Dave wrote this a couple of days ago <<<<<and solicit financed judging assignments for travel and socializing,. >>>>>>. and I got to worrying that many of you might take that at face value! I have been thinking about it ever since and I hope you will forgive me if just tell you what "judging assignments for travel and socializing" are really like.
When I get an invitation to judge not in my local area first thing I do is look at the calendar to see if it conflicts with an important show for my Cavaliers, next contact the housesitter to see if she is free (no housesitter no judging) Return the contract with expenses listed - usually fee which sometimes covers the cost of housesitter, sometimes not depending on how many days I am away, tolls for motorway to airport, long term parking ($25 perday) Please note I am usually out of pocket after a judging assignment. Ideally I like to arrive as late as possible the day before judging and fly home after the show or at the latest early the next morning. Because air services are limited here in some areas, sometimes for one days judging I might be away three. (One days judging fee - three days housesitting - you work it out) On day of leaving, feed dogs, clean, do load dog washing, drive to airport long term parking, wait for shuttle bus to terminal, fly , arrive sometimes picked up in 20 year old car that hasn't been cleaned since it left the showroom floor, taken to motel, sometimes good, sometimes horrendous, judge all day doing sweeps first thing in the morning, then perhaps one, two or three groups, then Best in Show, all this in the heat and sun or in the pouring rain or the freezing cold, no such thing as indoor air conditioned shows here! go back to motel, soak swollen feet, try to get clean, socialise with local committee when the head is throbbing and can hardly stay awake, get flight home, shuttle to park, drive home sometimes at 11pm or midnight on the Sunday. And why do we do this? certainly not for the "Glamour"! - its that moment when a special dog comes into the ring and the hairs on the back of your neck rise up - it can happen any breed, any time and it makes it all worthwhile. I hope I don't start any more controversy with this post - I just wanted to let people know that not everybody who judges, swans around the world being waited on hand and foot - although I would LOVE that to happen to me! Jeanie ========================================================= "Magic Commands": to stop receiving mail for awhile, click here and send the email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?body=SET%20CKCS-L%20NOMAIL to start it up gain click here: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?body=SET%20CKCS-L%20MAIL E-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] for assistance. Search the Archives... http://apple.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ckcs-l.html All e-mail sent through CKCS-L is Copyright 1999 by its original author.
