The transition to Fall

Fall has arrived here in Mid-Michigan and with it came a couple of rainy, cool days.  Those are the days that make the transition to Fall difficult for me, but we have been lucky over the past week to have some very comfortable temperatures in the low to mid 70s, which make it a great time for getting out for adventures with the girls.  

The first day of Fall brought with it a call from our vet regarding Maddie's most recent bloodwork, and unfortunately, the news was not good.   Since her last bloodwork was completed a few months ago, her kidney disease has progressed to the point that she is now dealing with anemia and low albumin levels which will ultimately lead to other problems.  This isn't unexpected; her kidney disease was bound to progress at some point, but it is still hard to get the news.  

Currently her liver, heart, and other organs are still functioning well, but it is only a matter of time before they begin to be affected as well.  We are now at a point where she will be considered hospice, which just means that we will continue to keep her happy and comfortable for as long as she wants to stay here with us-be that a few days, a few weeks, or a few months.  That call from the vet came at the end of a difficult, exhausting, and frustrating day and brought with it some guilt for feeling frustration and some tears of sadness which ultimately seemed to make me feel a bit better.  It was also followed by a really good night's rest and a good day, thankfully.

While the weather was cold and rainy, we couldn't get out for any real adventures, so I had to find ways to keep the girls happy while spending the days inside.  The licky mats filled with yogurt and peanut butter came out for the first day and kept them both occupied for a bit.  Apparently all that licking was pretty hard work for Maddie and she fell asleep on her mat.  

The second day of rain brought the fun of licking the yogurt out of the empty containers.  This is always a fun activity for the girls and they really get into it as evidenced by the yogurt on Peaches' nose.  The day also included several rounds of fetch and lots of trips in and out of the house.  While we couldn't get out for a walk, the girls insisted on taking car rides.  And while the girls handled the rainy days well, I was happy that sunny and warmer weather was returning in time for the weekend.

After a busy week of work and all of that rain, we were excited to take advantage of the sunny Friday afternoon and headed downtown for a nice walk around the LCC campus.

Maddie was having a great day and was feeling pretty sassy.  She insisted on getting out of the stroller and walking around on her own on several occasions.  That can make things a little more challenging as I try to push a stroller, walk Peaches, and try to keep track of and control Maddie.  But I love when she wants to walk and certainly don't want to discourage her.  It's nice to see her excited about being out and about.

We spent a nice hour walking around campus, enjoying the sunshine, and doing a little geocaching before we headed home.  It was a much needed reprieve from the rain and a wonderful way to start our weekend.  

Saturday morning was cloudy and gray, but I had big plans for the day.  I started the day at a local farm buying pumpkins, straw, corn stalks and other fun Fall decorations.  This is the first time I've gone to this farm for my decorations, but it won't be the last.  I had a great time, saved a ton of money, and even got to enjoy some fresh, homemade doughnuts.  

After my trip to the farm, I went home to get the girls so they could join me while I ran some errands.  First was a trip out to the shelter to meet up with Katelyn and Arlo to pick up some farm fresh eggs from their chickens.  Then we found our daily geocache.  Next we ran to a few different stores, got a few groceries, filled up the gas tank, and then headed to our favorite taco truck to grab lunch.  Maddie was thoroughly enjoying the day and insisted on sticking her head out the window.  It was so sweet to see her soaking in the sun and all of the smells as we drove along.  She's always loved having her ears flapping in the wind.

After picking up lunch, we headed home to work in the garden and watch some football.  It was nice to be able to just enjoy a relaxing afternoon at home.  Honestly, it was one of the best Saturdays that we've had in a while.  

Sunday afternoon we headed out for a little geocaching adventure around Gratiot County with Vanessa.

The day took us to some small towns, a few parks, and to downtown Ithaca.  Peaches got out at several of the stops to help us search while Maddie waited in the car, once again with her nose out the window.

We had a nice short walk around Ithaca which seemed to be the perfect short adventure for Maddie.  We drove down some country roads and took another short walk with Peaches at a nice natural area outside of Alma while Maddie napped in the car.  We ended the day with a stop at Phillip's Orchard for a cider slushie and doughnuts, which of course I shared with the girls.  It was a nice afternoon adventure and we enjoyed getting out of the house.

While things at work have been keeping me busy, we found time to get out for a nice walk on my lunch on Monday and I even stopped and got the girls a puppacino from Biggby along the way.  It was a good way to start the week and made for a quiet afternoon.

Wednesday promised some really nice weather and I was happy that I had decided to take a day off mid-week to get out for some fun with the girls.  I had originally planned to head Southwest and spend a little time along the shores of Lake Michigan, but we had a slow start to our morning, so I decided we'd just take a drive and see what we could see.  

We took a nice drive South to US12 and followed it West through several small farm communities, stopping at some small parks and picking up geocaches along the way.  We stopped in Sturgis for lunch and found an awesome little Mexican restaurant right next to a park, so I got some take-out and sat out in the sun enjoying my lunch and sharing a little with the girls.  Maddie was pretty happy to share my chicken.

We continued along backroads as we made our way home and made a stop in Marshall to take a walk along the river walk, one of our favorites spots on the North Country Trail.  We haven't been here in months and it was nice to get back and enjoy a quiet afternoon walk along the trail.

We spent about an hour there enjoying the scenery, the wildlife, and making memories together, but far too soon it was time to head home so that we could make it back in time for Maddie's laser therapy appointment.  We had had a marvelous day just being together and while we didn't have any grand adventures, we still made some special memories.  It really doesn't matter what we do, as long as we are spending time together.

We finally got home just after sunset and the girls ate their dinner and then settled in for the night.  Maddie ate her dinner enthusiastically, got a good drink, and was snoring away so I knew it had been a great day for her.  We all got a good night's sleep after our wonderful day.

The next couple of days will be spent around home as we prepare for our next big adventure.  I know that our days of adventuring with Maddie come closer and closer to their end, but for now we are taking advantage of the good days, dealing with the bad, and just spending as much time as we can making memories together.