Catching Up (Aren't I Always...)

The short version is that I had a great time in Idaho but lost a much treasured four-footed friend while I was away. I'm now home and I've survived my latest work crisis. The long version is...
One of you asked why I felt like a perpetual disapointment. Mostly, it relates to work. I had yet again managed to make a very stressful mess that needed resolving. While I absolutely love where I work and the people I work with, I don't particularly love my job. There are days where I really enjoy it but as a general rule I find it somewhat stressful. I was much happier as a teller but got bored too often and needed something a bit more involved. As a result I have been talking to my two wonderful bosses (thank heavens for understanding bosses who tolerate crazed employees) and we're going to work on getting me in a position where I could apply for another position within the same company (alas, it won't be in the same branch) that would be better suited to me. Hopefully, this will provide an improvement and a lot more peace. I like the people I work with so much and I feel like I disappoint them by not being able to be the fabulous employee they deserve.
I promise to tell everything about Idaho and I've also decided this is a more practical (and will hopefully happen faster) than the website I keep meaning to do on my trip to Spain with Jacob this past summer. Today though, I want to talk about Maverick. Also known as Can. Ch Kristari's Codesign Maverick.
Mav arrived here as a bundle of red fur over ten years ago. He came up from Tennessee from Sharon Osharow's Kristari kennels. He captured hearts from the start - even the border crossing folks loved him on first sight. He made his debut a few short weeks later at ten weeks old at the Royal Ontario Winter Fair where he spent hours on end greeting the public and educating them about Siberian Huskies. This was a role he excelled at and he attended the fair every year the Siberian Husky Club of Canada participated while I was a member.
He finished his championship easily despite a lack of manners. We once journeyed to a specialty and we were running late. I had my show clothes in the back of the van so I could change when we got there. Mav was on the floor between the front seats as he got car sick if I put him in a crate. As it was he was covered in drool. About ten minutes before we arrived he barfed all over my shoes and the bottom of my pants, not to mention himself. We pulled into the show grounds and a friend came running out yelling that they were calling us into the ring and would mark us absent if we didn't get in there now. So, still in my jeans and sweatshirt, smelling like dog vomit, towing my dog who smelled as bad as I did and didn't look any better either, we ran into the ring. The steward hastily made a number for us and we proceeded. Shock of shocks, we won. Sometimes, politics and appearances have no bearing on dog shows.
We did start towards his US championship but it only lasted a few shows. Siberian entries tend to be very large in the eastern US which means a lot of down time with nothing to do in the ring but look good while waiting for your turn to be examined by the judge. Lots of time on ones hands and Maverick did not go well together. He was a big clown and loved to make people laugh, particularly people ringside. It was all you could do to prevent him from sneaking kisses from ringside children, play bowing, barking, anything to get a laugh. Hilarious for everyone but the person holding his leash in the ring. Of course, the topper was when he did a courtesy turn (like a small circle to get the legs in motion) before his down and back. He managed to lift his leg on the judge's jacket as he did his turn and continue on like nothing had happened. Joanna, who was showing him that day, was mortified. I pray the judge never clued in. We stopped showing him in the US.
He also loved sledding and thought a day in harness was a perfect day. I loved to point out that that show dog could be sleeping on the couch one day, in the ring the next and doing ten miles in harness the day after that.
Maverick had character. He also had my heart and he knew it. He'd come sleep at my feet while I worked at the computer and let me dig my toes into his luxuriant coat. Nothing is warmer than Siberian fur when your feet are cold. He will be missed greatly.