks with me.  I am glad that I have this opportunity to work with him. He's teaching me a lot. And when I can, I give him chicken, plush toys and a soft bed.  I hope it makes up for the times I shed the wrong group or shove him in a car with Scout (looks like a Border Collie, acts like an alligator).

For Christmas I got a new whistle. It's a silver whistle made by my friend (or frenemy – she's works in silver, but is a 24 karat SMART ASS- Amy Raymond. It's not just beautiful, the sound is really great and easy to blow.  It's makes blowing easier, is what I am trying to say, and normally I just naturally seem to….blow…yeah. Exhausted that one.  Anyway. I love this whistle.  Amy does phenomenal work.  Anyone who doesn't like her work, and blowing, should just show border doodles in AKC and suck, as Nature intended.

In more news: DIanne is the newly elected Queen of Greenlifa.  Amidst pomp and ceremony and traditional peeing on carpets, she took the crown and the thrown last night, along with an ample serving of her signature accessory – cake- made by the amazing P*Trick. To say that it was an emotional and extravagant affair is to place way more emphasis on the carpets and peeing than I think is good for her reign.  Regardless, Look for her in a parade coming to Your Town soon. She'll be the one eating cake and bearing arms on a float made of Oatmeal and McDonalds coupons. 

That's all for now…