The Best Thing About Nationals

April 24, 2009

This was my first Cardigan National Specialty.  I’d been to the German Shepherd Nationals a number of times, but this was the first one for Cardis.  I’ve already blogged about how the dog did, and Chase blogged about how I did, but I haven’t blogged about the best thing.

The best thing was that I knew people there.  Without all our CWC blogs, I would have known only Carolyn and Shelley, Sherri and Lauren, Sarah, Kim and Leo, and a few people from the Southwestern part of the U.S.  I’m sure I would have met the folks from the Bulletin staff and the people involved in the DM Seminar.  However, because of the blogs, I already had friends — I didn’t know their faces yet, but we all milled around and put faces with the tales, trials, and tribulations about which each of us had written.  It was so much fun to sit at ringside, turn to my right and find Russ and Sherilyn, and Cindy.  Garrett was there, Laura M and Laura P, Janet, Katrina, Emily F and Emily R.  I met Sherilyn C in person (can you believe there are two Sherilyns?).  I met Holly, Joanne Rogers.  Because we all read one another’s blogs, the meeting spread to the circles of friends surrounding the blogging friends.  Lots of people came to visit us under the rainbow canopy.  We met each others dogs and families — what a great time! 

I felt there were so many people to call on for help with extra dogs or to ask where they found a neat shirt.  I would say that the blogging community enriched the National experience ten fold.  Thanks everyone!  I’m going to write an article for the Bulletin about “My First Cardi National” and the advice with which I’ll end that article is START BLOGGING before the Pennsylvania Nationals.


  1. Lybertygirl says:

    It was great meeting you and the irrepressible Chase! You really must do something about his shyness (yeah right!)

  2. Sherilyn says:

    You know, Penni…I was thinking the very same thing! This was our 3rd Cardigan Nationals, but we actually met and talked to SO many more people this year and had a great time. It’s not like we are shy or anything! LOL But it was so nice to put faces with the names behind the blog, and already find out that you know so much about each other, and then continue on with that friendship. 🙂 I would definitely encourage everyone to start their own blog, even if you don’t think you have anything to talk about…you will think of things as you go along and we can get to know you, too! Can’t wait until next year!

    Hugs!
    The “Other” Sherilyn 😉

  3. I agree the blogs helped me A LOT. I tend to be really shy, quiet, and ‘back in the corner’. It takes me a bit to warm up generally, but ‘knowing’ so many people though e-mails, blogs (and of course, the whole no sleep thing) REALLY helped me come out of my shell a bit for a week.

    I’m so bad about being shy, some LOCAL, as in, I see them at almost every local show, and have for about 10 years, hadn’t met me until last week… I generally just sit ringside, adore dogs, and STHU! haha

  4. Laura says:

    I had thought, and will probably do when I have the time, about blogging something on the same lines. It was great actually knowing who people were through their blogs and also through Facebook, otherwise, I would’ve only known the Midwest Show Corgi people (and btw, they are a great group of people to show with on a regular basis).

  5. Sandy says:

    Yup……this stuff is “sweeeet”! With my baby blog having just been born, I know that my life will be different and a heck of lot more fun. Knowing you has started me on a new path, my friend!

  6. Laura, I wish I was still in the mid-west 🙁 Not that the NW people are terrible, but they’re NOT mid-westerners.

    I love Oregon for the scenery, but the friendliest, and sweetest people in the USA are in my opinion, and experience, in the mid-west!

  7. amanda says:

    i think in general blogs are great for making “friends” so to speak. Cardigans aren’t a popular breed- and blogs are a great way to get to know other cardi’s and their people!

  8. C-Myste says:

    Thanks, Emily .

    We have better microbrews.

  9. C-Myste says:

    There was supposed to be a (sniff) in there but I forgot and used greater/less than brackets instead of ().

    As in: Thanks, Emily (sniff).

  10. Carol says:

    Okay, I’m in! Thanks Penni, for visiting my new blog the other day! I hope to meet everyone next year! I’ll try real hard to “think of something to say”. 😉

  11. Shelley says:

    So what will it take to get you all to the Canadian National in 2012 when I get to organize it?

  12. MyEye says:

    A chartered plane?

  13. Much more fun to go to such things when you have friends there! 🙂

  14. Carolyn, you happen to be one of the friendliest people in the NW. Be proud!

    I have my own personal brewer, so I don’t need to go to breweries ;0P Sadly, I don’t think I’ll ever talk his Oregon born-and-raised self into living in the mid-west. I think I’m stuck here!

  15. Tony says:

    Congrats on your 1st Cardi National, glad you had a wow of a time