Memorable moments from a weekend of two orange ribbons and a title

This was once again a very fun weekend of testing. There were some funny and memorable moments from this weekend that are worth sharing. Enjoy!

• Devon is a very compliant dog, who I call Ms. Perfect and Gayle says has a "mother-may-I" attitude. I love her attitude and it suits her. However, I'm starting to wonder if she's learning a little too much sass from her little sister Page. In the final blind before walking to the line on Sunday, she was sitting beside me and I knew she was wired. I took off the leash and was wrapping it up to put in my pocket when she got up and started to walk out of the blind on her own. In a quiet but very firm voice I told her to sit. She did. I leaned over and in a firm voice through clenched teeth whispered, "Heel, heel, sit" Devon heeled backwards to my side, sat, threw her head back and looked me square in the face and said, "BARK!" What! Ms. Perfect just sassed me! Devon never sasses me! Those birds are going to her head!
• Judge #1 on Sunday's land double, "I could hunt behind this dog all day." Judge #2, "She just took the best line to the memory bird of any dog we've seen today." (They had seen 12 dogs to that point.)
• Sunday Judge after Devon returns with the water memory bird up on the bank, down the roadway, through the gallery and down the path behind the line: "Don't worry, several of the Junior dogs did that yesterday." Great. None of the Senior dogs did it except Devon...
• As we were waiting for the blind to be planted on Sunday's land series, I asked the judge if Devon could sit and hold the bird for a little while during the wait. She sat at my side looking very beautiful holding her large, fluffy male Mallard with a pretty dark green head. I was looking down on her thinking how beautiful she looked when I noticed she was swaying back and forth. I thought for a second and then looked at her tail. Sure enough, she was sitting there wagging her tail 100 mph. She was so very proud of herself holding that duck. I looked up at the judge and told him to look at her tail. He laughed and shook his head. Only a Golden, and only Devon!
• I was very focused on Devon as she swam out to the go bird on Sunday's water double. I really needed her to get that bird clean. I was standing straight and tall and focused on her swimming out to that bird, as if I could push her there with my will alone ... Judge to me very quietly, "Uhhh, I can take the gun now." Ooops, I forgot I had it. I handed it back without a word. Maybe he thought I might use it...
• Sunday Judge to me as Devon is swimming in with the go bird on water: "Do you see the memory bird?" Me to judge: "Yes, it's out there belly up just like my go bird was, right?" Judge to me: "Yep. How much are they charging for those belly up birds these days? $5?" Me to judge: "Nope, they're $50 if you want both of them belly up." Judge to me: "Wow, inflation is really hitting everything these days, isn't it?"
• During the handle to the memory bird on Sunday, Devon hit some branches in the water. I didn't want her to bounce back right to the shore, so I whistled intending to cast her left to the bird. Devon stops, turns her head left to look at the bird, turns her head backwards to glance at me, ignores me and swims directly to the bird. Judge #1 in a high, mimicking voice: "I don't NEED your whistle momma, I KNOW where the bird is!" Judge #2 in an equally high mocking voice: "Tweet, tweet, I don't need you. Put away that whistle." Me to judges: "Thanks guys. You're funny."
• Judge to me when Devon started to return to me with the water blind duck, but then decided the shore was too muddy and came the long way around the grass path: "Gee, she really is a princess about the mud!" I was soooo proud.
• Watching Tara's puppy Lark (half sister to Page) trot proudly through the crowd at the evening banquet with her bumper after the puppy stakes. Lark earned her first of what I expect will be many orange ribbons!
• Sitting on the ground Saturday evening with brush in hand pulling burrs out of Devon, Reba and Denver with friend Beth, who was instrumental in getting me started in dog training nearly 30 years ago when I was in 4-H. Saturday, all three dogs came home with orange ribbons making us very proud.