I should know better

Back from Crufts, and it takes time to recover. It is a long day, with a lot of walking for me.

Both Fidget and Ella distinguished themselves by managing to come 5th in their classes. Fidget has improved greatly in behaviour - or perhaps he was just overawed by the enormous hall. He totally forgot to bark, did not bounce, and paid me considerable attention and so actually knew where he was supposed to go. We had no accidents, and I even had time to study the dogs next to me in line, and feel a little better about my lad`s shortcomings.

Odd things stay in the memory....the little dog who appeared to have no legs, just feet sticking out from under his coat....the man sitting near me who decided that the judge was only looking for "really big red ears"...the woman next to me in the lineup who went down to reassure her dog, then stood up with a glazed expression, and confided "I`ve just knelt in pee". The Crufts green carpet is famous, but by the fourth day is....well, rather thoroughly used. You can`t actually hear it squelch, but the thought is always there.

I seem to remember years ago that the catalogue used to state that the said carpet would be "donated to charity" when the show closed. Let your mind run riot. Cut into room sized sections, dried out, and bestowed on the "deserving poor"? (Perhaps the nasally challenged poor?....)

I notice that that statement has now been removed from the catalogue. I expect the carpet is now removed by brave volunteers in biohazard suits. And I don`t want to know what happens to it after that.

Some things are best left unsaid.