Cooperative Living January/February 2023 - 34

RURAL LIVING
Tails of New York
by Margo Oxendine, Contributing Columnist
Ruffing it in the big city
I
t's dog show
season. One of
my favorites. It's
not exactly a " season, "
but there's a dog
show somewhere
throughout the year.
To me, there's no better show than
one focused on dogs. Dogs of every
breed and temperament. Given the
choice of a Broadway show, or a dog
show, it would be difficult to decide.
Broadway? I love it! But, I haven't
seen a Broadway show since " Wicked. "
And the expense involved in such a thing
is beyond me at this time. I'm just glad
I saw some wonderful Broadway shows
while I could. Just wish I'd known to
do more when the opportunity arose.
What would get me to New York
City quicker than tickets to, say, " The
Lion King, " or " The Music Man, " would
be one of the big kennel club dog shows,
traditionally held at Madison Square
Garden. One - I don't recall who
sponsors it - used to be held in February,
right around my birthday. There are
several of these shows throughout the
year, but this, to me, is the very best.
Probably because it is televised on
NBC. I'm not sure if they still do it in
February, but a girl can
still dream.
If cost were no object, here's the
dream trip topping my " bucket list " :
Go to New York on the train. Disembark
at Penn Station. Walk across a busy
street. Check into the Hotel
Pennsylvania. Walk a couple blocks
to Madison Square Garden. Go to the
dog show, every day. Manage to wheedle
myself backstage, where the real fun
occurs.
The Hotel Pennsylvania is where
the dogs and their handlers stay when
they're there for a big show. Oh, how
I would relish being surrounded by
hundreds of dogs who are far better
groomed than I. I think I'd spend
some time simply sitting in the lobby,
enjoying the passing doggie parade.
On Thanksgiving weekend, I watched
the National Dog Show. Love it! Love
John O'Herley, one of the announcers.
Handsome, funny and a darn good
dancer. What more could a girl want?
This year, for the first time in recent
memory, a German shepherd won the
herding group, and made it into the
finals. He was magnificent. Sadly, he
did not win. Another dog who didn't
win, a Malemute, was quite the pinnacle
of dogdom himself. I thought he had it.
But then the little blonde French
bulldog, Winston, ended up running
away with the big cup. He somehow
knew he'd won. And his handler
scooped Winston up, and took a big
leap into the air himself. These folks
take their dog shows seriously!
The dear Corgis, the dog I'd have if
I were ever to buy a dog, didn't make a
dent among the contenders. And there's
not much cuter than a Corgi.
Apparently, cuteness is not a regulation
requirement. But it should be!
(Speaking of the Corgi, Queen
Elizabeth II's beloved dogs for life, they
have shot up in price to something
almost unattainable. A few years ago,
when someone offered to sell me a Corgi
puppy, they were $3,000. Heaven knows
how much their current popularity has
raised the price these days.)
So, if you're wondering what
I'll be doing for my birthday (Feb. 12,
if you're interested), I hope it's sitting
in my comfy chair in my pjs, fireplace
going, and waiting to watch a major
dog show, with hundreds of purebreds.
If it happens, I'll be rooting for the
Corgi, and the German shepherd. But
an over-groomed, prissy little poodle
will probably take the prize. Oh well;
any dog is a good dog. 
To order Margo's book, " A Party of One, "
call 540-468-2147 Mon-Wed., 9-5,
or email therecorderoffice@gmail.com.
CL WHEREZ IT?
" The magic in new beginnings
is truly the most powerful of them all. "
― Josiyah Martin
PHOTO COURTESY DELAWARE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
32 ● Cooperative Living ●
January-February 2023
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Cooperative Living January/February 2023

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