PADS Show

The journey down to Derbyshire was not without its traumas. For a start I set out at 11.30 just after Breda (as we had arranged to travel in convoy) to reach junction 14 on the M 25 and realised I had no money! Nothing for it but to return home and set out all over again! I did eventually catch Breda up as she took a coffee break at one of the service stations, it was just as well I did as once I arrived at the M6 Toll I was horrified to find automatic booths where you had to throw money into a huge chasm where there was no change given and I did not have the correct money, thank goodness Breda came to the rescue there! The end part of the journey was somewhat hairy as we had to avoid a certain road which had a narrow bridge only suitable for a small car and there were no turning points, it was essential to avoid using the Satnav as it was programmed to follow the unsuitable route. Although I followed the AA instructions when told to turn left there were 2 adjacent roads and I took the wrong one so we sailed on for several miles in the wrong direction and got thoroughly lost! As always on these occasions I managed to pull in somewhere to ask for directions and we eventually arrived at 4pm. Catton Hall is a lovely venue, we were camped on the edge of the exercise area and reasonably close to the rings. Such a coincidence to find that my neighbour Sue owned Brigg's auntie, Megan and a few pitches away was his uncle Jim! As the dogs had been in the van for four and a half hours and it had been a really hot journey we walked the dogs immediately we arrived before setting up and then again when that task was completed. The heat had certainly affected 2 of mine who had diarrhoea as a result, happily this was short lived, excitement often has this effect as well so I am used to dealing with upset tums which happens periodically at shows.
We were out walking by 6 30 am the following morning when it was already warm. It was so nice to listen to familiar Northern accents and the friendliness I have always known from that area and I caught up with several acquaintances from my home county of Lincolnshire. It was a 5 faults day for both Keets and Tambi but Chart actually behaved in 2 of his runs and I was delighted when he was placed 20th (his first ever Agility place) and 17th in Jumping. Kai narrowly missed out on going clear in a couple of runs but did a cracking jumping to be placed 4th which came as a complete surprise. It was a long day and I did not complete my last run until after 6pm.
Sunday was another long day when apart from Tambi and Keets clear rounds and Kai getting a 6th in Jumping we did not have any great luck but the dogs worked well......apart for Chart who is still affected by the 'Terrible Twos' syndrome and was quite naughty!! I had intended stopping overnight but thought the traffic would be worse on a Monday morning and as I finished my runs earlier than expected I packed up and made to depart.
There was an announcement as I was about to leave that there was a bad accident on the A38 resulting in long delays this of course was the route I had intended to follow, nevertheless I set off a 5pm, just got on the A 513 to be told by the driver of an oncoming car that the A 38 was closed! I took a calculated guess and turned in the opposite direction and headed for Tamworth which paid off as from there on my Satnav guided me safely home on the M42 / 40 missing the very expensive M6 Toll!!!! There was the usual congestion on M25 J12 and I got home at 8pm feeling somewhat weary!