Crufts!

Well - how can I describe Crufts? Huge, packed, overwhelming! We got there in good time and with our magic car pass got a parking place no problem. It was still quite a walk to the Halls, and of course the rain started! Oscar and Ginger got an extra wash and blow dry! My sister had to go in one Entrance and we had a special entrance with our passes and the dogs! It still took us a lot of walking to find the breed stands - stall after stall of all things doggie! Coats, leads, collars, food, blankets and beds, supplements, statues and many electric massage stalls for the humans!! We eventually found our stand and Oscar and Ginger went into a caged in area where they could roam around and relax and do a meet and greet with the public! ( Ginger was so relaxed she just lay down and went to sleep! ) Which was non-stop! They were a people magnet! My sister who was able to stand back and watch it all said we were the busiest stand of all the ones in our row! There were posters giving detailed information about the breed, and several of my photos of Oscar and one of mum and her two sons on the beach! Around midday Oscars sister arrived - they were most excited to see each other! I couldn't believe how much smaller Olive was, and Shirley, the Picard Club secretary who had put together the stand, said Oscar was a big boy even for a male Picard! My sister had a wander and saw the dancing with dogs with their teenage handlers in one of the arenas - she said it was just priceless, the well behaved ones and the not so well behaved! My sister and I took Oscar for a wander outside and met some lovely people exercising their dogs.Not all the people there were so nice, some were very precious over their dogs and would pull their dogs away if Oscar went up to greet them. Come 2 pm we had all had enough - my sister had a headache, The Exile had work the next day, and I was feeling tired. Oscar had me up at 3am and we were all up at 6 to get to Birmingham in time! It took us ages to get out of the hall, partly because we couldn't find the right exit, partly because everyone stopped us every few paces to ask about the dogs!  The Exile drove to Bristol where we had a cup of tea, gathered our bags, then I drove us back to Cornwall! 
It was a fascinating time - both dogs were so well behaved and not stressed by the crowds and all the attention! I felt regret I could not wander around and see more and take photos! There were some stunning dogs and the rows of people waiting to show their dogs, the dogs themselves sleeping in cages in their booths or lying by their owners chairs, would have provided lots of photographic opportunities! But we couldn't leave the dogs and once their meet and greet was over none of us had the stamina for looking around. So all in all a very good day, and particularly good for me as my anxiety didn't raise it's ugly head! I was a little anxious driving back, but I did it! If  I can cope with Crufts I don't think there can be much wrong with me! I think the answer to my condition is being active and occupied! 
There are a few photos here, but