Thursday, December 31, 2020

Reflections on 2020

When I think back to my childhood, I remember thinking of 2020 as this far off time, the year that I would turn 50, a lifetime away.  Yet somehow, here we are, just 6 hours away from the end of the year.  How in the world did it get here so quickly?!?  Of course when I thought about it or wondered what it would be like in 2020, I could never have imagined what we actually got.  I don't think any of us expected to be in the middle of a pandemic in our lifetimes, but here we are.  And while there have been some really tough moments for many people, there has also been a lot of good.  So one day, when I think back to this year, I won't remember it in a negative way, but will remember the good things that it gave me.


We may have traveled less this year than in the past, but we explored more of Michigan and the Lansing area than we ever had previously.  We found so many great new trails and parks close to home, some of which have become regular parts of our lives.  There are an abundance of places to explore within 10 miles of home and lots of beautiful, wooded areas I never knew existed.  We are all thankful for the trails that we have discovered and the ability to be able to get out to enjoy them.


We have continued to do good by helping homeless pups.  While I haven't been able to spend time volunteering at the shelter like I have in the past, I have still been able to foster.  I had a couple more challenging fosters this year in Cricket with her trust issues and Piper with her anxiety, but I also had the joy of fostering a couple of youngsters, Melanie and Roxi.  And I continued to learn life lessons from each of them.  


We were able to finish our Hike 100 Challenge on the North Country Trail for the fifth year.  I continued to make progress toward visiting all of Michigan's State Parks.  I challenged myself in new ways both physically and mentally through group challenges(like the plank challenges I completed), practicing gratitude, focusing on things that I can control, making healthier choices, and eating more vegan and vegetarian meals.  I enjoyed my garden and all of the bounty it gave me.  I have a freezer full of goodies that will get me through the Winter and make me so appreciative of the gifts that nature can provide.



Most importantly, I have gotten to spend so much more time with the girls.  With the exception of the one day that I packed up my office, I have spent every work day since March 17th at home with them.  As Maddie gets older, I can't tell you what a blessing that has been.  They are great coworkers and I am so thankful for the extra time we get to spend together.   Working from home has been a blessing in so many ways and I'm thankful that I will be able to continue to do so long-term now.



I am so grateful for the fact that Maddie will be here to ring in the new year with me tonight, and I am hopeful that she will be here for many more months.  While she is older and that comes with health issues, she is pretty healthy for a nearly 15 year old girl, she still loves a good adventure, and she's always up for a good road trip.  We're only 5 months away from her birthday and I am hopeful that she'll be here to celebrate it.  I have big plans!


Peaches is doing great as well and she is so much fun to have around.  We are nearing the third anniversary of her coming into my life and I never expected her to still be here.  I am thankful that she is.  She brings levity to darker moments, she brings joy to all who meet her, and she has helped keep Maddie going through some dark days.  Maddie and I are grateful that Peaches came into our lives and that we will ring in the new year with her too!


Over the last couple of days we were able to safely spend some time with friends.  Maddie is always up for a visit with her Aunt Chastity!



We also enjoyed more hikes in some areas we haven't visited previously.  While it's been chilly, the sunshine makes us happy and makes the cold bearable.



We also enjoyed a little snow.  While it turned to slush by the next morning, it was pretty on the lighted trees.



To end the year right, we got out for one last hike on a trail we'd never hiked.  It was a little slippery and we didn't go far, but it was a beautiful morning to be out enjoying nature.


And the best part of the day, and the best way to end the year, was a visit from our favorite girl!
We had an outdoor Christmas celebration and the girls were so excited to have our girl home with us.  While we haven't seen her as much as we'd like this year, we are all definitely happy every time we do see her.  And the best part was how excited Maddie was about the presents.  She was back to her enthusiastic self!



I have so much to be thankful for today and every day.  I am thankful for the health of all of those that I love.  I know that many people have lost loved ones this year due to Covid and many other causes.  I am lucky that I haven't lost anyone.  I know that 2020 has been a really tough year for many people and realize just how lucky I am.  I have made it through the year with my health, I have a good job, I have my girls.  I am happy and safe and warm.  

Tonight the girls and I will peacefully allow the new year to arrive without much fanfare because tomorrow is really just another day.  And I plan to continue to make the most of each one I am given. 

 Wishing you all health, happiness, and love today and every day.  


Tuesday, December 29, 2020

Our special Christmas guest

Just a few days before Christmas, I offered to help the rescue by fostering a young GSP for a few days around the holidays.  Her family was losing their home and, while I am not able to take in a long-term foster at this time, I was happy to be able to help out and give her a place to stay for a few days before she would make the trip to her permanent foster home in Illinois.


She came into rescue on Tuesday afternoon, and I made the drive to the Ionia area to pick her up and bring her home.  She was very excited to be in the car and a pretty vocal passenger, but luckily the drive home wasn't too long. 


Roxi settled in quickly on her first night here, and while she wanted nothing more than to play with Peaches and Maddie, neither of them wanted anything to do with her.  She was cute and well behaved and very lovable...and full of energy.  


And since nobody else was up for the challenge, I spent most of Tuesday night playing with her until she finally crashed for the evening.


When she was done playing, she happily climbed up into my lap and was soon snoring away.  I didn't complain because who wouldn't want to snuggle up with an adorable sleeping youngster while enjoying the lights from the Christmas tree?!?


Wednesday morning at work was busy, but I was able to finish several projects, and after 2 long days of work on Monday and Tuesday, I earned some time off Wednesday afternoon.   We had made plans for a little geocaching adventure with Vanessa for the afternoon, and Maddie, Peaches, and Roxi were all ready for an adventure.


We visited the Owosso and Corunna areas and took some short walks to keep Maddie happy.  One of our stops took us to the banks of the Shiawassee River at Curwood Castle.  


We also stopped at McCurdy Park for a longer walk along the river with Peaches and Roxi while Maddie napped in the car.  After we returned from our walk, Maddie joined us for a quick walk around the historical park which was beautifully lit for the holidays.  I can never resist taking a picture of this beautiful little church.

We headed back to Lansing in time to place an order at my favorite taco truck in the last hour that they were open for the year.  I can't tell you how happy it made me to get my tacos one last time!  I then dropped Vanessa off at home and made a quick drive to see some lights at a local residence which I had heard were spectacular.  No picture can do just to the number of lights at this house  It was insane!


We then headed home where we all ate dinner and the girls curled up for the evening.  It had been a great day of fun for us all.


Christmas Eve arrived and I had one final day of work before I was off for the rest of the year.  I don't mind working on Christmas Eve because it is quiet and I can always wrap up my projects for the year before I start my year-end vacation.  The day went quickly and I finished everything I needed to get done for work.  I felt relieved that I had made it through the last few weeks and I was ready for a break.


Since Nicol wasn't coming for Christmas Eve this year due to Covid, I took the girls downtown for a walk to enjoy the peace of the city at rest for the holidays.  We strolled through town enjoying the music and the window displays.



It was a cold night and Maddie slowed down quickly, so we headed back to the car to head home.  Once home, the girls ate dinner and then it didn't take long before everyone was settled in for the evening.


We traditionally open our Christmas gifts on Christmas Eve when Nicol is home with us and I think Maddie knew that something exciting was about to happen because she laid herself right by the tree.


I made the girls sit nicely for some pictures with the tree before getting their gifts out for them to open.


Normally Maddie is a pretty enthusiastic gift opener, but wasn't as interested as normal this year.  Maybe that was because Nicol wasn't here to share in the excitement.  But Roxi enjoyed opening her gift and eventually all the gifts under the tree were unwrapped.


Peaches and Maddie relaxed with their gifts while Roxi played for a bit.  And then we all settled in for a viewing of White Christmas followed by the Nutcracker before heading off to bed.



A quiet Christmas morning arrived with nowhere for us to go and nothing to do.  Maddie was happy to snuggle up in her cozy cave and at one point Roxi joined her for a bit.



While I spent the day busily doing meal and veggie prep for both my Christmas dinner and for later in the week, the girls occupied themselves with naps or watching the world go by out the window.  They also each enjoyed special treats from their stockings.


Finally, I put the turkey breast in the oven to cook and decided that it was time to head out for a walk with the girls before dinner and before it got dark.  We took a nice walk through Fenner Nature Center and I was glad to see others out enjoying the day too.  

We had an enjoyable walk, but I wonder how funny I must have looked as I walked with one arm stretched out behind me pulling Maddie along, one arm stretched out in front of me with Roxi excitedly walking along like a gopher on her two hind legs, and Peaches sommersaulting through the snow every few feet.  It was definitely an adventure.   While I didn't get any pictures on our walk because I had my hands full, I was able to take a quick shot from the car before we left.


I came home and had a nice dinner and then sat down to relax and enjoy a peaceful Christmas night.  It had been a good day, and while I didn't get to spend it with family, I did get to spend it with my girls and that made it special.


Saturday morning arrived and Roxi would be leaving us later that day to head to her foster home in Illinois.  She may have only been with us a few days, but I fell in love with this sweet girl.  I was happy she decided that we should spend some time snuggling before she left us.


When the time came for her to leave, we all piled into the Jeep for the drive to Ionia.  We were there in no time and before I knew it, she was off on the rest of her journey with a bag full of toys and treats from Santa to keep her busy on her long journey.  I have since seen updates from her foster family and she is settling in well.  She has two doggy friends to play with her and a family that will love her until she finds her forever home.  I'm just glad I could be a small part of helping her along her way to a new life.


We took advantage of our drive to Ionia to get out and visit a new trail and see some new things.  We did some geocaching along the way and made the most of our afternoon.  Before we left, I picked up some Mexican food from a local restaurant and found a quiet place to park and enjoy my meal before making the drive home.  


Sunday morning started out slowly and I was sure we were going to have a lazy day at home.  Peaches was patient for awhile, but finally she'd had enough of being lazy.  The weather was mild for late December with temperatures in the upper 30s and I reminded myself that we need to make the most of days like this because January is coming and with it will come colder temperatures and more snow.  So I took the girls for a ride to East Lansing and a visit to Patriarche Park.  

We all enjoyed the walk and the fresh air and Peaches appreciated exploring a place she'd never been.  There were lots of good smells for her there.   

We had all enjoyed our holiday with Roxi and a nice quiet weekend.  It had been nice to stay close to home for the most part and to just enjoy spending time together without work or other commitments to get in the way.  I'm looking forward to a quiet and relaxing week off as we prepare to ring in the New Year.  

Small towns and Holiday spirit

Wow, what a crazy couple of  weeks!  Two weeks ago, I sat down to write the blog for the week.  We had had a great week of adventures that I was looking forward to sharing.  I had planned to sit down to write that Tuesday, but as I'll share below, a plumbing issue prevented me from writing that night.  The craziness continued between work and some planned adventures and I had a hard time finding time to write.  I assumed as we reached mid-December, things would start to slow down a bit, but over the course of the next week and a half, long work days during what normally would be a much quieter time for me, kept me busy.  I ended each long day exhausted, but still had to make sure to get the girls out each evening for a walk, and the evenings quickly passed without a chance to write.  The weekends didn't seem to slow down much either while I tried to get out with the girls and make the most of the holiday season.

Before I knew it, Christmas week had arrived, and with it, continued craziness at work.  Christmas has now passed, and thankfully, I am officially on vacation for the week.  So today, I will get you all caught up on all of the excitement of our holiday fun.  While I was busy with work, I love the holiday season and I planned to make the most of this year's holidays so I have plenty to share.  

As I mentioned above, two weeks ago we had a plumbing issue.  I went downstairs on my lunch to start a load of laundry only to find water on the laundry room floor.  This isn't the first time that this has occurred over the years, there are plenty of trees in my yard causing roots to grow into the main drain line in the basement.  Luckily, I caught this early before the entire basement was flooded.  The amount of water on the floor was minor.  I called the plumbing company and waited for them to arrive a few hours later, and then I spent most of the rest of the evening dealing with this issue.  Unfortunately, the initial attempts to clear the drain weren't successful and I ended up having to wait overnight for him to return to use a fancy hydro-scrub machine to clear the pipes.  Thankfully it was a success!   Living without working plumbing is not fun! 

The last few weeks were filled with holiday themed adventures.  Basically, when I wasn't working, I took any chance I could to enjoy the short holiday season and to make the most of the sparkling lights.  The girls are always happy to join me on my adventures and they don't care where the adventures take us as long as we are together.

One Tuesday night early in the month, I had to drive out to Eaton Rapids for a quick meeting and decided I'd bring the girls along so we could get out for a walk through a local park there.  The change of pace visiting new areas is great for the girls and for me too. We started our walk not long before sunset and didn't have much time because it was getting dark, but I knew that any time in the woods would make Peaches happy.  Plus both girls love to sniff and there is nothing better than all of the new smells in the woods to create extra excitement for them. 


We enjoyed our short walk before my meeting and, when the meeting ended it was still early, so I decided to take a walk around town and maybe even pick up some take out before heading home.  We headed into town, found a parking spot, and headed out to stroll around the downtown area and enjoy the holiday sights.


Eaton Rapids is a nice little small town that in some ways reminds me of my hometown.  It was beautifully lit and the small town businesses had some beautiful window displays to enjoy as well.  The evening was chilly, but not too cold, and the town was pretty quiet as we walked the main street to one end and then crossed to the other side.  I love the tree lined streets full of lights and just wish pictures would do them justice.


We proceeded down the street heading back toward the car, but then came to the town Christmas tree and decided to stop for a picture.  There is a small island in the river in the middle of town, just past the tree, and I was pleased to see that it was decorated for the holidays too.  I decided to walk around the island and take in the lights there as well.  



After walking around the island, we continued on our journey to the car, and I was happy to see that the local Mexican restaurant was open for business via a small take-out window so I ordered a taco dinner to take home with me.  It had been a nice night exploring just one of Michigan's many small towns.


The next day I had a mid-week day off, so I decided to head to Frankenmuth for a day of German Christmas spirit.



Frankenmuth is famous for its chicken dinners and Bronner's Christmas store, but we didn't visit either of those locations.  Instead, we took our time and just slowly walked around town.  It had been years since I had been there, and I had forgotten just how small the town really is.  It was the perfect place for a walk with Maddie.



We walked the town learning about the history and I took plenty of pictures of the girls in holiday themed areas.



Peaches and Maddie were both fascinated with the Nativity.  I'm convinced that they both thought the animals were real.  After a couple of hours of exploring, we stopped for some beignets before heading back home.    It was a nice way to spend our day and I'm glad we made the trip.


That Friday we had plans to attend another drive-thru light display with Vanessa.  We met her for a little late afternoon geocaching adventure along the way to our final destination in Grand Blanc.  We didn't have a very successful day of geocaching, but we still had fun.  


We made sure that we arrived at Bicentennial Park early to get in line before they opened.and boy were we glad that we did.  Like most of the light displays this year, the line grew quickly and the crowd was large.  This particular event only ran for two weekends and admission cost was the donation of a toy or perishable food item so I expected it to be busy.


We were excited about the promise of hot chocolate and cookies as part of our admission.  Unfortunately the hot chocolate was cold, but luckily the cookies were good.  




The light display was nice, but small, and we made it through very quickly once they opened.  Of course we had to find some hot chocolate for the ride home...after all hot chocolate is officially our holiday light tradition!


Mild weather continued for that weekend, so I decided to take a ride to Kalamazoo with the girls on Saturday evening to visit the lights in Bronson Park.  The entire downtown area of Kalamazoo was beautifully decorated for the holidays and I was very glad I had decided to visit.  




The display at Bronson Park was one of the best we saw all year long.  It was full of lights and we thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to walk around the display and enjoy it on our own time  




We left Kalamazoo and headed toward Battle Creek for another walk-thru display of lights.  The extra special thing about the display in Battle Creek for me is that much of it follows the North Country Trail through the downtown area.  The majority of the display is the 12 days of Christmas in lights.  













The downtown area was quiet and we enjoyed our walk through the light display.  We even spotted Santa and his reindeer.





The best thing about the displays in Battle Creek were the motion light displays.  The display was very impressive.  




We'd had a busy night and Maddie was ready to head home for the night so we loaded up in the car.  As we left town, I made one more quick stop...I couldn't resist pulling in to get a couple of pictures at the Kellogg's headquarters.  It was beautiful.  We'd had an amazing weekend of light viewing.




The week started off with a crazy work schedule.  After a couple of days of short walks around my neighborhood, I decided mid-week that we needed a real adventure. Every year we spend at least one night walking at the State Capitol and around downtown Lansing and we hadn't a chance to make that visit yet.  So off we went!





It was a cold and windy night, but there is just something special about the Capitol at Christmas.  I love walking around the Capitol grounds at night and the tree adds an extra special feeling.  



I also love taking a walk around downtown and listening to the Christmas music playing in the streets.  It is one of my favorite things about the Christmas season.  Everything is shiny and beautiful and it makes me feel like the spirit of the Holiday is alive all around me.  I  think that I love this visit more than any other holiday tradition


After my crazy week of work, another Friday arrived and I was excited to continue more of our holiday traditions.  Before sunset, we headed out for a walk at Fenner Nature center.  It's the first time we've walked there with snow on the ground and we were able to take a new trail which is normally swampy and overgrown.  No matter where we walk at Fenner, the girls love their time on the trails, but they seemed to enjoy this walk more than normal.  While it was a short walk before darkness arrived, we loved our time there.



We left Fenner, ordered a pizza for pick-up, and then headed to Frances Park.  Every year we drive around the neighborhood surrounding this park to enjoy the neighborhood Christmas lights.  I eat pizza and listen to Christmas music while driving around and, of course, I always share some crust with the girls.



This year, due to Covid, the city employees decided to do a small, free light display in the park.  That was our first stop for the night.  While is wasn't much, I appreciated the thought and effort made by the employees to bring a little joy to this difficult year.  


After leaving the park, we drove around several neighborhoods in the area enjoying the lights, but I have to say that this was my favorite display for the night.  It's always nice to see someone with a little sense of humor.


We were able to get out for some short adventures on Campus on Saturday and enjoyed some geocaching as well.  While it was busier than I expected, it was a peaceful walk.  I love walking on the campus when it's quiet and empty.  


I think the highlight of our walk for Peaches was the beaver we spotted along the river.   Maddie got pretty excited about the beaver too.


We also enjoyed a quick walk around the children's garden, which was decked out for the holidays, before heading home for the day.    


On Sunday we drove out to see my parents for a few hours.  It was a cold day, but I knew that Peaches and Maddie would enjoy some time in the fresh country air.  Poor Peaches doesn't get the quality walks she needs always because Maddie slows us down, so I knew she'd love this trip.   As soon as I let her out of the car, she just ran and ran.  She zoomed around the yard sniffing and exploring and having a grand time.  Meanwhile, Maddie and I slowly meandered around the yard with my mom.  

After a good run for Peaches, we sat down in the garage with propane heaters blaring away to keep us warm while we visited.  It took a bit, but the girls finally relaxed and snuggled up together.  While I didn't get many pictures that day, this one makes me smile.


After taking Peaches for another run around the yard, it was time for us to start the drive home, but we couldn't leave without making a visit to the cemetery to visit my grandparents and watch the sun set on the last day of Fall. 


Winter arrived Monday morning and it was back to the grind of another crazy work week, but thankfully this would be a short week ending in Christmas.  Most of my Christmas preparations were done, but I still had some errands to run.  I spent some time during my lunch and after work finishing up some to-do's and taking care of some donations.  One of the benefits of dropping of donations at the shelter was getting to meet some pretty adorable puppies!





For our Monday evening walk, we headed to East Lansing for a Winter Solstice Luminary walk.  It was drizzling, but warm as we slowly walked through the neighborhood.  It was so beautiful; I think that this will be a new annual tradition for us.  



After our walk, we had one final stop to make and we headed out to Dewitt to visit one more small light display.  This one was put on by a local church in their parking lot and would be our final light display visit for the holiday season.  It was a cute little display and everyone was so friendly and merry.   I had almost decided not to go, but I was glad that I did.  



Wow!  We had such a great time this holiday season.  Despite being busy with work and all of the craziness going on in the world this year, I am so glad I made the time to get out and enjoy as much of the holidays as I could.  I love the lights of Christmas and the joy the season brings.  What fun we had.

I have officially caught up on sharing our pre-Christmas adventures with you.  In my next blog, I'll share more about the two days leading up to Christmas Eve as well as our Christmas Eve and Christmas day celebrations.  I look forward to sharing those with you soon and have a special blog planned for the year-end/new year.  As always, thanks for following along on our adventures, we appreciate it!