MARTI TOUCHSTONE writes:
Another Report from the WOTA Front
Okaaay ---
When last I wrote, which I think was only 48 hours ago,
but seems like some time in the last century,
I had returned from a brief visit to the hunting trials
(and yes, they absolutely were live birds and I have no idea
what happens to the live raccoons they use because I
just couldn't bring myself to ask) and was awaiting John's arrival
so we could go to the hospitality hour.
John arrived in what he insisted was a state of near starvation
and I insisited we'd be well fed at the hospitality hour.
You'd think by now I'd know that hospitality hours
are those occasions where you get three cheese cubes on a ruffled toothpick,
meet too many people all at once and then proceed to keep everyone's
spouses mixed up and called by the wrong name for the duration of the event.
Anyway, amidst the sea of faces and names which I will forever confuse
and butcher emerged wonderful life rafts of familiarity that only needed
a breathing person to fill out a picture of someone
I already knew pretty well - Sue Forrester, Mel Findlay,
Sally Babcock, Dean & Deb Incopero, Linda Cunningham,
Shelley [DeMerchant] Stotts, MaryLou & Dick Dewar,
Christie Williams, Jackie Cash & Wendell Murray and lots more
I know I'm forgetting and lots more that were familiar names
and with whom I've corresponded with about one thing
or another over the years.
Just looked at the clock and I'm kind of running out of time here,
so I'll compress this narration. The next day started with
DRILL TEAM practice at 8 a.m.; OBEDIENCE TRIALS started at 9.
In between the two events Mary Giese came to find me and said,
"There is a really big surprise for you here."
So I dutifully followed her all over the show site looking for
my surprise,
met listers Cyn Mobley & Ann Woods on the way,
and was suddenly blinded by two hands covering my eyes from behind . . .
and TA DA . . . There was none other than Lydia Ross,
followed close behind by Joey Warren.
Sue Forrester couldn't stop crying when they sprung themselves on her
and John had a few tears on his cheeks too!
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