Little Red Stroller Adventures

Happy Sunday everyone!  While everything has seemed to happen earlier than normal this year with trees budding and flowers blooming, the temperatures have remained pretty mild until this week.  This has allowed us the ability to continue to take adventures and for the girls to join me for car rides when I would run errands.  This week, however, has been unseasonably hot and dry here in Michigan so we have been sticking close to home a lot and just trying to keep cool.  I have still been taking the girls for some short car rides just because Maddie loves them so much, but most of those rides are very short and they didn't get out of the car as much.  Most of those rides end at a drive-thru, the gas station, or somewhere else where I can spend less than a couple of minutes outside of the car because it is far to hot to leave them in the car right now.   

We are finally experiencing some rain today, but not nearly as much as we need, and, while the temperatures have cooled from the mid-80s earlier in the day, the heat will be back for the next couple of days.  I suspect with this rain and those temperatures, the bugs/mosquitos will start to come out in force around here, but I'm hopeful that maybe that won't happen.  But we've made it two-thirds of the way through Spring with some really nice Spring weather and I have enjoyed it tremendously.  The heat of this week just reminds us that Summer is heading our way.

The heat this week has made it much more difficult to get out for much fun with the girls, not only because Maddie doesn't tolerate the heat as well, but also because Peaches hasn't adjusted to the heat yet either.  Plus temperatures in the mid to upper 80s can be dangerous.  So this has been the perfect week to start using the stroller with Maddie more regularly and to start working with Peaches on walking nicely beside the stroller so that I can take them both out at the same time.  I have really wanted to work on walking them together for awhile, but it seems more important now that it had previously.  Part of the reason is to give me a break from taking multiple walks each day, but a bigger part of the reason is that I don't feel comfortable leaving Maddie home for lengthy periods of time by herself.    

Maddie has always had some minor anxiety issues, but at least she's been able to relax at home.  She has always struggled if I have left for a walk with another dog and left her behind though.  She has major fear of missing out on something fun!  Add to that the fact that I have spent a large part of most days for the last 14 months at home with her and that with her age she can get a little confused, and that makes me nervous to leave her alone.  Most times when I get home from a walk with Peaches, Maddie is awake and pacing the hallway looking for me, and that just makes me feel terrible.  Thankfully, she is much happier and more relaxed when I leave Peaches home with her, so I can still leave for short periods of time for shopping or other errands, but as it gets harder for her to get around on her own, that may change.  Luckily, for now, I don't have to worry about that.  

On Wednesday night, I was excited to take the girls out to watch my youngest niece, Brezlyn, play in her final softball game of the season with her Middle School team.  Maddie enjoyed being somewhere new and she spent a lot of time with my mom.  She also took a really nice walk around the field and got lots of love from complete strangers.  

Peaches has only been to one other softball game in her life, and she didn't care about the game at all, but she sure did love all of the people, the new places to sniff, and the treats that grandma and grandpa both shared with her.  She even climbed into the lap of a complete stranger...oh silly, Peaches!  Luckily that lady was completely fine with Peaches antics.

I wasn't sure how long we'd be able to stay because I wasn't sure how well Maddie would do, but she did great and really enjoyed being there.  I was glad that both girls were well-behaved and settled in to watch the games because the second game of the double-header was pretty exciting and I was glad that I got to stay through the whole game.  Brezlyn plays on a travel softball team too, so I am hoping maybe we'll be able to get out and see her play again over this Summer.  It's always nice to take the girls out to spend time with the family.

Maddie continues to eat well and even gets excited for her meals every day.  She even got to a point earlier this week that she wanted to eat some of her kibble again, first out of her treat ball, and then mixed in with her regular meals every day.   I've also been able to add her medications to her meals again, and she is eating them down with her food just like she used to.  She is really enjoying her new food and the variety of proteins I have been feeding her and eats with enthusiasm every meal, leaving plenty of crumbs around for a scavenger, and Peaches is loving any crumbs or leftovers that she might get to share.  With this desire to eat has come the added bonus of a lot of begging and even some thievery on the part of one sweet old lady.  Stolen hush puppies and a nose nearly touching my plate while I ate tacos are just a couple of her more recent naughty puppy antics.  But I just can't be mad at her because I want nothing more than for her to have a really good appetite.  So I'll let her push the limits a bit and enjoy anything her little old heart desires.

Throughout the week and on Saturday, we have spent a lot of time out in the yard pulling weeds, mowing the lawn, and preparing the garden for planting.  I also spent a lot of time yesterday doing some cleaning and lots of laundry, so today we could get out for a fun walk with friends.  

We were excited to meet up with Katelyn and Arlo on campus for a nice walk this morning.  With two strollers and a crazy Peaches, we headed out to see how far we could go.  Peaches did a really good job walking with the stroller, especially considering this is her first walk with the stroller outside of our neighborhood and there are a lot of distractions on campus.  With the heat of the sun, we were all getting pretty toasty and I think both Maddie and Arlo were ready to get out of their strollers, so we stopped after a nice two mile walk.  I know Peaches would have happily gone further and I am really looking forward to getting out for some more walks like this with friends this Summer.  

While our week wasn't full of fun and adventure, it was still a really good week.  We were able to get out to enjoy some time with family and friends and I'm so glad to see how well that the stroller will work for us to continue to enjoy some adventures throughout the rest of this Spring and Summer.  I don't want to have adventures without my old adventure buddy, and thankfully, this stroller will make sure we don't have to do that.  

Adventures, celebrations, and snuggles

It's been pretty quiet, uneventful, and low-key for us over the last couple of weeks as we have been getting out a little less and staying home a little more.   We have taken some short adventures, but most of our walks have been around the neighborhood.   While the weather has stayed mild, we have still been able to get out for some short walks and a few geocaching adventures, but none of those have been far from home and most of them have been limited by what Maddie has been able to do with us.  They have also been limited because of the outrageous tick population in Michigan currently.  I have honestly never seen as many ticks as I have this year and I am doing my best to avoid them as much as I can.  I hate those creepy little things!

The girls have spent a lot more time snuggling lately too.  Maddie has always been a snuggler, but it has not been typical in the past for Peaches to want to snuggle with another dog often.  Maddie has always loved having fosters because so many of them also loved to snuggle, so it's been nice to see Peaches step up to snuggle with her now.  It certainly makes Maddie a happy girl.  I sometimes wonder if Peaches understands that Maddie isn't going to be with us forever and is making the most of the time she has left with her furry older sis.

Even though most of our adventures have been within 10 miles of home, that doesn't mean we haven't had some scenic walks.  We have some lovely wooded areas near us and as long as we stay on the trail and avoid tall grassy areas, I've found we can avoid the ticks as well.  This isn't always easy with Peaches as she loves to explore off the trail and roll around in grass, but it's also given me an opportunity to work with Peaches on her leash skills.

We are quickly moving through Spring and heading toward Summer, and I don't want to miss out on the chance to continue to enjoy all of the beauty that Spring brings.  The Spring flowering trees always lose their flowers far too quickly so we need to get out and enjoy them.

The most exciting thing that has happened over the last two weeks was Maddie's birthday celebration.  While her birthday is still a couple of weeks away,  I decided to celebrate her birthday early with a Cinco de Mayo Quinceanera.  

We really enjoyed gathering a small group of our friends on a beautiful Spring evening for an outdoor celebration with some good Mexican food.  Maddie was a good sport, as always, when I put on her pretty dress, and she and Peaches were thrilled to see all of their friends.  Maddie was especially happy when Nicol let her lick her plate clean.  It was a nice little celebration for my sweet, old girl.  

We've also made several trips to the MSU campus for our walks.  It is one of the prettiest places for a nice walk in the area and I think it is prettiest in the Spring.  

There are so many gardens, arboretums, and wooded areas to enjoy, not to mention the beauty in the main campus.  There is just so much to see.  We enjoy the variety around the horticultural gardens and the Children's garden.  Even in Spring before the annual and and rose gardens are in bloom, we can find plenty to enjoy in the perennial garden.  

And Peaches enjoys all of the stuff that she can climb on!

The main campus along the Red Cedar River is also beautiful this time of year.  There is lots of history in the area, lots of lovely old trees, beautiful old buildings, and lovely scenery all around.  The walk along the river is one of my favorites and the girls love all of the ducks and squirrels that they get to see along the way.  The beauty in the area also lends itself to lots of cute pictures of the girls!  

On Mother's Day, we spent the day at my parent's.  The girls love going to my parent's house because they have a big open yard to explore off leash with lots of new smells and lots of birds and other critters.  Peaches spent most of the day terrorizing a poor little baby squirrel.  The squirrel was perfectly safe and just out of Peaches reach, but close enough to keep her interested.  It was the perfect way to keep her safely occupied for hours.  Maddie's area of exploration was smaller, but she still enjoyed sniffing and walking around the yard.  At the end of the day, I went home with two very tired, very happy girls.

After her change in eating habits early in the month gave me a good scare, we have made adjustments to change Maddie's diet to make her more willing to eat.  With those changes, Maddie continues to eat well and is thoroughly enjoying her new food.  Over the last week, she wakes up ready for breakfast and excitedly reminds me when it is time for her mid-day meal and dinner.  While she had gotten picky for a short while, her eating habits have gotten more normal again.  I've even gotten to the point where I am able to hide her medications in her food and she'll eat it right down, just like she used to do.  And yesterday we put some peanut butter and yogurt on her licky mat...and she ate them right down.  It has been a big relief to me because being able to get her to eat well and continue to take all of her meds and supplements is the key to keeping her here with us longer.  She's even gotten away with a little begging lately...something she used to know wasn't allowed.  How can you deny this face?

After a good meal, a little begging, a short walk, and a nice ride in her stroller, she's always ready to settle in for the night.  

While we haven't had any big adventures, I have been making a point of finding new parks and short pathways to explore.  These new areas are an adventure for the girls with new things to smell and lots of stimulation, so even if we don't walk far, they both get the enjoyment of exploring somewhere new.  This is especially important for their mental stimulation and I find even 10-15 minutes in a new spot can really make a difference in their days.  Plus many of these quick stops allow me to do a little geocaching which makes it more fun for all of us.  It is amazing what a short car ride and a quick visit to a new place combined with a walk around the neighborhood can do in keeping both girls happy.  

As we move through Spring and the temperatures begin to get warmer, our adventures will continue to need to be modified to meet Maddie's needs, but as long as she's with us, I'll do whatever I can to include her in our fun and make adjustments as necessary.  One thing I can tell you for sure, she is still up for car rides and adventures, so I will continue to bring her along with me.   

And when we aren't adventuring, I'm going to soak up all the snuggles and love I can from both girls!  

Just a week in the life of a little old lady

After a very rough start to this week, I am happy to say that the remainder of our week has gone pretty well.  We seem to have found a meal routine that is working well for Maddie now and she is generally excited to eat her meals every day.  While she isn't eating as much as I would like her to and she is still finnicky about many things, at least for the time being, we have a meal plan that is working and that makes me happy.  Yesterday was her best day of eating all week, as I slowly increased the amount I was feeding each meal, and she ate each of her meals with enthusiasm.  I hope that we can keep her eating as well as she has been because that will ensure that I continue to share some quality moments with her.  I know it won't last forever, but I'll take as long as I can get.  In general, I'm feeling positive about how things are going for her at this moment.

At this point in time we are using a special food made by Dr. Harvey which is a dehydrated mixture that I rehydrate and add to an appropriate protein.  The consistency reminds me of oatmeal and can be mixed well with any protein so she can get all of the nutrients she needs.  As for our protein choices, well that has been tricky.   Initially chicken was a favorite, but then after I made a whole crockpot full to shred and feed her throughout the week, she decided chicken was her mortal enemy and absolutely refused to even look at a piece of chicken.  I purchased a small amount of center cut pork chops to see if she would like them, and they were a hit, but I only had enough for a couple of meals.  What I have discovered works the best for Maddie currently is freshly cooked ground beef.  I mix a small amount of the Dr. Harvey's food and while it is soaking up all of the water, I cook a couple of ounces of high fat(73/27) ground beef then mix and let it cool enough for her to eat.  I think the consistency and the ability to mix the meat really well with the rest of the food make it most appetizing for her.  She really seems to enjoy it.

Friday, as suddenly as she had started hating chicken, she decided that chicken was an amazing snack.  I discovered this as I was getting some chicken together to add to Peaches' dinner and a piece fell to the ground and Maddie swooped in to gobble it up...and then stood there waiting for more.  I'm wary of how long this will last, so I have been carefully feeding her only small amounts of the chicken to keep it fresh.  I'll be trying to add ground turkey to the mix next, and I also bought a small amount of tilapia to try some fish too as it is recommended to change proteins regularly to keep things interesting.  I fed her the fish last night, and she seemed to enjoy it, so I'm happy to have some additional protein options for now. 

My fear in changing proteins is that she'll then decide not to eat the food again, but I also fear she'll grow tired of the ground beef and we'll be at a point where she won't eat anymore.  But we'll just keep plugging along and doing what we can to keep her eating.  As a treat, I have been feeding her a couple of tablespoons of plain greek yogurt every day and she seems to enjoy that too.  After a lifetime of eating a variety of veggies as treats, she has now decided that she doesn't want to eat most vegetables-even if they are roasted and right off my plate.  She still gets excited about zucchini though, so she gets a few pieces of zucchini every day too.  

Because she is eating regularly again, I am able to give her the medications she needs to control some of her arthritis pain.  While she seems to be getting around better than she was a few days ago because of this, she is by no means agile, but at least she can stand up without a huge struggle and can walk for short distances. She's really been enjoying spending time outside just wandering around the yard too.  But giving her the pills has become a whole other adventure in my daily life with Maddie.   

Gone are the days when I could just throw the pills in her food dish and she would take them right along with her food, and disguising them inside of a food item doesn't work either.  She is a smart girl and knows that I am trying to trick her.  Even when I have found something, like the garlic knots from my dinner last week, where I could hide a pill and successfully get her to take them, eventually that ends when she discovers my trickery and then refuses to eat that food ever again.  Spray cheese, garlic knots, and so many other items are now on Maddie's "refuse to eat" list because of the discovery of hidden pills.  Even her beloved peanut butter is no longer acceptable.  But peanut butter has been the best way I have found to force her to take the pills.  So every day, I get out the pills, surround them with peanut butter and stick them to the roof of her mouth where she is forced to lick the peanut butter and swallow the pills.  Until yesterday, this was working, although the daily struggle had become worse and worse.  She may be old, but she fights like a champ...and while I know she'd not hurt me on purpose, I know sticking my fingers in her mouth while she is fighting me off could end up with a good bite to my fingers.  So I have to be extra careful.  But yesterday, that little stinker found a way to lick all of the peanut butter without swallowing the pills, then ran down the hall to the office and spit them out in the corner.  So now I've been forced to use less peanut butter and throw the pills in her mouth and hold it shut until she swallows...if only she could understand I'm just trying to help her.  It breaks my heart to fight with her like this on a daily basis, but she really needs these pills for a good quality of life.  Thankfully she has always been a pretty forgiving girl and doesn't seem too mad at me once the ordeal is done.   

While sometimes it seems like life becomes the daily grind of just trying to get an old dog to eat, thankfully, we have also been able to enjoy some of our beautiful Spring weather too.  It has stayed cool enough most of this week that I have still been able to take the girls for some nice car rides to allow Peaches to get our for some adventures around town.  It's the delicate balancing act I need to preform to keep Peaches happy while also tending to Maddie's needs.  With the mild temperatures, Peaches and I can enjoy a nice walk while Maddie waits in the car.  Maddie enjoys her car ride and Peaches loves to explore some different areas.  It is a win-win.  I know that the weather will change soon, and the temperatures will get too hot for us to do this any more, but we're going to take advantage of the it while we can.

Earlier in the week, we made a quick trip to campus for a walk.  It is my favorite time of year on campus with all of the flowering trees and spring flowers in bloom and the leaves slowly starting to unfurl in all of the trees.  It is a beautiful place for a walk and I was happy to enjoy the scenery while Peaches enjoyed all of the new smells. Despite the fact that there were way too many people on campus for my enjoyment and that Peaches was attacked by a French Bulldog with completely clueless owners(thankfully the dog was too small to do any damage and Peaches was oblivious to what was happening because she saw a squirrel), we still enjoyed most of our time there.  

After a quick walk with Peaches, I was happy that Maddie wanted to get out of the car to sniff around a bit.  So I decided to let Peaches wait for us in the car while I allowed Maddie to meander and lead the way.  While we were out of the car for less than 10 minutes, all of the new things to smell made for a very happy Maddie and I truly enjoy these slow strolls that make me really slow down and stay in the moment.  That is one of the greatest gifts of having an old dog.  

With warmer temperatures on Wednesday, I made the decision to stay home and enjoy a walk through the neighborhood with Peaches.  Maddie had had a vet appointment for laser therapy for her arthritis earlier in the day, so she'd had a good adventure and was sound asleep when I left the house with Peaches for our walk.  It was a beautiful day and Peaches and I enjoyed a quick 2 1/4 mile walk only to arrive at home to find Maddie wandering the house searching for us.  

At that point, I made the decision to get Maddie out for a walk too so I pulled out her stroller, loaded her up, and headed out to see how far we could go.  She settled down nicely, and with the exception of a couple of moments when she was a little restless on some bumpy parts of the sidewalk, she stayed calm and relaxed for over 2 miles.  I thoroughly enjoyed that one on one time with her and was happy that I was able to get her out of the house even if she couldn't walk the entire way.  I think we'll make good use of that stroller as Summer approaches and the temperatures continue to get warmer.  She really seemed to enjoy her time outside and slept soundly the rest of the night.  

A rainy Thursday led to a shortened walk with Peaches, but I took her to a trail that we don't frequent often, so it was a pretty exciting day for her.  With a light drizzle we quickly got in 2 miles before heading back to the car where Maddie was waiting happily.  I got her out for a quick potty break and her now average 1/4 mile walk, and then we headed home for dinner.   

Finally Friday arrived and I promised Peaches a little longer adventure.  After my work day ended, we loaded up the car and headed to Mt. Hope Park for a nice walk.  It was windy, but sunny, and a nice day to be outside.  While this is an unwooded area with a paved path, it isn't somewhere I take Peaches much, so I knew she'd really like her time here.  We even made a little friend along the way.

Peaches had the best time out on our walk and was acting like a completely crazy fool, but eventually I was able to get her to sit still for a picture.  Although you can't tell here, she wasn't very happy that I made her stop!

When we got back to the car, I wanted Maddie to join us for her walk too, so out she came to slowly hobble along with us.  The slow walk with Maddie is good for working with Peaches on her patience, but sometimes she just has to let some of her crazy out...and she loves to roll in the grass!

After our short circle around the parking lot with Maddie, we headed back to load up the car, but I had to get a picture of the girls together first.

And once she stopped, a very stubborn Maddie wasn't sure she wanted to move again,  With a little coaxing and the promise of a bite of my dinner, I got her up and moving toward the car finally.

We finally arrived back at the car and I loaded the girls up, picked up some carry-out for dinner, and then headed home to enjoy a quiet Friday evening. 

While in some ways it has been a very trying week, I was happy to see things improving as the week went on and I am happy to see my old girl feeling a little better and still enjoying life.  I do know that her time left here with me is limited, but just how long that means no one knows and to see her eat with gusto, enjoy a good car ride and a nice walk, and to know she is happy in this moment right now-that is really all that matters.  And that's what we'll keep focusing on because she still has some adventures left in her!

With our North Country Trail challenges complete and plenty to do around the house and yard, the next couple of weekends will most likely be spent right here at home enjoying a quiet Saturday morning snuggle and then some time outside working in the yard-weeding, mulching, and beginning to prepare for another exciting year in the garden.  While I love our weekend adventures, it is also nice to enjoy some quiet weekends at home, and we'll be doing just that for a bit.  Thanks for joining us, no matter where our adventures take us!

Now to get out and enjoy our beautiful, sunny Sunday!