Although there are many advantages to belonging to supportive communities, such as church, neighbors, friends, family, dog clubs, and so on, I have to take great care to structure my time carefully or too much time is taken away from home at Blyss with my borzoi. When I think about it, I still cannot believe I have two borzoi, Jelly and Tresor. Eight months ago, I had none. So, the quality of my life has exponentially improved a great deal due to them, and I must not give them short shrift. In the total scheme of things, they are of primary importance. Perhaps others would not agree, or would not feel the same way about their pets. However, for me, that is how it is. It is important to know oneself, to know what one values most and give those things that one values most highly the consideration they deserve.
There is a concentration of more social gatherings than I would like on my calendar this week, including a cluster of two important ones on Sunday, but they all have merit. Although they leave me torn, I know that if I neglect my social connections, I do so at the risk of losing the few friends I have. Coming up first on Thursday, October 1, 2015, is the Morris & Essex Kennel Club show, and Tresor is entered. Jelly’s breeder, N24, will be here the evening prior. I have a delicious dinner planned. We are not in the ring until 2:00 PM in the afternoon, so we have a lot of time to socialize, eat, bathe the borzoi in the morning, and just unwind and have some fun. My boyfriend will be showing her puppy bitch and Tresor . He was fortunate to be able to have some handling classes by an incredible instructor, who happens to be a member of the Morris & Essex Kennel Club. He is a natural athlete with nerves of steel, and I believe he will do just fine. As the date is rapidly approaching, I feel the stress building. I do not have his nerves of steel, acquired over years of competing in athletic sports throughout his school years.
I will work harder at staying more focused next week and not let myself be torn in so many diverging directions.
Maxine Bochnia