Oh, my God! (A Doggy Post)

Self happened to be watching flat-screen HDTV at the exact moment when judge at Westminster Dog Show in Madison Square Garden intoned,

“You are all absolutely beautiful, and — may we have the beagle!!!”

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And that was how the long afternoon, which self spent a) grading papers b) gardening c) chatting on the phone with various writers and friends (including Dearest Mum, to whom self wished a Very Happy Valentine’s Day) and d) watching the 132nd Westminster Dog Show, ended.

The Garden burst into spontaneous applause, and self had the extreme satisfaction of hearing the announcer intone that he had never heard such an enthusiastic outpouring of approval in all the years he had been announcing the event.

And the beagle’s name was Uno. And it was the first time in the history of the Westminster Dog Show that a beagle had ever won (self heard somewhere that terriers and labrador retrievers and golden retrievers are the most favored breeds — when it comes to “show dogs,” that is).

Interesting aside: Patty Hearst — remember her? — had an entry at this same dog show, a French bulldog named Diva, which won “Best of Opposite Sex,” according to article self has just finished reading in the SF Chronicle.

And now self has to stop blogging so she can attend her monthly meeting of the Peninsula Rose Society. Tonight, they’re having a raffle for roses from the various local nurseries. Since raffle tickets are only $1 each, and roses usually cost about $20 each at Wegman’s, self thinks it is a very very good investment to load up on raffle tickets.

Stay tuned, dear blog readers, stay tuned.