What would I do without dogs?

With the promise of some nice spring weather for our Sunday, I decided to write the blog on this quiet Saturday night while watching the WMU hockey team playing in the NCAA Hockey National Championship game.  That way, we can make the most of our Sunday weather.  

After finishing the blog last Sunday, I took the girls for a quick trip to the gas station and decided while we were there, we'd get out for a little walk around the neighborhood nearby.  My original plan was to make a couple of quick trips around the block, but once we got started, we just kept going.  It was chilly, but the sun was shining and the girls were walking so nicely, it made for an enjoyable time.

I knew that we might have some challenges getting out for any real adventures throughout the week due to my car repair and some work travel, so ultimately I was happy that we had taken this opportunity to get in a really great walk.  And Peaches found plenty of opportunities to roll in the grass along the way.  

When we got home from our walk, I spent my Sunday afternoon doing some meal planning and prep as well as some cleaning and laundry.  I was pretty excited to try the new recipe I had found for a crockpot cauliflower soup.  It only has a few ingredients and it was quick and easy to throw together.  It turned out great and was a delicious dinner.  As a bonus, it made for a couple of quick lunches during my work week too.

After our great walk and a busy day, the girls were happy to climb onto the couch for a nap.  It was a very quiet evening at my house.

My Monday morning started bright and early with me driving across town to drop my car off at the shop for repair.  I then took an Uber back across town to pick up a rental car for the next couple of days of work travel.

I did a little work at home before loading the girls into the car for the drive to Canine College for their overnight stay.  Then I found my way to the hotel where I'd be spending the night and finished my work day in my room.  After I finished work, I decided to have dinner delivered to avoid the need to go out into the cold and blustery day, headed down to the lobby bar to get my two complimentary drinks, and then took them to my room and waited for my dinner delivery to arrive.

After dinner, I sat in my room wondering what in the world people without dogs do with all of their time.  I was bored and needed to move, so I headed outside for a walk.  It was frigid, with windchills in the teens, but I made it a little over a mile before heading back inside the hotel where I proceeded to walk laps inside the hotel.  After another mile, I headed back to my room for the night. 

I was up early Tuesday for my work meeting, and after a long busy day, I was so happy when I could head out to the car to pick up the girls.  With road closures and road work every where, I avoided the expressway and took back roads to get to Canine College.  I made there in time to pick the girls up just before they closed at 6:30pm.  While the girls had been busy playing with friends for the previous 24 hours, they still burst out of the back as if they had been sleeping all day.  But in no time at all they had both settled into the back seat of the car to nap all the way home.

As we drove home, I decided to make a stop to pick up dinner along the way.  I stopped in Webberville at Mitchell's Pub and ordered burger to go.  While I waited for my dinner, I took a brisk and chilly walk around town.  It was nice to stretch my legs, but boy was it cold!  When my burger was done, I headed out to the car and decided to carefully eat while I drove because I really just wanted to get home.  

When we got home, I fed the girls their dinner, quickly unloaded the car, unpacked my stuff, and then sat down to relax for the evening.  It was another quiet night since the girls were exhausted from their stay at Canine College.  I sure do love that place and I am thankful that they take such good care of the girls.  Judging by Mina's reaction every time we pull into the parking lot, I think the girls love it too. 

On Wednesday, before I had to return the rental car, I wanted to make sure to get the girls out for a good run at Soldan dog park.  We hadn't been there in nearly a week and a half, and both girls were happy to be back.  Of course Mina had to play ball and Peaches sniffed and ran to her heart's content.  I love seeing them so happy and this place definitely gives them a lot of joy.

We took the long way back to the car and enjoyed a little walk along the new boardwalk at Hawk Island.  The girls were goose crazy, and I had forgotten just how much they love the goose poop.  It was a challenging walk back to the car trying to keep them from eating all of the poop that they saw, but we made it without too much poop being consumed. 

After a quick trip to the grocery store, we then headed back home.  I had to return the rental car and wasn't sure when my car would be done, so I wanted to make sure we were ready for the possibility of a few days without a car.  

Our Wednesday evening was another quiet one, although both girls had a few feisty moments which led to some wrestling matches and rounds of fetch.  Finally Peaches climbed up onto the love seat with a stuffed animal for her evening nap and Mina settled in for the night too.  It had been a good day.

I was so excited on Thursday afternoon when I received a call from the shop letting me know my car was done and ready for pick-up.  I immediately requested an Uber so I could get across town before they closed so I could pick up my car.  It had worked out so well with my work travel that I never went a day without a car and never had to pay for a rental, and I was really pleased with how quickly the repair was finished.  And you can't tell that anything ever happened to the car!

When I got home from picking up my car, I finished out my work day and then decided to take the girls for a visit to Padgett Dog Park in Dewitt.  It was sprinkling and chilly, with rain in the forecast for the next few hours, but I knew that they needed to expend some energy, so off we went.  When we arrived at the park, no one else was there.  I love the visits when we have the whole park to ourselves.  

Mina found a ball and we started to play fetch while Peaches explored and ran.  There was a little drizzle, but nothing that bad so we were going to make the most of our time there.  I started to do laps around the park with Peaches following me and making stops to sniff things along the way, the whole time playing fetch with Mina.  I hadn't expected to be there a long time, but when no one else showed up we just kept playing and enjoying ourselves.  We stayed for an entire hour and had the park to ourselves the whole time.  It was perfect. 

Finally Friday arrived. While my morning was quiet, my afternoon at work was full of issues.  I hate ending the work week on a stressful note.  So when the day finally ended, we got into the car and headed to Soldan Dog park to enjoy some fresh air and exercise.  

Time in the woods always makes me happier, and I was especially happy to see the Bloodroot in bloom, the first sign of spring flowers at the park this year.  

We took our time and really enjoyed our walk.  I even put the ball away and made Mina spend time exploring and not just playing fetch the entire time.  I'm trying to keep her from becoming completely obsessive with balls while we're at the park.  It's a work in progress.  

As we explored, I was happy to see the little trout lily leaves had popped through the ground.  They should by blooming soon.  

Both girls made friends with some new dogs while we were at the park, and then they both waited nicely while I took a picture.

We had spent nearly two hours at the park, just enjoying the peace and quiet of nature.  We don't normally spend that much time here, but it was so nice I couldn't resist.  

Before heading back to the car, we took a little walk along the trails at Hawk Island, and I was excited to discover the Mayapple starting to poke through the ground.  The spring flowers are going to be in bloom all over Michigan soon and I'm so ready for them.

It was a beautiful walk back to the car.  The sky was a beautiful blue and the sun was shining.  It was just a perfect start to our weekend.

We all had dinner when we got home, and then the girls were soon sound asleep for the night.

Our Saturday started slowly.  We had no plans for the day and no commitments, and I really just wanted a peaceful, relaxing day.   

I threw together a new recipe I found for roasted gnocchi with zucchini and tomatoes for lunch. While it baked, I prepared to run some errands.  The girls had eaten lunch and were happily lounging in the yard in the sun.  Once I ate, we headed out for our errands, dropping the Styrofoam, cardboard, and batteries off at the recycling center, stopping quickly at the Holt Farmer's market for a couple of items, making a trip to Aldi for a couple of items, and then driving out to drop off some donations for the shelter.

After we finished our errands, we headed to Esker Landing for a walk.  We got in a 2 1/2 mile walk along the Valhalla trail, then we crossed the road for a visit to John Taylor Memorial Park.

We climbed up the hill in the park where we were greeted by a couple of kids who wanted to to say hello to the girls.  The little girl was enamored with Mina and asked if she could have her picture taken with her.  Of course I obliged.  Mina stood nicely with this little girl while her dad took some pictures, and then we continued on our way.

There was a nice trail through the woods which we followed until we made it back to the hilltop where I made the girls stop for a picture.  By the time we got back to the car, we had walked nearly 4 miles for the day.  Peaches was done, and as soon as she saw the car, she pulled me back to it and waited patiently while I took off her harness.  The girls were happy to stick their heads out the windows with ears flapping in the wind as we drove.  

I picked up a taco and a tostado from the taco truck along the way, made a quick stop for a Mt. Dew, and then headed home.  The girls and I ate dinner and settled in for a nice evening at home and a Broncos win in the National Hockey Championship!  

I'm looking forward to a nice Sunday.  I've got a little yard work to get done, and I'll do some work around the house too, and then hopefully the girls and I can get in a nice walk.  This week the weather is finally going to warm up and I'm so ready for it.  I've set some goals for us to help ensure we're getting out and making the most of the Spring days, and this week I'm hoping to stick to the plan better than I have been.  The plan is to get out for a minimum of three one mile walks daily, with an adventure added in at least 5 days each week.  The adventure doesn't have to be anything big, just a change of pace-like a trip to the dog park or to a park or trail for one of our walks because just walking around our neighborhood gets boring.   If we can get out first thing in the morning and on my lunch, and then have a little evening adventure, it should make my work days better and keep the girls happy while I'm busy.  I'm hoping that this will also help control Peaches' anxiety and keep both girls happy and healthy, and it should help to keep me healthy and happy too.  I'll let you know how it's going next week.  Wish us luck!

April showers and Springtime fun

After a busy but uneventful start to our week on Monday, things have been pretty quiet around here. Thankfully work wasn't too crazy and we were able to get out a few nights for a little fun too.  

Tuesday I took my car in for the repair estimate and the nice guy at the repair shop put crash wrap over the window, which isn't a real fix, but at least it allowed us to get around on some short trips around town.  

After work on Tuesday, we we took advantage of the opportunity to take a trip to the Padgett Park Dog Park in Dewitt on it's opening day of the season.

When we first arrived, there weren't many people at the park and most of them were not the regulars that we know, but that didn't matter to the girls.  After five months of being closed, the girls were happy to be back.  Peaches made the most of the opportunity to sniff and explore every inch of the park.  Mina was content just to play fetch.  Of course, I made her work for some of her fun by doing some tricks/work on the agility equipment at the park.  After successfully completing whatever task I requested, she was rewarded with a toss of the ball.  We'd been there about 45 minutes when some of the regulars started to arrive and the place got a little more crowded.  We stayed for a while longer, but once it starts to get crowded, I'm happy to leave.  So we loaded up into the car to head home.  

I was really glad that we had the chance to get to the park on Tuesday, because the weather forecast for Wednesday promised storms and rain all day long, with the possibility of strong storms starting late in the afternoon through the early evening.  I hoped that our park visit would keep the girls content for the day on Wednesday when I knew we wouldn't be able to get out due to the weather.

We woke to thunderstorms and temperatures barely above freezing, and the girls ran to the back door to go outside for their morning potty break, but once I opened the door to the back yard neither of them had any desire to go outside.  I left them out while I got their breakfast ready, but I'm pretty sure neither of them left the garage while they waited for me.

As the storms continued throughout the day, I moved from the office to the dining room for my workday, and the girls happily slept away the day.  At lunch, I tried once again to get the girls to go out for a potty break, and they refused again.  And back they went to sleep the day away on the couch.  Over my lunch, I made sure we were prepared for any severe weather we might get and moved anything we might need down into the basement.  Then I sat back down with the girls to finish my work day.  

Luckily for us, the temperatures remained in the 30s all day, which helped prevent more severe weather from developing, and we even got a short reprieve from the rain just before dinner.  I was finally able to convince the girls to go outside to potty just before 6pm, but only if I stood outside with them. 

Dinner in puzzle games and a few rounds of fetch were the fun for the day, and as the storms returned for the rest of the night, we settled in for a quiet evening at home.  I was very proud of how good they were all day.

The slow day Wednesday led to a little stir crazy Mina on Thursday, so thankfully they were able to spend some short periods of time out in the yard enjoying the day.  

Then, at the end of my work day, we headed back out to Dewitt for a visit to the dog park.  There were a bunch of dogs there when we arrived, and while Mina just didn't care at all about of all of the new friends, Peaches was pretty excited.  She was in a playful mood, and while she isn't as spry or fast as the younger dogs, she gives it her best.  She was flopping around, barking, and running trying to get them to play with her.  It was adorable.  Try as I might, I wasn't able to get any good video or pictures.  The only picture I got was of this group of Peaches' new friends.  

When we left, I headed out to find a couple of geocaches on our way home, then made a quick stop at the grocery store for a couple of things.  Then I drove home to try this new recipe I had found.  It was a tasty little baked feta and tomato chickpea casserole.  So good!

I was so happy when Friday finally arrived, and while I had a really busy work day, I was looking forward to a relaxing and productive weekend.  After work, I debated on what we should do, and ultimately decided to make the short drive to Dimondale.

Danford Island Park is a pretty little park with a nice wooded trail along the Grand River.  While the trail isn't very long, we made a few trips around the loop, then up the hill into the neighborhood and then took the short walk back to the park.

Of course I made the girls pose for a few pictures along the way.  And I thought this solar powered bench with charging ports and free wi-fi was a nice addition to the park.  

After our walk around the park, we continued our walk along the main street through town and eventually finished back at the park again.  In all, we walked just about 3 miles before we got back into the car to head home.

Before leaving, I stopped at the Village Cafe in town to pick up some dinner.  I have wanted to try their food for a while and this seemed like the perfect time.  We took one last quick walk around the block when we got home and then headed inside for dinner.  It had been a really nice start to our weekend.   

Mina got an extra little burst of energy after dinner, but eventually she passed out in her cozy cave.  The rest of the night was quiet.

Our Saturday started slowly.  Mina tried to get Peaches to play with her, without much success, and then happily settled in to watch the world go by while sitting on me.

Early in the afternoon, we drove to Old Town for our walk for the day.  We had a really nice walk around town.  

The Riverwalk was flooded from all of the rain we've gotten over the last week, and the forsythia are blooming.  That is a sure sign that the temperatures are slowly getting warmer.  We also saw lots of people out and about enjoying the day.  

After a nice three mile walk all around Old Town, we made it back to our car which was parked near Preuss Pets.  The girls got to say hello to some Girl Scouts who were out in front of the store selling cookie before we headed inside the store to pick up a few treats.

Boy oh boy was the store busy!  And despite the three miles of walking we had just completed, the girls were extra crazy for their visit.  So many people asked if they could pet them, but they were not deterred in their mission...to get to the ferrets!  Mina loves watching all of the furry little critters, and Peaches loves barking at the ferrets, but it was so crowded that we didn't stay for long.  

Before leaving, we picked up a few treats, and the girls got some love from their favorite Preuss employee, Sean.  I bought a box of cookies from the Girls Scouts on our way to the car, and then we headed home for dinner.  

I made a nice pot of potato soup for dinner and did some other meal prep while the soup was cooking.  Earlier in the week, I thought I had pulled some pumpkin puree out of the freezer for the dogs, but was surprised when I opened the bowl to find apples.  So I took advantage of this little error and made myself some apple crisp, too.  While I didn't have enough apples to make a big batch, these little muffin sized treats were perfect.  They are delicious!

Our Sunday will be spent doing cleaning, paying bills, and resting and recharging for the week to come.  I'm sure we'll find some time to have a little fun too.  

Tomorrow morning, I drop off my car at the shop for the door repair.  I'm hoping it won't take long, but they did tell me it could take 13 business days.  I have some work travel this week, so I'll have a rental for a couple of days.  We'll see how things go from there. We may get really bored with our walks around our neighborhood, but I know we'll be fine.