Power Showers

Doggo and I are off to Vegas today, well Dog Vegas, near glitzy Grantham but its close. We don't have to be there early so I get chance to fraternise with a half awake L first.

When we get to the show it's a bit annoying because to save money they've not sent the entry details out in the post. Which is fine but we turn up and find out we don't have an event for at least two hours, so this mornings fraternisation could have been much longer. All the more annoying because it's bitterly cold and L will still be tucked up all warm in bed, perfect for warming my hands on. Of course all they have to do is put the class running order up on the internet the night before but that would be far too obvious.

So I have two hours to read the paper from cover to cover and find out interesting stuff like... women have finally come around to the opinion that men have held since the beginning of time. Namely that it is highly desirable to have a big chest, if you're a girl that is. The article comes up with the analogy that a girl with anything less than a D cup is like a house for sale without a power shower. Not impossible to shift, but these days most punters, who expect all mod cons with their investment, are going to want one.

Finally we get to compete and get totally blown away on an easy jumping course that is too fast for Doggo, although we go clear, twice. You get two goes at the same course here.

Our second event, on a tougher agility course, goes better. After the first run we are second, although it's a small field of 23. At this point I realise that the 'two run' system doesn't really suit us because the fastest dog in our class, the one who won the jumping, had faults in their first run. Of course they go clear with their second run and into the lead. So I push Doggo harder in our second run and we do go faster but miss a 'contact' and so end up third. Now if it was the two runs added together rather than the faster of the two, then that would really suit us.

Shocking news in the football. Derby score a goal and of all places, at Old Trafford. So one record we won't be breaking just yet is Crystal Palace's record of nine games without a goal. Obviously we still lose and it's galling to see everyone's un-favourite Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo dive to get a penalty when his side are already 3-1 up. What is the guy on? Mind you, its good fantasy league points for me.

To end the day we get one attempt at the 'fun' course called 'Tunnel Happy' or 'unhappy' as everyone christens it. It has six tunnels and is mind bogglingly difficult to remember. We nearly get there but make one mistake towards the end. Even so we still end up fifth, even with five faults.

So two rosettes, which isn't a bad day's work. There's also a bonus because our agility was designated as a 'Vegas' class and we get prize money, of wait for it... £4. Not to be sneezed at, as it's our first ever prize money. So I have beer money tonight, it's just a shame it's a DFN (dog free night) or else Doggo could have treated himself to a bag of scratchings.

Instead we rub it in by booking a meal at Scruffys, that's the one in town that's still scruffy and not the pink one on Derby Road. First we pop in the Dragon and try the Broadside 4.7%. Then we go to the Keans Head again where the RCH Steam 4.7% is ok but the XXXB 4.8% is excellent. Have to have a second one of that.

So to Scruffys, which thankfully is as good as the old one once was. The Leffe Brune isn't on draft but at least they have it in bottles. The bar staff are pleasantly attractive and come fully equipped with power showers but are as moody as you would expect. Luckily, I have the fully equipped and un-moody (at least not tonight) L to protect me from them. We have a very pleasant and romantic meal. I have to keep mentioning the 'R' word; you never know when you might need to cash in those brownie points.