Having a ball!

My foot and ankle are slowly healing. It has been almost two weeks now since I hurt it. I go back and forth between optimism that I will be running soon now the swelling and bruising are going down, and pessimism because it still hurts, and I can not yet walk on it unsupported. Meanwhile, the weather is starting to feel a little more like spring. I'm bummed that I'm not out walking and training my dogs. Yesterday, I took the dogs, a couple of different sized tennis balls, and my camera out in the backyard so we could at least enjoy the sunshine. We did!

Annie got the ball first. Hurry back so mom will throw it again!

Brynley got the ball and ran!

A short break to watch the world go by.

Little papillons play ball, too. 

Mickey is the fiercest ball dog of all. Throw it already!

slowly progressing

Today is Day 5 since the ankle incident. There is a noticeable, significant decrease in the amount of swelling in my foot for the first time. The bruising is changing from purple to green (yuk, says my kids!). Best of all, I'm walking around fairly comfortably in my walking boot. Later today, I will try to drive my minivan.

I have reluctantly decided that I have to pull Brynley from this session of agility class. In a handling system that focuses largely on the handler's movement and body position (Greg Derrett), I don't want to mess up Bryn's understanding. I keep reminding myself that it is only a temporary setback. April 10 is the day I am supposed to work Brynley in a seminar here with Tracy Sklenar, so all my focus is on trying to heal enough to be able to run him by that day. With that in mind, I'm focusing on being a good patient and laying around with my foot up most of the time. (Okay, that's not so rough, but it's less fun when you HAVE to).

Meanwhile, here is a picture where I caught Brynley and Mickey in a rare moment of sharing space. They  were under my kitchen desk.

Laid up

Well, Tuesday night I made a mistake. I went out in the yard to call Casey in, and in the dark, I was looking for the dog, not watching where I was going down the deck stairs. I missed the last step, and I fell, bad.  I rolled my ankle completely over, and heard a loud pop. I immediately knew I had messed it up bad. It hurt horribly!  I had to have my husband come home and take me to the ER. The Dx is that I severely sprained the ankle, and I have a small chip fracture where the ligament pulled away a piece of bone due to the force of the trauma. The doctors tell me that small chip fractures usually heal well. The soft tissue damage is likely to be a more long term problem. So, Brynley's agility training has come to a pause. Right now, two days later, I can not yet put weight on my right foot. I have a walking boot and crutches. I am hoping to be able to walk in the boot with out crutches by early next week. (somehow I have to be able to drive my son to school)  Then, I'm thinking I should be able to do some training with Brynley as long as I don't run. Weave pole training is totally on hold. I won't be able to get out in the soggy yard with my walking boot.  I'm having a much greater appreciation for simple things like walking and getting a cup of tea. I can't do much of anything right now.

It's purple, it's swollen, it hurts.

Goodbye snow!

I have never been so happy to see the end of winter approaching!  I remember reading Laura Ingalls Wilder's The Long Winter as a kid. Now I think I've lived through the long winter on the plains! A 40 degree, almost spring, day in Nebraska means going outside in nothing heavier than a sweatshirt. Love it!

The melting snow is making a little river down the middle of our yard during the warm part of the day. 

The plants in the yard are beginning to reappear for the first time in months.

Maybe now we can get the Christmas lights down. 

Some of the drifts and piles of snow are going to take a little longer than others to say goodbye and good riddance.