One on one moments

Last weekend,  I did something I haven't done in a long time and, frankly, I don't do enough.  I took each of the girls on a one on one outing with me.   With all of the snow and, therefore, slippery or unclean sidewalks which threatened my ability to make it home without falling multiple times, I figured it would be safer.  But it still wasn't a decision that was easy for me to make. When you have two or three dogs to exercise and entertain, plus you have a life, it's much easier(or at least way less time-consuming) to get dragged around the neighborhood by three dogs for 2 or 3 miles than it is to take them each for a walk individually.  I mean, can you imagine taking each dog for a  3 mile walk every day?  That's 9 miles and 3 hours of my time.  And if you've ever been anywhere near my house when I've tried to leave on a walk with just one dog while leaving the other behind, you'd probably agree that just biting the bullet and taking them all is a better plan.  The way Imke and Maddie react to seeing me walk away with one of them while leaving the other at home to wait...well it's utterly pathetic.

But today, I decided I had the time, energy, and desire to spend some individual quality time with each of the girls.  I do love to spend the alone time with them and see each one get a chance to show their unique personalities. It's always interesting to see how much differently the act when they are out on their own versus in a group.

To avoid the horrendous and pathetic displays of woeful dogs feeling left behind, I decided rather than just leave for a walk from the house, I would drive each of them somewhere away from home for an extra special outing.

Peaches day started with a car ride and then some time at Petco.  She was in need of a new collar so it made sense to take her along for the trip.  I'm not sure she's ever been in a pet store in her previous life, but boy did she enjoy her time there today.  We walked around as she sniffed at bags of food and treats and toys.  And then she saw the live birds and she was ready for the hunt.  I gave her a little time to watch them flit around before I made her move on.  We don't want to scare them to death, after all.

She made friends with a cattle dog puppy and got treats from the nice lady that worked at Petco and she learned the joy of the cashier giving out treats too.  After leaving the store, the plan was to get in a 30 minute walk.  So off we went around the Frandor Shopping Center, Peaches happily trying to go into each store as the automatic doors opened for her as we walked by.  She greeted as many people as she could along the way because Peaches loves people!  Soon enough we were back in the Jeep where she got a special treat and then we headed home.   Overall a successful outing.

Yummy Treat

When we got home, the first dog to greet me at the door was Maddie, so I decided her adventure would be next.  Into the Jeep she went and off to Soldan's for a walk around the store and some time to explore all of the awesome smells. Maddie loved her time in the store and even snuck a couple of special treats while we were there.

I want them all!

After our trip to the store, it was time to head to the park for a fun little walk in the snow.  Maddie LOVES the snow.  If given the choice of walking on the nicely plowed path or off of the path in a foot of snow, she'd pick the deep snow every time.  So when we reached a fork in our path at the park and could continue on the nice and clean path or follow the unplowed path, there was no doubt in my mind which one Maddie would choose.  And off we went down the unplowed, untraveled path with Maddie happily jumping through the drifts of snow and weaving back and forth.

Maddie loves the snow

And of course as we walked along, we had to make several stops along the way to check out what might be hiding in that snow. And she's always ready to pounce!

She gets such joy from a good trounce through the snow that you can't help but be happy to be around her, even if you are freezing!  She's just always so happy to be out experiencing life.   I have learned a lot from Maddie and her great attitude toward life.  We should all embrace the days with such gusto!

Fun in the snow

It was now time to head home and get Imke for her fun day with mom.  Of all of the girls, she is most well-behaved and easiest of the bunch.  I always enjoy my one on one time with her.  With her food allergies and limited diet, we skipped the pet stores and headed right for the park for a nice long walk.  Unlike Maddie, Imke is a path follower, so if there is a plowed sidewalk or a set of tracks to follow, that is where she will go.  So even though we went to the same park as I had with Maddie, we took a completely different path.  Imke is slower and more focused on her walks.  It is always a straight path with nose down to the ground and generally right beside me.   She walks with purpose, as if she has a job to do and her tail wagging continuously.  She is happy to be doing a job...no matter what that job is-even if it just standing still for mom to get her picture.

Snowy walk with Imke

After walking a couple of miles, meeting some new people and their dogs, and finding something very dead to sniff, I decided to let her off leash for a run at the snow-covered softball fields at the park.  She went to work right away, sniffing away to see if there had been anything interesting there.  And then it was off for a jog and sniff around the perimeter of the field.

Although she doesn't run like she did when she was younger, I always get so much joy from watching her little old lady run.  It reminds me that no matter how old and frail she gets, there is still a puppy in her heart and that just makes me smile.

With our outing over, we were back in the Jeep and heading home.  She loves a good ride in the Jeep and before we made it home, the window was down and her ears were flapping in the wind.  She was one happy old girl!

My Co-pilot

Overall it was a hugely successful and enjoyable day for all of us and I was very glad to have gotten to spend some quality time with each of my girls.  I was reminded how important it is to spend time with each of them and give them a chance to shine all on their own.  I have decided that this is something that I need to do more often and can't wait until I get a chance to do it again!

How long is forever?

As many of you know, I picked up my current foster, Peaches, from the Roscommon County shelter early last month.  Peaches was surrendered to the shelter when her owner went into an assisted living facility and could no longer care for her.  I learned from the shelter staff that she had lived in a home with another dog that had died from cancer just a couple of months before Peaches was surrendered.  What many of you don't know is that after arriving at the shelter, Peaches had a mammary tumor removed and that tumor was found to be cancerous.  

Freedom Ride!

 Most county shelters aren't set up to deal with a dog with serious health issues like cancer and in many cases a dog with cancer would probably be euthanized.  Thankfully the staff at the Roscommon County shelter decided to contact a rescue to see if someone else could help and of course they reached out to ISR.  When I received the email asking if I would be willing to foster Peaches, of course I said yes and happily traveled the two hours North to bring her home with me.  Although I had seen the mention of cancer in the original email, it wasn't going to stop me from bringing her into my home and giving her a chance at life.  I didn't even give it a second thought.  Rather naively, probably, I assumed that there would be some sort of treatment plan and she'd get healthy and go on to live a good long life with whatever family was lucky enough to adopt her and make her a part of their family. 

Unfortunately, when Peaches had her follow-up visit with our local vet, chest x-rays showed that the cancer has spread to several other mammary tumors and has metastasized to her lungs.  There is no treatment available as chemotherapy doesn't work on mammary cancer in dogs.  Peaches was given a terminal diagnosis...with an estimate of 2 years to live.  Two years.  When thinking about an older dog, an additional 2 years seems like a lifetime.  But for Peaches, who is only six, it's just downright unfair.

Surveying her kingdom

Peaches has a zest for life and loves to run.  She is a silly girl full of personality and you certainly wouldn't know that she is sick from the way she acts.   She came into my home very happy to be here, although a little timid and unsure of her new surroundings at first.  But that is totally understandable.  She has now settled in nicely at my house with all of us here and she loves to run and play with our neighbor dog and with her buddy Bentley.  She has even gotten my silly old Imke to play a bit of chase, even if it is only for 30 seconds.  Peaches looks and acts like most normal, healthy, six year old GSPs.  She could definitely use a little work on loose-leash walking, but hey, what country dog knows how to walk nicely on a leash?  Other than that small issue, she is a well-mannered, well-trained, very sweet and lovable girl. 

Peaches has been through a lot of loss and change over the last few months.  I don't want her to have to go through anymore.  So when asked recently if we wanted to be her hospice foster or as some people call it, her forever foster,  I said yes.  It was not without hesitation though.  I did not hesitate because of the cancer or because I don't want her here; I  hesitated thinking of all of the other dogs that I wouldn't be able to help while she is here  But then I thought of the one dog I would be helping and that made my decision easy.  She deserves a place where she is happy and comfortable, a place with stability and love and adventure.  

I have decided that Peaches will stay here, as my hospice foster until we see the zest for life leave her eyes and, as our vet Dr. Gill stated so well when Jake was sick-when I can see she no longer wants to just be a dog.

Friends

So we aren't going to be sad or feel sorry for ourselves and we're not going to slow down, not while she has life left to live.  She seems to have had a pretty good life up to this point and I'm going to make sure she goes out with a bang.  That's where you come in...I've decided to be cliche' and make a Peaches bucket list.  First on that list is a visit to the UP and of course she'll be joining our 100 mile North Country Trail hike challenge this year.  I have some other ideas too, but I'd love your suggestions on things you'd like to see Peaches do.  And who knows, maybe she'll even get her own Instagram account so you can follow along on her adventures.  I don't know how long forever is, but we're going to make the most of it!

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Who am I?

Who am I?  It's a question I've asked myself on many occasions and for a number of different reasons.  I'm sure many people ask themselves this question as well.  Recently it's been a question I've pondered from a genealogical sense.  

Germany 1885

I've always been fascinated with history so it isn't surprising that I'd find my own family history equally as interesting and something to explore.  As a child I remember hearing about the German people who had come to America to settle and start their family...my family.  I was always enamored with the idea of someone leaving their entire family behind and making the trek across the ocean to America.  For some reason those two people, my grandfather's grandparents, were really all I considered when thinking about where I came from...and I was proud of my German heritage although I really knew nothing about them.  

Karl "Charles" Struck

Wilhelmina "Minnie" Struck

Karl and Wilhelmina Struck left Germany for America in 1885.  Their ultimate destination-Oakley Michigan.  I often wonder why someone would leave Germany to make their home in Oakley.  If you've ever been there, I'm sure you'd wonder the same thing.  But from what I can understand, there was a thriving population of German Lutherans in the area and they came here to join that community.   

They built a community there in Brady Township and helped to build the German Church which stood on the corner of M-57 and Hemlock Rd.  This church was established in 1888 and sat in that same location until 1991 when it was moved to the Corunna Historical village.  I grew up just 1 1/2 miles from this church and the lighted steeple was a beacon in the distance always lighting the way home.  In my lifetime, there were many baptisms, marriages, and funerals of family members in that church.  

Charles and Minnie had 6 children-three girls and three boys-who were all born and raised Brady Township not far from where they would have arrived in Oakley.  And their children stayed in the areas close to where they had grown up-most of them marrying and raising families of their own.  And that little church was a major part of their lives.

Charles Struck

My great-grandfather, Charles Struck, was their third child and the oldest boy.  I remember how he walked with a hitch in his step and that he was so hard of hearing that you had to basically yell for him to hear you talk.  I also remember him singing O Tannenbaum in German to us one Christmas morning.  He was my direct link to my Struck German heritage, but while he was alive, I was much too young to realize just how much knowledge and family history he could have shared with me.  As I get older, I reflect and wonder how many stories he could have shared with me about our family.  It really is a shame that we don't appreciate sooner those in our family who could provide us with so much information.  

Over the last several years, I've done a lot of  family research and set up an ancestry.com account to build my family tree and most recently, I even sent in my ancestry dna kit to see what I can find.  It's amazing what you can find online now to trace your roots back many many generations.  This German branch of my family is just a small part of who I am.  I've found some really interesting people in my lineage and I've discovered a lot more German heritage and quite a lot of Irish heritage as well.  I can't wait to see what I discover through the dna test as well.  

But no matter how much information I have, for some reason, these two Germans and their lives continue to intrigue me more than anyone else in my family tree.  

As we welcome a New Year

The week between Christmas and New Year's Day has always been one of my favorite weeks of the year.  It is full of tradition and it has always meant time spent with special people.  It has always filled my heart with joy.  Starting many years ago, when Nicol was young, it was a time when no one had school and that we could take time off from work to be together.  And that made it special.

For several years we would travel into the UP and stay at a small motel just outside of Rapid River.  We had a small room with two beds and a kitchenette.  It was the perfect little place to stay.  This was in my pre-dog days, so back then, we'd crate up the cat and head off to the great winter wonderland.  Once we were settled in, we would head to the small grocery store in Rapid River to stock up on food for our stay.  I so loved these times.  We'd watch football bowl games, we'd play games, and we'd just enjoy being together.  I loved sitting in the room and watching the snowfall...and I'd dream of the day that I could retire and move North and spend all of my Winters watching the snowfall in that beautiful place.  

At some point, we stopped making those trips North because of other commitments, but I never forgot how much I loved making them.  So I was extremely happy a few years ago to reinstate my trips North, although with a new destination-Copper Harbor- and new plans for adventures with the dogs.  So for the last three years, we've loaded ourselves up in the car and headed North.  And I have loved those trips so much.  We have spent time exploring alone and with friends; I have met new people and experienced things I could never have imagined.  I have enjoyed the peace and serenity of that beautiful place.  And I once again got to sit in my cozy room and watch the snowfall.

I was really looking forward to our trip North again this year, however, it was not to be.  With all that has been happening, I had to forgo my trip and just stay home this week.  I was disappointed, upset, angry that I wasn't going to be able to make the trip.  I am sad not to get to see my friends and not to spend time on the shore and in the woods.  On top of the disappointment I've been feeling, I've been a bit under the weather as well.  So this week was a bit of a bust for me with lots of negative feelings.  Thankfully today I started to feel a bit better and I pushed away the negativity.  

This year has been a great year.  I've had some amazing moments and some really tough ones.  I've spent the entire year fighting Imke's ear infection and I lost my grandma, but we also reached our goal of traveling to all 48 of the Capitol Buildings in the Continental US and I've seen some amazing sights.  I have been reminded how lucky I am to have such an amazing daughter and just how many amazing people are in my life.  

Tonight, as I sat down to relax for the evening, Imke snuggled up right next to me and Maddie at me feet, I began to reflect on how lucky I am.  I used to think that the changing of the year was such a big deal, but I don't believe that any more.  Any day is a great day to do amazing things with your life, to make a difference, to make a change, to embrace the moments, to learn and to love, and to live!  I realized that it doesn't matter where you go or where you are...all that matters is who is on that journey of life with you.   I am blessed and fortunate.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

When I was a kid, on Christmas Eve we would drive into town, pick up a pizza at Packy's, and drive around looking at the Christmas light displays.  We'd then come home and mom and dad would pull out the Christmas albums and we'd listen to Gene Autry, the Chipmunks, Frank and Bing, and the Ray Conniff singers.  The tree was lit and you could feel the excitement from the anticipation of what was to come.  That is one of my favorite Christmas memories.

Last night, with nothing else to do and nowhere to go, I decided to load the girls into the Jeep, grab a $5 small pizza special at Hungry Howie's and a QD fountain Mt. Dew, and head out for a drive around town to see what we could find.  With the Christmas music playing on the radio and the girls happily waiting for our next adventure, we were off!  Things started a little slow, but then we hit the jackpot.  Christmas lights galore.  Beautiful displays of thousands of sparkling lights in reds and greens, blues and clear, even multi-colored.  Manger scenes and snowmen and blow-up displays of Eeyore pulling Winnie the Pooh and Tigger and in a sleigh.  Giant Santas and reindeer, Nutcrackers and Candy canes, giant trees and tiny bushes, homes large and small, all decorated for the Holidays. 

There isn't anything I love more about the Holiday season than the beautiful, sparkling lights.  We spent a couple of hours out, driving through neighborhoods, looking at the lights,   And then the perfect ending as we headed toward home, Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" on the radio.

It took longer this year for the Christmas season to really start feeling like the Christmas season.  But over the last week, it really has started to feel like Christmas for me.  Finishing my shopping and gift wrapping, sending out my Christmas cards and shipping off baking to friends near and far, and having time to relax at home with the girls and the tree glowing in the background.  I've got everything done-all of the groceries are purchased for the Christmas Eve festivities with Nicol, all of the presents are wrapped, the stockings are stuffed.  All that remains is the final prep for tomorrow. 

All week I've been finishing things a little at a time so that when I got home at 4pm on Friday, I would have no errands to run, no to-do list to complete, no rushing around, no need to leave home.  For today, it's just me and the girls together enjoying a peaceful, relaxing day at home.  I have looked forward to this day all week long.  I will be doing a little cleaning and starting to do some prep work for Christmas Eve, but there is no rush and no pressure.  I just get to spend some time doing the things I love for those I love most.  And tomorrow I get to see my kid-my two-legged girl.  Spending time with all of my girls...that's what Christmas looks like to me. 

Saying goodbye

We buried my Grandma today.   There comes a time in most of our lives when all of us will experience this kind of loss.  Today was mine.  She wasn't the first grandma I lost...that happened almost 14 years ago when I lost my Grandma Adelberg.  And before that I had the loss of three Great Grandmothers all who were alive in my life time-Grandma Hayt, Grandma Nixon, and Great Grandma Struck.  I remember them all and feel very lucky to have known them all.  But today, well, today was hardest because I had her longest...and she was the last.

Leo and Eladine Struck

It is hard to explain what grandmothers mean in our lives, but it is a special relationship, different than all others.  Maybe it's because they had been mothers first and I'm sure there is something very special about experiencing your own child bringing another life into the world.  Maybe that explains why grandmas seem to love us best; despite our many flaws and all of our wrong-doings, grandmas are there loving us no matter what.  Maybe it's because they have the benefit of time and experience and wisdom.  Maybe some day, when I am a grandmother myself, I will understand what it is that makes that relationship so extra special.  Maybe there is no real reason.

During her time here with us, my grandma gave us so many gifts.  I wish I had realized at a younger age what a treasure my time with her was. She shared stories of her childhood and family.  She shared her love of baking and hands-down she made the best molasses cookies ever made.  She shared fun and laughter and a sassy attitude.  She was quite a character.  She loved us all...and most importantly, we loved her.  It was so evident today as we gathered as a family to say goodbye to her. Through our silliness and laughter and tears, her legacy will live on.  She will live on in each and everyone one of us every day.

Leo and Eladine Struck
March 29, 1947

So after 47 years of life, a life which began with 3 sets of Great grandparents, 1 set of Grandparents, and 1 widowed Grandma, I now have one Grandparent remaining...my Grandpa Struck.  That seems unreal...unfathomable.  To see him sitting there today at the funeral without Grandma by his side was so sad.  Through 70 years of marriage, 5 Children, 9 Grandchildren, and 17 Great Grandchildren - she has been there by his side, but now she is gone.  She lived 89 years.  She suffered no prolonged illness.  She just slipped away while at home.  My grandma had a good life and I am so glad to have had her as part of mine for so long.  I was pretty lucky.