As January comes to an end.

We have now lived through the second week of our cold spell here in Mid-Michigan.  Honestly,  the last two weeks have been the longest stretch of teens and single digit temperatures that I can remember in several years.  

In addition to the frigid temperatures and windchils below zero, Friday was the first day in a week that we didn't get at least a small amount of snow. Shoveling has become a part of my every day routine.  Luckily it has been light and fluffy snow, which makes the shoveling easy.  Plus it forces me to get outside.

It has made for a pretty winter landscape all around us too. 

Work has been keeping me busy, but I've prioritized taking short breaks and making time to get out for some excercise with the girls during the day when the temperatures tend to be their warmest.  

Many days I have broken my lunch up into two different halves, using the first half earlier in the day to shovel and take the girls for a short walk, and then later in the day taking another short walk followed by feeding the girls lunch in their snufflemats or other brian game and making a quick lunch for myself.  

On Monday, I used part of my lunch to drive out to Mason before my final meeting of the day.  I sat  at the Biggby in Mason to join my Teams meeting, and then drove across the road to the shelter to pick up Mac, who was going to be my next foster, when I was done.

Unfortunately, when I got home, his introduction to Mina didn't go very well and I knew I wouldn't be able to keep him as a foster long-term.  I was disappointed because he is such a nice boy and he has been starting to struggle at the shelter.  He really needed a safe place to stay for awhile and I very much wanted us to be able to provide that to him.  But I guess that it just wasn't meant to be.  I worry about what might happen if no on else steps up to foster him or he isn't adopted soon.  The reality of shelter life isn't always easy.

While he was here for Monday night, I spent part of the evening with him in the bedroom with a baby gate in the hall while the girls had full run of the rest of the house.  The other part of the night, I put the girls in my office with the door shut and let Mac wander freely around the house.  He got some treats,  a bone stuffed with peanut butter, and plenty of snuggle time.   The best part of his stay was knowing how well he slept for the night away from the shelter.

It broke my heart to return him to the shelter Tuesday morning because I felt like I had failed him.  But I just had to remind myself that we had tried and that was the best I could do.  

When I got home, I had a full and busy day of work.  I took a moment before I started to sit quietly with Peaches and remind myself that my first responsibility will always be to ensure she and Mina are happy, safe, and well cared for. 

While I was busy, the girls were exceptionally well-behaved and quieter than normal.  Maybe they could tell I needed the peacefulness.  Because I had used my lunch break to take Mac to the shelter, I didn't have time to get the girls out for our mid-day walk, but they did have lunch in their treat balls and each enjoyed a Kong as well.

When my work day finally ended, I knew I had to get out for some fresh air.  The girls deserved a good walk and the sun was shining when we headed out just after 5pm. With temperatures in the mid-teens and no wind, we stayed comfortable and were able to get in a 1.5 mile walk in just under 30 minutes.  

It was exactly how we needed to end our day.  Then we had dinner and settled in for a nice quiet evening.

The weather Wednesday remained cold, and the girls were happy to join me in the office while I worked.

I was able to get them out for a short walk at noon before feeding them lunch.

While it was 15 degrees, there was a slight wind which made it feel colder, but that didn't stop Peaches from jumping into the snow and stopping us so that she could sniff anything she found interesting.   She was having the best time!

After work, we got out for 1.5 more miles before dinner.  

My Thursday schedule was a little crazy, but I really wanted to get the girls out for a lunchtime break. When I looked at the weather and saw the temperatures were 17 degrees with no wind, I decided to make the drive to Soldan Dog Park to let the girls run.

I figured a change of scenery would be nice and they'd both be able to run and burn a little more energy.  We'd only have about 35 minutes to spend at the park, too, and that seemed perfect with the temperature.  As always, they both had a great time and I enjoyed the freedom of a walk through the woods not attached to a leash.

I have also been enjoying our evening walks so much this week, that I took them out for another 1.5 mile walk before dinner.  Fresh air and exercise are good for the soul.

Finally Friday arrived.  I was exhausted from the week.  Work had been draining and I was ready for the week to be over.  It was also our coldest day of the week.  There was no new snow and no need for me to shovel, and I just couldn't bring myself to take the girls out for a walk before lunch.  Instead, I started a load of laundry, and we had a quiet lunch hour with a little playtime and then some snuggles.

When the day eneded, I finished up my laundry and did the dishes which I had ignored the night before. As I was finishing up a few other chores, I looked over and saw the girls looking out the window.  And I knew I had to get them out for a walk.

The sun was shining and it was beautiful, so we bundled up and headed out the door.  We didn't get quite 1.25 miles, but we had gotten out, and that was what was most important.  

When we got back to the house, I finished folding the last of the laundry, dried the rest of the dishes, and noticed just how light it still was at 6pm.  The days are growing longer and I was so excited that I had paid attention enough to really notice the change.  I did a little more clean-up before feeding the girls dinner and heating up leftover enchiladas and tortilla soup for dinner for myself.  

Peaches didn't sleep very well Friday night which meant I didn't sleep very well either.  She was restless and couldn't relax, and her constant shifting kept waking me up.  Finally at 6am, I let the girls out for their morning potty break and fed them breakfast, and then we all headed back to bed.  And by some miracle,  we all fell fast asleep. And when I woke up, it was after 10am!  

We spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon at home.  Finally around 3pm, we headed out toward Seidman Park in Ada to get in some miles on the North Country Trail. 

It was calm, sunny, and 20 degrees when we arrived, so we stayed pretty comfortable on our walk.

I enjoyed the beauty of the winter day while Peaches enjoyed all of the new smells.  Sometimes it is hard to keep her moving because she wants to stop and sniff everything.   Mina has been mostly patient with her, but she'd prefer that we just keep moving.  I'm with Mina on this one.

We started our hike on the paved path along the road, and once we reached the covered bridge, we turned to head back toward the park.

Then we headed into the woods for the remainder of our walk.

It was beautiful with the sun shining through the trees.

By the time we got back to the car, we had hiked a total of 2.8 miles.  This makes our total miles hiked for the month of January 9.5 miles.  While I had hoped to get to 10 miles on the trail this month, with the frigid weather and snow we've had the last couple of weeks, I'm really pleased with our progress.  Only 90.5 miles to go!

As the sun was setting, we made our way into downtown Ada to wander around town on the final day of their Winter Lights Walking Trail. 

We parked near the covered bridge and started our walk there.

Downtown was festively lit and beautiful...and very busy.   The girls got some pets from some people we walked by and enjoyed seeing all of the people out and about.

After the short walk around town, we were back at the bridge again and ready to head home.

I made the girls take one more walk to the bridge with me and we enjoyed the peacefulness and beauty all around us.  

Then we were back in the car for the drive home.  Not long after we started the drive, Nicol and Fiona called to share the fun that they had had at the Plymouth Ice Festival and Fiona entertained me with silly stories and interesting facts the rest of the way home.  She's such a character. 

We had dinner when we got home, and then we all settled in for a quiet evening.  Peaches was quickly sound asleep, and thankfully she slept well all night.   It felt great to get a really good night of rest.

We have officially reached the end of January and what often feels like one of the longest months of the year.  But I have to say, I found a lot to enjoy about January this year.  

Despite the extremely cold temperatures, we didn't get much wind which would have made it feel so much worse.  And despite all of the snow we got, the sidewalks stayed much safer in my neighborhood than normal for the winter.  The fluffy snow didn't stick as much so the sidewalks have been dry, or at least not icy, and that has made our walks so much more enjoyable.  Mostly, I've enjoyed the slower pace of life, taking time to rest, and finding ways to enjoy the winter months.  

Our Sunday will be spent quietly at home.  Overnight temperatures got down to -4, which is one of the coldest actual temperatures we'vehad during this cold streak.  Our forecast for later today has temperatures climbing to the mid-20s, and those temperatures should stick around for most of the week. It's still cold, but it's definitely an improvement.  Now I'm going snuggle up with the girls and a good puzzle book to enjoy a quiet morning.

It is now February 1st and I'm so excited.   This is one of my favorite months as the days get longer and we slowly creep our way toward Spring!  I know we still have plenty of winter ahead of us, but the promise of spring keeps me ever hopeful. Happy February!

The long, dark, cold days of January

Old man winter has really decided to show up this week.  For the first time in what seems like forever, we are experiencing a real Michigan Winter.   I am happy for the snow on the ground and the chance to experience winter fun.  If you would have told younger me that I would learn to embrace winter, and maybe even enjoy it, I would have thought you were crazy.  Heck, if you had told me this just 10 years ago, I probably wouldn't have believed you.  But I really have been enjoying it this year.

This week, along with the snow, we've been experiencing some seriously cold weather.  On Monday, that cold was accompanied by wind.  I was sure we weren't going to get outside for a walk, but i had to head outside to shovel, so I decided to take the girls for a short walk around the block when I was done.

After that walk, we got into the car for a trip to Kroger and then to Speedway for gas.  I decided while we were out we'd park at Waldo Park and I'd get the girls out for a second walk around the block.  And then we took another short walk when we got home.  By the time we were done, we had walked a total of two miles, and then we settled in to enjoy the rest of my day off quietly inside.

Tuesday morning started quietly.  The girls slept while I worked.  The morning went quickly, and before I knew it, it was noon.  I finished up a couple of things I was working on and then decided I'd get the girls out for some exercise over my lunch.

I decided we would head to Poxson Park for our walk.  The park is well protected from wind making it perfect for our walk, which was comfortable and very enjoyable.  Plus it was nice to get out somewhere different for a change of pace.

After our walk at Poxson Park, we stopped at Everett Park on our way home to take a short walk there.  Then we headed home to finish my work day.

We got in one more short walk around our neighborhood before the end of the day.  Then the girls had dinner in the Kong Wobbler before settling in for another quiet evening. 

We had a little heatwave on Wednesday with temperatures reaching nearly 30 degrees. Along with warmer temperatures, snow moved into the area for the morning.  By noon most of the snow had stopped, so I got out to shovel and then took the girls for a trip to Soldan's to pick up a few things to keep them busy when colder air moved in over the weekend.

They loved their trip to Soldan's and when we got home they enjoyed lunch in some puzzles.  

Before the day ended, we took advantage of the milder temperatures to make a visit to Soldan Dog Park. 

We had the park to ourselves for most of our visit.  Mina spent her visit zooming around at full speed.  Peaches moved a little slower, but was still very happy to be there.

It was so nice to be able to get into the woods and allow the girls the freedom to run and explore.  We all really enjoyed the warmer day and the fresh air.  I think we missed our visits here.

Temperatures on Thursday were colder than Wednesday,  but still in the double digits.  We got more snow overnight and i headed out on my lunch to shovel, again. 

I shoveled quickly and then took the girls for a walk around the block.

While I was walking, I decided that the weather was still warm enough that we could make a visit to the dog park, so off we went.

The weather was a mixture of flurries, sunshine, and gray skies while we were there, but we stayed comfortable.

We didn't have a lot of time for our visit, so we moved quickly.  But Mina got to run and Peaches got to sniff and trot around, and I got to enjoy a brisk walk while watching them enjoy life.  

I was so glad we went before the artic air moved into the area overnight.  Temperatures dropped through the wee morning hours of Friday.  The girls went out for a potty break and then had breakfast around 5:30am. And the temperatures continued to fall. It was zero degrees when Mina thought she wanted to go outside before I started my work day at 8am.  Both girls turned around as soon as they stepped outside.  I knew that was exactly what they were going to do.

By noon, I knew we had to get out for a walk because Peaches needed to poop, but refused to go in the yard.  I made the drive to Speedway for a Mount Dew, and then stopped at Waldo Park for a walk around the block.  

While I had planned to be out for less than 10 minutes, Peaches had other ideas with her need to stop and sniff everything. But we were able to finish in 12 minutes and were successful in our potty break, so it was a good walk.

It was 2 degrees with very little wind, so we took another 10 minute walk when we got home before the girls had lunch in their snufflemats.  I had a busy afternoon of work, but I made sure to get the girls out for one last 10 minute walk at the end of my day.  It was still 2 degrees during our final walk, but the temperatures quickly began to fall after dark.  

By early evening, we moved into bed to snuggle up for the night.  I did some word search puzzles and the girls happily snored the evening away.  It was cozy and the perfect end to our day.

When Mina woke me up at 5:30am on Saturday, it was -16 degrees. Brrr!  She went out for a quick potty break, and then we heard back to bed.  We stayed in bed snuggled up and toasty until almost 8am.  Then we lounged around as the temperatures slowly began to rise.

There was a geocaching event at noon, so I decided to stop by for a quick visit.  After leaving, I found a couple of nearby geocaches.  Then I decided we'd take a drive.

Ultimately,  I decided we'd head to Albion.  I figured we could get out for a few short walks on the North Country Trail while we were there.  Even if we didn't go far, we would be making progress toward our 100 miles for 2026.

It was 8 degrees when we started our first walk through town, and somehow we'd walked three-quarters of a mile in no time.  We were all still comfortable, but I didn't want to go any further away from the car so we turned around and ended walk one with 1.6 miles.

I got the girls into the car and took a little drive to Victory Park so we could park for walk number two.  We headed out and walked three-tenths of a mile then turned around and headed back toward the car.  We continued four-tenths of a mile in the opposite direction and then back to the car to end our second walk with another 1.4 miles.

After a little warm-up, our final walk of the day was a total of six-tenths of a mile, and we ended the day having walked 3.6 miles.  I hadn't planned on walking that far when we first started, but I was really excited that we had been able to stay comfortable the entire time.  It really was a beautiful winter day on the trail.

I made a stop at Aldi for a few groceries on the way home.  When we got home, we had dinner and enjoyed a quiet evening.  While our temperatures overnight into Sunday morning were still cold, at least they stayed above zero.  That really made a big difference over the negative temperatures. 

We woke this morning to fresh snow on the ground.  The snow started to fall in the early hours of this morning and the forecast calls for it to continie to snow all day and a high of just 15 degrees.  

The girls have had their morning potty break and breakfast and they have put themselves back to bed - Mina in her cozy cave, and Peaches snuggled up in bed next to me.  I expect them both to stay put for the next few hours.  My plans for today are to spend a quiet day at home and inside.  I plan to entertain the girls with Kongs and puzzles and maybe a little training mixed in with playtime and hope that they'll be happy to fill the test of the day with lots of naps.  I just need Peaches to cooperates with this plan.  

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Our cold spell will continue this week, but thankfully highs stay in the teens instead of the single digits.   The days are slowly growing noticeably longer, which is a much welcome sign of what's to come.  We have made it through the ten darkest weeks of the year, and, by the time I write next week, February will have arrived.  The long, dark, cold days of January are coming to an end, and we have made it through successfully and have maybe even enjoyed it.  

Now I'm going to cover up and snuggle up with Peaches for a bit to keep warm on this chilly morning.  A perfect way to start a winter day.