The following conversation took place before, during, and after the morning’s on-line video competition. We did several takes with Ranger who wasn’t wanting to do what was asked of him. This is usually the case. Then I went and got Thelma the Chicken and did agility with her.

Thelma: Louise, Louise, Alys has me in her arms. She’s taking me someplace. Do something.
Louise: What can I do? Nip at her heels?
T: The dog, the dog, let’s sic the dog on her.
L: Calm down. That woman means you no harm.
T: Bet she’s going to put me in the stew pot.

Alys and Thelma

L: Don’t be silly. She doesn’t eat meat.
T: How do you know?
L: I heard her tell this to Sarah who had us at her place this summer.
T: If she lies, you’ll end up in the pot too. I’ll make sure of this.
A: Let’s go Thelma. We’re going to do some agility?
T: Agility? What’s that?
A: You’ll see. Look. Right in front of us. Your buddy Ranger Danger.
T: Ranger! I’m going in the stew pot.
R: Relax. You don’t have enough meat on your bones for that.
A: Thelma, this is the Playground of Higher Learning. This is where agility takes place.
T: Ranger! Get me out of here.
R: The more cooperative you are, the sooner you’ll be back in the coop with Louise.
T: How do you know this?
R: I’ve spent enough time down here to figure this out.
T: There’s Pete. He has a camera in his hand. He’s saying something about December agility.
R: He’s making a video. Later they’ll take a look at it, and send it via computer to a judge.
T: You don’t say.
R: I do say.
A: I’m now putting on my holiday hat. Come on Thelma, we have to take gifts to the Christmas grotto.
T: Those aren’t gifts. They’re shopping bags full of bubble wrap.
R: That’s right. Alys is pretending that the bags hold gifts.
T: Where are we going now?
A: I’m now heading for the grotto.
T: We are going into a tunnel. This is very scary. Louise, where are you?
A: We’re now heading in the direction of the festive curtain.
R (following behind) I do not like the curtain.
T: Meeeeeeeeeeee neither.
A: We have now passed through the curtain and are headed in the direction of the tarp.
T: And now we are crossing the tarp.
A: Very good Thelma.
R: Next is the star pattern. See those buckets? The object is to walk around them without knocking them down.
T: Easy Alys, easy.
(Pete yells out the colors of the buckets because Alys has continued to have a problem with doing the star pattern correctly).
A: (After completing the course) Good girl Thelma!
T: Why thank you. I really didn’t do anything.
R: You have just completed your first agility course.
T: Wait until Louise hears about this!
A: Thelma, I’m now putting you back in your coop.
R: Good idea.
A: And Ranger, I’m now putting you back in your pen.
R: Bad idea.
T: Ranger, we are so very, very brave.
A: And your both are going to be stars.
R: About time I say.
A: Yes, the time is now.

Next: 356. 12/25/19: The Stuff Dreams are Made of