We all know what they say about plans, and mice; well we should include cats and judges as well. I'd been there no more than an hour and judging hadn't even commenced when I was asked by the show manager if I could help by stewarding for the longhair desexed cats. Not a problem, said I, knowing how difficult it is to find workers sometimes.
Except that "longhair desexed" also became "longhair entire" which extended to "shorthair desexed, shorthair kittens, longhair desexed in second ring and shorthair entire". In fact the only section that I didn't get into today was longhair kittens, and that was only because it was after 4pm by that time and the show organiser felt sorry for me, and found someone else to finish off. Yay me. Still couldn't sit down though as all chairs were taken.
It was 5.35pm by the time I finally drove out of the car park and headed home.
Good results for the Fatty Princess in the Longhairs though - a third from Satu Hamalainen (Finland), a second from Betty White (USA) and a first place from Isobel Johnstone, one of our locally-based judges. AND she behaved herself beautifully (Princess, that is). Made it all worthwhile, really.