Sunday with puppy

Puppy wants my constant attention, but that's okay.  It's so nice to hold him and share his toys while he's young like this.  He is used to walking outside and is always eager to go.  It has been cold and I have to remember not to go far, just around the block, until he gets bigger.

So after the morning walk, I went to ballet class and had fun trying to look graceful.  I must say that my classes with Miss Dolores are making me more mindful of my posture and general appearance.  Also, after class I asked the teacher about this and he said you always have to think about rotation.  So, this is another concept to remember because I struggle to turn out my legs properly so they are "straight."

After a very careful barre (that is, I chose to be careful and not just get my legs up high and distort myself in general), we did some nice dancey steps in center and when I left the studio, I even had a glow on my face on this cold day.  Good things happen when you work hard, I thought.

I went to the pet store and got a huge bag of the dog food he was raised on, and some dog toothpaste and a new toy, a caterpillar.  I will take him with me so he can see all the toys but I wanted to get the food this time so he would have it.  Then I checked in on Yasir at home and he was just a little angel again.  I am so thankful for my friend's suggestion to come and go every few hours and also I have been reading books on how to raise puppies which say to have a playtime with puppy and always be positive.  We went outside again and everybody fussed over him a usual.

Then I went out again when it got dark, to go for a swim -- except since it was so cold, I just practiced leg kicks so I wouldn't go out with wet hair and get sick.  Better to swim during the day because it just gets too miserable at night.  It felt good to stretch my legs underwater and feel the pressure of the water align my legs -- it's hard to really feel this but, suspended in the water, I have a better sense of this correct alignment.  I always feel so free underwater, that is why I will go even for a short time on a cold day.

Now I am home again with Yasir and he is really playing hard with his toys and barking a bit, but the books say not to fuss when he barks for attention.  I like the diversion tactic, too, getting his mind on another toy so he forgets about the barking.  The weather will be miserable for a while still, with more heavy rains coming, so maybe I will take Yasir on the bus this week while he is little so he can go to the pet store, see my former trainer, and just get used to travelling in a car.

Dance Class:
Barre:
1. Tendu front, plie, tendu front, tendu side; tendu side, plie; repeat reverse. Tendu 1st 5th, 5th 5th, tendus en croix.
2. Degages 3x front, 2x side, 3x back; 3x front, 3x back, degages in 5th.
3. Ronde jambes with developpes.
4. Frappes front, side, front, side change, repeat back, repeat en croix, repeat double en croix, frappe efface, derrierre, balance cou de pied.
5. Passe, fondu front, coupe, developpe back, fondu ecarte, developpes ecarte.
6. Ronde jambe en l'air, chasse pas de bourre pirouettes en dehors and en dedans, chasse pas de bourre to barre, double ronde jambes on demi toe.
7. Battements with balancoire.
Center:
1. Tendu croise plie, tendu side, tendu croise back, pas de bourre, pirouettes.
2. Adagio developpes croise front, croise back, seconde to arabesque, chasse grand fouette, chasse pas de bourre, pirouettes, pique turns, chainnes.
3. Balance, balance, chasse pas de bourre pirouettes, pirouettes en dedans, chainnes.
4. Jumps: 1st 3x, 2nd 3x, 1st 5th 1st 5th, 5th 5th, 2nd 5th, changement.
5. Assemble, assemble, temps leve both sides, assemble assemble, jete, jete, glissade assemble.
6. Assemble assemble, ballonne coupe assemble.
7. Arabesque chasses, temps leve passe, arabesque glissade grand jete, pas de courru, assemble.