Winter's End

The weather this week was just what I'd expect for the last week of Winter.  It was a crazy combination of snow followed by mild sunny days, then rain followed by frigid cold with snow squalls.  On the colder days we did multiple shorter walks and on the milder days we got in some longer walks, but no matter the weather, we were out every day.

Our Monday lunchtime walk was snowy, but was a much needed break from my work day.  I try to find some different routes for our walks in the neighborhood, and Monday we headed in a direction that is not one we frequent, so the girls really enjoyed exploring and sniffing all of the new smells.

My poor crocus were buried by the snow on Monday,  but they are hanging on and remind me daily that Spring is near.

By Tuesday most of the snow had melted and the sun was shining.  The temperatures were mild enough that the girls wanted to spend lots of time outside during the day.  

When they weren't playing with the neighbor dogs, they were happy to sit here and enjoy the day while I worked from the dining room.   Mina caught me taking this picture through the window. 

Since is was a beautiful sunny day, I decided to take the girls for a walk on campus along the Red Cedar River after work.  It has been a while since we walked on campus and it was a lovely evening walk.

I was especially excited to find these pretty little flowers in bloom.  It was a very pleasant, unexpected surprise. 

Wednesday the girls were excited to spend more time outside throughout the day.  I think they are as ready for Spring as I am.

Wednesday after work Peaches had a follow-up appointment with our vet.  It was originally scheduled as an appointment for her second cryotherapy treatment for the growth on her neck.  We also used it as a follow-up from her trip to the emergency vet.  She was not happy to be there!

Her first cryotherapy treatment was very successful, and the second treatment was only needed for a small spot which is now looking great and healing well.

Our discussion with Dr. Gretchen regarding potential neurological issues was also helpful and informative.  While we can't know with 100% certainty without seeing a neurologist for an MRI, the exam Dr. Gretchen performed leads us to believe that Peaches' issue was most likely caused by pain from back issues, probably a degenerating disc.  

This isn't something uncommon in dogs of Peaches' age and, due to her age, surgical options don't really exist, so we are just going to monitor her condition and manage pain as needed.  No more all day doggy care stays for Miss Peaches, but she can still play with her friends and live a full life with me ensuring she gets periods of rest too.  

Honestly this was probably the best outcome for her.  And I'm happy to say that she's been 100% back to normal this week.

After Peaches' appointment, I headed to the shelter for our Wednesday night dog walking club.  We walked some really awesome dogs and I fell in love with Jynx, a 10 month old Malinois.   I'm happy to say she was adopted this week!

Thursday was a gloomy day and the girls spent more time inside during the day.

Since it was rainy, my lunch was spent playing inside with the girls.  Immediately after work, Mina decided to climb onto my lap for snuggles.  This is a great way to get rid of some of my work day stress.  I didn't want to move, but I knew we all needed a walk.

By the time we were ready for our evening walk, it was raining, so I decided we would head to the Mall to do some power walking indoors.  We had a great walk of just over 2 miles and the girls were very well-behaved.  

 

The Mall closed at 7pm, but we wanted to keep walking, so we headed outside to walk the perimeter of the Mall and got in another mile.  We had a really nice walk and I was glad we had been able to get out despite the weather.  Sadly, on Friday the Mall announced they are no longer dog-friendly, but I'm glad we got in one last walk there.

Friday I had an extremely busy work day, and while we did get out for a couple of walks, I didn't get any pictures of the girls.  I also failed miserably in celebrating St. Patrick's Day with them, but I got these adorable pictures of Fiona and Picasso from Nicol.  

Vanessa and I had tentatively planned for a hike on Saturday, but our plans changed late Friday.  I was happy to have a Saturday at home.  While I thought I may take the girls out for an adventure close to home, the frigid temperatures with near zero windchill and occasional snow squalls quickly changed my mind.

We did take two longer walks and one quick walk around the neighborhood, but we spent a majority of our day snuggled up watching a variety of Big 10 winter sports.  

In addition to basketball and hockey, we watched the Michigan Men's Gymnastics team vs Illinois and the Big 10 Women's Gymnastics tournament and I discovered that Mina is fascinated by gymnastics.  It was the perfect way to spend our final Saturday of Winter.

We had a beautiful sunny Sunday and the girls and I got out for a nice 4 1/2 mile late morning hike.  While it was a windy day, the sun definitely kept us warm.  When we got home, the girls got to use their food dispensing toys for lunch and we did some short training sessions and then we spent the majority of the rest of our day snuggling again.  It was a wonderful end to our weekend and to our final weekend of Winter. 

Sadly, I wasn't able to visit Fiona this weekend, but she is officially 11 months old today and Nicol sent me pictures.  I can't believe we're just a month away from her first birthday!

We say goodbye to Winter and usher in Spring tomorrow and I couldn't be happier.  The girls and I have a lot of fun planned for the next couple of months so we can take full advantage of my favorite season.  It is the best time of the year for some adventures!

Happy Spring to all of you. I hope you have a wonderful week.