March 6...Monday...high in the low 50's and sunny....airing yard clean-up just about finished
March 7...Tuesday...high of 44°F...finish cleaning airing yard...fence line leaves to rake (soon)...Went to the Doctor this morning for a diagnosis of the on going pain in both shoulders. It was not unexpected. Then again, it will be good to get past the pain. Frozen shoulder treatment with Cortisone injections and physical therapy will be required. I will be starting on the somewhat unpleasant physical therapy soon and the injections are scheduled for March 22. Both knees will be next. Being 82 years old is beginning to

be a pain in too many places. The reward for not smoking or drinking alcohol allows you to die later after dealing with up-graded body parts.

March 1...Wednesday...high of 54°F..Pounce & Gigi...practiced Hillmann early land fundamentals
March 2...Thursday...high of 40°F...Pounce & Gigi had the day off

March 2....Thursday...cooler and windy...spent most of the day getting ready for doing lawn work.
                 note: purchased grass seed and lime for the airing yard

March 3...Friday...cooler with a few flurries in the afternoon. Checked the Riverside Park DTA and the gravel path around it is closed (probably for another few weeks due to frost issues). There is a good sized section bordering the parking lot that is very good for several types of training. Gigi and Pounce will begin  regular outside training reviewing Hiilmann's Retriever Training Fundamentals - "Part One - Land". The idea of attending an AKC OB class was visited. However, past experiences in doing so have proven counter-productive. The huge emphasis on treats has been frustrating. I can get more out ot

taking a young retriever to "Big Box" store (Pet's Mart, Farm & Fleet or Lowe's). There is also a weekly group training session that runs hunt test setups later in the spring.
March 4...Saturday...high in the forties...The snow is gone. 
March 5...Sunday...It was a bit warmer and a good time to clean the airing yard. Later in the evening, I

decided to do a review of times past. My journal was faithfully kept with the belief that forgetting is a
powerful process. A journal prevents loosing the past. This evening, I went back in time about ten years  and did some reading. I had forgotten most of what transpired and the retrievers that lived though those years, but everything came back as if it were yesterday. I was very pleased that the idea of a daily journal worked so wonderfully.

YouTube link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9Evir_xwic

March 8...Wednesday....cold, cloudy and windy...getting ready to repair two wingers
March 9...Thursday...snow starting in the afternoon and into tomorrow...not going to warm up for awhile
March 10...Friday...several inches of snow were removed from the drive-way and black asphalt absorbed
heat from a sunny day (driveway and sidewalks clear). Pounce and Gigi had another day off. I began the seven, daily exercises required to rehabilitate frozen shoulders. Both will need work with the right being worse because of surgically repaired rotator cuff arthritis. Cortisone shots were are scheduled for March
22nd (that may change)        
March 11...Saturday...cold...reviewed and practiced Hillmann's "collar conditioning" approach in Land Fundamentals 1. The focus is on when and how much (properly timed, re-enforcing nicks at a low level)
   note: "Somehow" Norton's Internet Safe Search Mode disappeared. It took awhile to recognize and correct.
March 12...Sunday...cold with more snow...This is getting old.
March 13-18...I spent this time in the hospital for the installation of a pacemaker. It was not a pleasant time-frame mostly because I failed to be cooperative...once-in-awhile. I am not use to being told what to do unless the explanation/rationales are clear and carried out. Frustration is a powerful eraser of the proper re-actions when just waking up with no one around to focus the moment. 
March 19...Sunday...finally got some sleep. My wife has become a huge plus in helping me through this recent health issue. The pacemaker process went smoothly because of her ability to deal with the specifics.
March 20...Monday...things are progressing well and test results have been recorded (no issues). Through all of this my wife took over caring for Pounce and Gigi (doing everything). They both have responded well to her efforts. Both dogs are "good buddies" which helps. Under the circumstances, neither will be doing much field work until my health stabilizes. This spring. I will be selling my UTV and enclosed trailer.  Both were sold in April. 

"I'm beginning to learn that 95% OB  
  is not enough...and  85% is much   
  worse.....but 75% is pretty good."    
           KwickLabs  Sept., 2006

                         note: The next few months will honor KwickLabs from the past.

Julie Knutson Training Insight

Copyright ©kwickLabsii.com All rightsreserved

March 21-30...My health issues require convincing Pounce and Gigi that being canine house pets is OK.
               note: cortisone injections for both shoulders is set for Thursday the 30th....more fun.
March 31...Friday...The two shoulders responded well to the injections and this was my first night of finally returning to a bed to sleep through the night. Sleeping in an electric recliner every night and day was not fun. Today brought more reality to the mix. I cannot drive for at least three months (riding in a car is OK???). I feel sorry about the lack of activity for Pounce and Gigi. However, they have not complained much and are getting really good at sleeping. The idea of doing some simple yard work soon needs to be visited.

On a side note, I am getting really tainted by spending too much  time on the internet. It is important to remember the most significant event in the last several days. My recovery would not have happened if skilled paramedics were not initially close (and available). I have a vivid memory of the ambulance traveling across town to the hospital. Winter had either "an excellent pot hole season" or the ambulance needed new shock absorbers (maybe a bit of both).