Busy days and a little fun

This week has been a blur.  As we grow closer to the end of August, I really don't want to miss any opportunities to enjoy the Summer weather, but with a busy schedule at work and home,  it feels like I don't get to slow down enough to really enjoy it.  But I'm trying!

On Monday, we took a lunch time break to get out and enjoy the weather and picked up some Mexican from the taco truck on our way home.  The girls weren't as excited about my burrito as I was.

I had lots to do around the house and in the garden, so after work Monday, we stayed home.  The girls enjoyed playing in the yard while I worked through my to do list.

Tuesday, Mina had her final puppy appointment to get the last in her series of puppy vaccinations.   She was pretty happy to see all of her friends at Patterson's.  Now that she's fully vaccinated, we can start having some more adventures without worrying about her potentially getting sick.

After work Tuesday, we needed a little adventure, so we headed downtown for a little geocaching around the LCC Campus.  

It was a beautiful evening for a walk and the late Summer flowers were beautiful.   The girls thoroughly enjoyed their walk and even let me get some pictures.

Wednesday night we headed out to Sleepy Hollow State Park to visit my parents at their campsite.  It was a great visit and we enjoyed some really great weather and a beautiful bonfire.  I think Mina could get used to camping.

Friday night we took a drive in the country.  We found some beautiful cornfields and everything was so green. 

We then stopped in the small town of Mulliken to take a walk around town and do a little training.  I'm taking any chances I get to work with Mina in new places with new smells and distractions.  We still have work to do, but I think she's doing pretty well.

Saturday I spent my morning out at the shelter helping with the Dog Walking Club.  We've been on hiatus since COVID hit, but I was happy we were able to get started again, and even though it was a small group, I have hopes for more people joining us in the future.  I loved getting to spend some time with Goober.  He's a sweetheart. 

The rest of my Saturday was spent on yardwork, gardening, veggie prep, and cleaning.  It was a busy day, but I got a lot done.  We took a nice break to meet Vanessa for ice cream, but other than that, I was busy all day.  My whole body was exhausted by the end of the day, but it felt great to get so much done.

I have the next week off from work and I have a nice week planned for us in the UP.  While I hadn't planned to leave today, I left the option open.  Shockingly, everything fell into place to make it work.  I spent the morning packing and finishing up some final tasks around the house.  By late morning, I decided if I could find a room for the night, we would leave today.

I was able to find a room in one of our go-to places, so we loaded up the car and started the trip North.  The girls were excellent travelers. 

We made a quick stop in Gaylord to stretch our legs and do a little geocaching.   The girls enjoyed the walk, and so did I.   Gaylord is a cute little town with lots of restaurants,  maybe someday we'll spend a little more time there.

After our walk, I didn't plan to stop again until we picked up dinner.  Mina got a little restless, but I distracted her with popcorn, and eventually she settled down again.  I made a quick stop at Clyde's so the girls could have a potty break and I could grab a burger for dinner. I got lucky, and we were all back in the car before a storm with heavy rain moved through the area.

We drove the remaining 30 minutes in some pretty heavy downpours, but luckily the rain slowed down enough for me to unpack the car when we arrived at our hotel.  The girls ate dinner and then we jumped back in the car to make a quick trip to the Dairy Flo for a little treat before they closed.  We made it with just two minutes to spare and enjoyed our doggy sundaes and caramel malt in the light rain.

Once we got back to our home for the night, Mina quickly settled into hotel life.  While there were some zoomies, several rounds of fetch, plenty squeaking of her squirrel, and a little wrestling with Peaches, they were both quiet so they didn't bother our neighbors.  

Mina finally settled down a little after 10pm.  Considering just how good she was for the ride here, I'm really impressed at how well she has done in the room.  The toughest part so far has been keeping Peaches from barking while they play...because Peaches loves to bark when she is playing(not a lot, just an occasional bark but definitely enough to bother neighbors).  For the most, she's stayed quiet though and that makes me happy.  I'm very proud of both of the girls.

After a quick final potty break for the night, she and Peaches have been sound asleep.  Now its time for me to head to bed too!

I've never traveled with a 4 month old puppy before so I'm sure this week will come with some challenges, but I wouldn't have done this trip if I didn't think Mina was ready for it.  But it is time to introduce her to life as a traveling dog.  I think she's going to make a really great travel pal!

I'm looking forward to our vacation and spending this week relaxing.  I'm so excited to introduce Mina to some of our favorite people and places.  I look forward to sharing all of our adventures with you next week!