Deep Freeze Adventures

As I look out the window today, it is interesting to think about this Winter and how it hasn't been a normal Michigan Winter at all.  In Mid-Michigan, it seems as though the temperatures have been above average and the snow levels have been below average for most of the Winter, but from what I am hearing, that is about to change.  This week we have had some bitter cold, freezing rain, and snow, but over the next few days the forecast looks even worse. Predictions for 5-8 inches of snow on Monday followed by temperatures with highs in the teens and single digits...and current predictions of a high of -3 on Wednesday-YUCK! But it's all just part of life in Michigan and, since we love living in Michigan, we just learn to embrace it.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day gave us an extra day off this week and we took full advantage of the day.  Peaches had her annual vet exam first thing Monday morning.  Peaches is always a little nervous when we get there and was watching the door for the scary doctor who was going to poke and prod at her...and I couldn't get her to look at me, not even for a treat.

Once we were done at the vet, we took advantage of the day off to get in a little Peaches and mom cold weather adventure- a trip to get her nails done at the Michigan School of Canine Cosmetology and then went to visit our friend, Chastity. 

After an exhausting morning, we headed home to spend some time relaxing with Maddie and Bentley.   It was a pretty tough day!

Maddie had her annual exam this week too.  While she and Peaches are both very well behaved and enjoy seeing all of their friends, neither of them love going to the vet.  As soon as we were in the exam room, Maddie placed herself right next to the door, ready to escape as soon as possible.  With the exception of Peaches' cancer, which hasn't really started to show any signs other than an occasional cough, they are both happy, healthy girls.  Here's to hoping things stay this way for awhile and we don't need to make any other vet visits for the next few months!  I could use a little break!

With the cold temperatures and icy sidewalks in the neighborhood, we haven't had the chance to get out much this week.  But, after a fairly quiet week at home, Friday arrived with the prospect for some big weekend adventures. I had arranged to help with a home visit for ISR in Battle Creek and was excited to combine my rescue work with an opportunity to get the girls out for a little adventure on the North Country Trail while we were there. 

So off to Battle Creek we went.  With the windchill below zero, I knew I had to dress the girls in their jackets and limit our time outside.  When we arrived in Battle Creek, we had about 30 minutes before our home visit was scheduled, so I figured that was the perfect time to stop for a quick walk at Historic Bridges Park.  With the snow and ice, and the girls need to take a potty break, we didn't get far, but even a 1/2 mile on the trail was better than nothing. 

Once I had completed the home visit, I realized that we still had time and plenty of daylight for another quick walk on the trail, and so we were off once again to Historic Bridges Park.  We took a different route this time and we were out trudging through the snow for another 30 minutes with a -8 windchill to get in another mile. 

We had added 1.5 miles toward our 100 for this year, and I had two happy girls who had enjoyed a little adventure in nature.  It was a good way to start our weekend and I didn't have to feel guilty leaving them home Friday night as I headed to Durand to watch my niece play basketball.

Saturday morning we woke up ready for another adventure.  We were going to be bringing a new foster home with us and we were going to combine her transport with a chance to get out on the North Country Trail again.  While I had originally thought we would be making the drive all the way to the shelter in Allegan County, we were lucky that a trainer at the shelter was able to bring her to us.  So we arranged to meet in Lowell, another town right along the trail. 

With the temps in the teens and no windchill, it was a great morning to get out for another walk.  We arrived early for our meeting, so we headed in to Lowell to spend a little time on the trail. 

Peaches was so excited to run around in the snow and was weaving all over the place.  Maddie stayed closer to me, walking directly in front of me on the trail for most of our hike.  But as we turned to head back to the Jeep, both girls found lots of good things to sniff in the snow covered grass.  While our time was limited again, we added another mile...trudging along through the snow and enjoying the beautiful scenery. 

We quickly headed back to the Jeep, loaded up, and headed to the carpool lot to meet Paige, our new foster.  Peaches patiently waited in the front seat for her new friend to arrive.  While I had planned on heading back into Lowell for another walk once we had Paige, that plan changed quickly as soon as I met her.

Paige is the tiniest GSP I have ever met, weighing in at a whopping 39 pounds, and I didn't have a harness that would fit her, so there was no way we could go out for a walk.  Instead, I loaded her up in the Jeep-she was too scared to jump up on her own-and we headed home.  She rode pretty nicely in the Jeep on the way home, and while Peaches was acting a bit jealous because her mom was petting someone else, by the time we made it to Lansing, they were snuggled up in the back of the Jeep.

I have a feeling Paige may have had a rough beginning to her life.  She came to the shelter, found as a stray, and no one came for her.  She is so sweet and really just wants to be loved.  She wiggles any time she sees a new person.  Her manners need some work, but she is crate trained which has been helpful. She has the cutest little ear that sticks out sideways because it is missing part of the ear-I'd guess from an injury or maybe frostbite.  She had cherry eye when she arrived at the shelter, but thankfully they repaired that at the same time they performed her spay surgery.  She appears to have had a litter of puppies too.  She wants so badly to be friends with Peaches, but she isn't quite sure how to play, yet.  Instead she drops to her belly and rolls over onto her back any time Peaches play bows, but that has improved somewhat in the 24 hours she's been here.  We are working on the basics of potty training, learning not to jump up on things all of the time, to give me some personal space, and we'll start some commands tomorrow.  With all of her vet work done already, she won't be here long so I've got limited time to make an impact, but I'll do what I can to prepare her for her next chapter.

Paige is a ball of pent-up, anxious, GSP energy having been in the shelter for over a month, but as I write this she is curled up next to me on the couch with her tiny little head resting on my leg.  Even Peaches isn't quite sure how to handle this crazy youngster, but she is doing a great job of trying to teach her appropriate doggy behavior.  I'm pretty proud of her.   Maddie has just tried to avoid the craziness and stay out of the way if any shenanigans begin. Everyone seems to accept that she doesn't want to be bothered and respects her wishes.  She is definitely the reigning matriarch in our home now. 

I'm hoping Paige will start to settle in a bit and feel less anxious over the next few days, and hopefully she, Peaches, and Bentley can have a good wrestling match during the upcoming deep freeze.  It should be an interesting week with the weather we're expecting and three crazy brown-spotty girls in the house, but life would be dull without them!

New Year, New Adventures

Hello and Happy Sunday!  I know it has been a bit since I last wrote, and for that I apologize.  We've been busy with life.  So this week, I just want to give you all a little update on what we've been up to over the last couple of weeks.

We ended 2018 and began 2019 in one of our favorite places, Copper Harbor.  With an abundance of amazing places to explore, the adventures there are endless no matter what the season.  We enjoy getting a chance to explore our favorite summer spots when they are covered in snow and ice.  No matter what the weather, we always enjoy a day at the beach and Hunter's Point Park never disappoints.  It is amazing in all four seasons. 

The best part about being there in the Winter is the solitude.  The entire time we were out exploring, we never once saw another person.  It is the kind of place where you can really be at one with nature and alone with your thoughts.  I can't imagine a much better place to spend a Winter's day, especially when there is no wind.  The ice formations are ever changing and always spectacular.  

With no one there for us to bother, it was a great time for Peaches to be able get in a good run and some off-leash practice in the parking lot.  She thoroughly enjoyed herself!

After a good adventure and the attempt at a good picture of the girls together, they were ready to head back to the Jeep and then to our room to warm up and rest up for more adventures the next day.

While in Copper Harbor, we were able to get out for a good hike out toward Manganese Falls.  We had gotten a good amount of snowfall overnight and the fresh snow always makes the girls happy. 

One of Maddie's favorite things to do is stick her head in the side of a snowbank to see what she can smell.  Peaches was just as enthusiastic about sniffing around and I'm pretty sure that some small critter had been there recently.  They had the best time!

We continued our walk around the Harbor that morning in some pretty blustery weather and got in a good hike before the blowing snow really moved in for the day.  After a good workout for all of us, it was nice to get back to the room and snuggle up and watch the snow fall.  

And before we knew it, it was time to head home from our Copper Harbor Adventure.  But any good trip to the U.P. should include a stop along U.S.2 for a run on the Lake Michigan Beach.  Someone had recently been through on a bike and the girls were very interested in the new smells!

With the ice forming along the shore and the sun shining.  It was a beautiful day to stop...and like I said earlier, any day is a good day to be at the beach!  After a good walk along the shore, we were back in the Jeep and heading home.

Back home, it was time for Maddie to have a recheck for the yeast infection in her ears.  While she doesn't love going to the vet the way Imke did.  She is generally happy to see the people there.  She will wag her little tail and nuzzle up to them to get a little extra love.  She has also become a favorite with some of the staff there and she got to visit with some of her friends.  Unfortunately, the yeast infection hadn't cleared up and she had to have a good ear cleaning and some medicine put into her ears while we were there...and she was not a fan of that!  Hopefully she'll forgive the two vet techs who helped her out because she was not happy with them when we left!  

Now that we had entered the new year, it was time once again to start another North Country Trail 100 mile challenge for this year.  Last year, my goal was to complete it with all three girls together, and we did just that.  This year, I'm going to do my best to complete all 100 miles with both Maddie and Peaches, but who knows what the year will bring.  No matter what happens, I'll be out on the trail working toward those 100 miles!

For our first hike of the year, we headed to one of our regular hiking spots, the Marshall Riverwalk.  It was a beautiful sunny day and the girls were happy to get the chance to splash around in the river in January.

It was a beautiful, sunny day, and there were lots of people out using the trail.  As a matter of fact, we had never seen so many people out on this trail.  It made it a bit more challenging with Peaches and her leash reactivity toward other dogs, but we still had a great time and started the year with 2.6 miles on the trail.  I even took the time after our hike to try out a new restaurant while we were there and I can't wait to go back for another hike.

On January 6, we celebrated a very special day, Peaches birthday.  It has been one year since she came into our home and I decided we would use that day as her birthday.  She is now officially 7 years old and, thankfully, still going strong.

Because we don't know how many birthday's she will get with us, I decided to make this one extra special.  Our first stop was Pet Supplies Plus for a little shopping spree.  She was excited to pick out a new toy and some treats and sat nicely for the cashier to give her a treat.

It was a nice day, so next we drove downtown for a walk along the Lansing Riverwalk.  We got in a nice walk and enjoyed the sunshine.  I don't think she was very happy that I made her stop to get her picture though.  

After a day of fun, we headed home for an ice cream party with Maddie and Bentley. Overall, I think she had a pretty great day.

The day after Peaches birthday, I ended up at the vet with Maddie who was suffering from Vestibular Disease.  It came on very suddenly after I got home from work on Monday.  Her eyes were darting back and forth and she was unsteady on her feet.  While there is no cure, luckily it is something that resolves itself with time and, luckily for us, although she wasn't 100% back to herself, Maddie was feeling much better in just a couple of days.  She has now completely recovered and is back to her silly self, but boy was it scary while it was happening! 

Thankfully, Maddie was feeling well enough the following weekend that we headed out to Albion to add a few miles to our 100 miles on the NCT.  We enjoy the Albion Riverwalk and it is the closest portion of the trail to home, so it's a great place to go and add some miles.  It was a bit chilly, but we had a good time and got in another 3.1 miles for the year.  After a good adventure, it's always nice to come home a spend some time with friends!

In an effort to make healthier choices this year, and in order to keep Peaches and Maddie active during the Winter months, I'm trying to get out for a couple of different adventures with the girls every weekend.   Since we had spent Saturday on the North Country Trail, Sunday we decided to spend some more time on the Lansing Riverwalk.  We found a great softball field along the walk where I can let the girls get in a good off-leash run and then we can hit the trail for a couple of miles before heading back for one more run before heading home.  Peaches has really been enjoying the chance to really run.  I had forgotten just how fast a healthy, young, GSP can run.  She is amazing to watch.  It is also pretty funny to watch the difference between Peaches and Maddie as they run.  Some day I'll have to get some good video to share.  It's really a treat to watch them out there just enjoying the space and freedom.  

Finally this week, Winter has decided to make an appearance in Mid-Michigan.  It began to snow a bit on Thursday and we got a lot more snow Friday night into Saturday morning.  The girls really do enjoy the fresh new snow.  It's always an exciting walk after a little snow fall.

Yesterday, as the snow fell, I had the pleasure of heading out to the shelter for our Saturday morning dog walk and I got to walk this guy.  Ozzie is a Doberman Pinscher and he is absolutely gorgeous-although I couldn't get him to stand still long enough for a good picture.  I was excited to be able to walk him because I have a special place in my heart for these beautiful dogs.   He gave me a good workout as we trudged through the snow on our 1 1/2 mile walk and I gave him a little extra love before putting him back in his kennel so I could head home to spend time with my own girls.

After getting home from the shelter, the girls and I headed out into the snow so that they could have a little adventure before enjoying a relaxing snow day at home.  I took them out for a ride in the Jeep and a good run at the park, picked up a little Capital City BBQ, and headed home to watch the Michigan Basketball game.  Maddie was very interested in my lunch...and I might have shared a bite or two with her. 

Today the temperatures have dipped to some dangerously cold levels, so we won't be going out on any adventures, but the girls are happily snoring away as I write this.  I know Peaches will get restless later, but indoor games and maybe a wrestling match or two with Bentley will have to do.  Don't worry though, more adventures will be headed our way soon!

Hoping you all have a safe and warm Sunday at home!  

2018

As we near the end of another year, I can't help stopping to reflect on what this year has meant to me.  I've recently had a couple of people say to me that I've had a rough year. And, honestly, some not so good things have happened this year.  But when I think back on the year I've had, I don't think of it as a bad year at all.  Actually, this year has been pretty amazing. While I know many people who have had some real struggles this year, when I think of 2018, I think of the amazing journey it took me on with some amazing people and my amazing girls.

We rang in the new year at home and within that first week, I made the journey North to pick up a new foster dog in Roscommon County.  Who knew when I took that journey that I'd be bringing that foster dog into my home forever?  Although Peaches was diagnosed with cancer and our time with her is limited, I am so glad that she came into my life this year.  She has reminded me what it's like to have a goofy, silly, fun-loving youngster in the house.  She is so full of life and love and has been an absolute joy to have here with us.

We reached our goal of hiking 100 miles on the North Country Trail for the third year in a row, and most importantly, we walked all 100 miles together.  It wasn't always easy, but it was so rewarding.   I learned a lot about the heart of one little dog.  Her drive to keep going, to never give up, and to always be there for me.  I always learn a lot about myself, too, when we're out there on the trail alone. It was an amazing year on the trail and I look forward to doing it again!

We made it to Alaska! More than anything we did this year, reaching this goal of making our trip of a lifetime together to Alaska defines the year for me.  While the ultimate goal was to get to State Capitol #49 with Imke, this road trip with three brown-spotty girls was so much more than just that.  It took me out of my comfort zone, it took us thousands of miles away from everything and everyone we knew.  It made me realize just how strong I am and that I can do anything if  just put my mind to it.  I made me believe in me and it helped me become a more confident person.  I am forever changed because of this journey. 

I don't think I'll ever forget that moment as we reached this sign welcoming us to Alaska.  It was such an amazing feeling being there with the three best travel buddies a girl could ever have. 

And ultimately, we reached that 49th Capitol, together.  So many miles, so many memories, such a great journey. 

While Imke got sick shortly after our return from Alaska, I was given the gift of additional time with her.  Time for one more trip to the beach, one more U.P. vacation, and one last chance to see everyone that was important in her life.  We were able to spend quality time together, knowing all to well that the end was coming much sooner than we had hoped, but thankful for every moment and every memory. 

I was especially grateful for this one last birthday celebration and a little taste of Hawaii for my travel companion.

We were able to finish a number of items on Peaches' bucket list, including a trip to Lake Erie, swimming in four Great Lakes, making new friends, going on some pretty grand adventures and celebrating Valentine's Day, St. Patrick' Day, Independence Day, Halloween Thanksgiving, and Christmas.  Tonight we will check another item off that list by ringing in the New Year together in Copper Harbor. 

So while I end the year without one special girl, I am lucky to have two amazing girls here with me to continue making more amazing memories.  It was a really good year and we look forward to continuing our adventures in 2019.  We hope that you all enjoy a Happy and Safe New Year.

The Spirit of Christmas

Good Morning and Merry Christmas.  As I sit here in my peaceful and quiet home watching the Yule Log channel, I thought I would take a moment to write a few words.  

This Christmas season hasn't been like any other I've experienced.  I am usually excited that the holidays are coming and I enjoy the days and weeks leading up to Christmas.  I love the giving spirit of the season and the fact that people become more generous.  I love doing nice things for others and the joy I get from helping those who are less fortunate.  I love the sparkling lights and the peace this season is meant to bring.  And for me, the best part of Christmas is Christmas Eve, when the hustle and bustle is over, and the stores are closed, and families gather to spend time together.  Here at my house that means Nicol comes home to celebrate with us, and really, I don't need anything more than that.

Since I was young, I've felt the joy of the Christmas season.  I fondly remember going into town with the Christmas decorations and the music playing in the streets. We would go into any one of the stores in town, mostly I remember shopping at the Ben Franklin, and after we finished shopping, we would go out into the streets hoping to see Santa.  He would be there, in the streets of Chesaning, with a bag over his shoulder and a supply of candy canes for anyone who would approach him to say hello.   It was so exciting to get a chance to tell him everything that I wanted for Christmas before he would return to the North Pole for the evening.  

The days would go by after our visit with Santa, and then on Christmas Eve, with all of the excitement of what was to come, we would jump into our van, drive into town to pick up a pizza, and then spend the evening driving around the country roads looking at all of the beautiful Christmas lights.  We would then return home and listen to Christmas music- there was always Gene Autry, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, the Ray Conniff Singers, and the Chipmunks.  Finally it was time for bed, and off we would go to await the arrival of Santa with all of our gifts.  It just felt magical.

As I grew older, things changed, but the magic of Christmas was always there.  Eventually, I would enter the world with a family of my own and we created our own Christmas traditions.  I still love Christmas and may even love it more as an adult than I did as a child.  I love to celebrate the season with traditions both old and new.  

But this year has just been different for me.  I haven't found joy in the things I normally would.  Somehow I missed the deadline to donate to Toys for Tots and the Angel Tree...I didn't even make it to the Toys for Tots event at Wonderland of Lights at the Potter Park Zoo this year, and I never miss that.  I love seeing the Marines in their dress uniforms gathering a truckload of toys donated by happy families going in to the Zoo to see the light display.  It is one of my favorite holiday traditions. 

My Christmas cards went out late, my Christmas shopping didn't start until about a week before Christmas; I didn't even feel like baking.  And while I finished my shopping before the crazy rush of last minute shoppers and my cards all reached their destinations in time, the Holiday spirit still didn't arrive. 

I did take the dogs out for our annual ride around Lansing to look at Christmas lights, a tradition I started with them a couple of years ago.  I grab a pizza and a Mt. Dew, turn on the Christmas music, and slowly drive around several neighborhoods to enjoy the holiday displays.  They always get a piece of pizza crust, and, if it's not too cold, I'll even roll down the windows so they can stick their heads out so they can take in all of the scents and sounds.  It has been a fun way to spend a Saturday night leading up to Christmas. 

As I have done for the last several years, I volunteered at the Holiday All-nighter at the animal shelter, but this year, I was not feeling as festive.  While I was happy that several cats and dogs found families of their own, it just didn't feel the same.

I had also planned to find some new Holiday traditions or new events to attend this year, but that was just not meant to happen.  I really just struggled to find the joy in the Holiday.  Despite the Christmas music that I've been listening to since Thanksgiving and the Christmas tree and decorations all around me, it didn't feel like Christmas.  

We finally reached the weekend before Christmas and I decided to take the girls for a walk around the State Capitol building to see the State Christmas tree.  It was a beautiful Friday night and the snow began to fall as we pulled out of the driveway.  We made our way downtown, found a parking spot, and jumped out of the car headed toward the tree.  

What a beautiful night it was.  There were other people around enjoying the evening as well and Peaches decided to make friends with as many as she could.  As we walked along, surrounded by the holiday lights and decorations, with Christmas music playing in the streets, it took me back to my childhood.  I was taken back to the days as a kid that we would go into Chesaning to shop and to look for Santa.  What a happy memory.  

And with that, I found a little of my Christmas spirit again.  I spent the weekend wrapping presents, watching silly Hallmark Christmas movies, and doing a little baking.  On Saturday, I had a nice dinner with friends and finished all of my prep for our Christmas Eve festivities.  It was a relaxing, quiet weekend at home with none of the holiday rush, and it was perfect.  

I even took the girls back downtown for another walk around on Sunday afternoon to take in a few more sounds of the season.

But when Christmas Eve arrived, it still didn't feel like Christmas. And that day, more than any before it, I felt that someone was missing.  I did my best to get into the spirit of the day because I knew I had to make a memorable Christmas with Peaches because I may not get another with her.  So before Nicol arrived for our evening celebrations, I took Maddie and Peaches for a fun run at the Softball fields down the road.  Watching the joy Peaches experienced just out running in the open field made me smile.  I think that may have been the best Christmas gift I could have given to her.

Nicol arrived and the girls were excited to see her.  We had our simple dinner and a few snacks, and then settled in to open our gifts.  Although it wasn't the same without Imke's excitement, Maddie enjoyed opening her gifts.  We tried really hard to teach Peaches about the joy of opening gifts as well, but she may just be a lost cause.  It was a good night, though, surrounded by those I love most in this world.  

This morning Maddie woke me up with some very special and very rare Maddie kisses.  After breakfast with a special Christmas treat added in, the girls had a few more gifts to open and then we snuggled up for a few quiet moments before I had to leave for the day to head to my parents for our family Christmas.

This Christmas was hard for many reasons, some I cannot even put into words.  I miss Imke and it is not the same celebrating this holiday without her, but also, for the first time in my life, I didn't stop at my grandparents on Christmas morning.  For much of my life, that is where Christmas morning was spent.  We'd arrive at Grandma's for breakfast with eggs, pancakes, and sausage, and then we'd open gifts.  When Grandma got to the point where she couldn't handle all of the Christmas preparations, we eventually moved our Christmas to a weekend prior to the actual holiday, but that would not stop me from stopping for a visit at Grandma's house on Christmas morning.   Nicol and I would stop there every year before heading to my parent's.  Even last year, after grandma passed away, we stopped to see Grandpa before heading to my parent's.  But this year, they are both gone...and with them dies this most cherished tradition.  Not having a sausage link and hugging my grandma on Christmas...it just doesn't feel like Christmas morning.  

While this Christmas was hard for a number of reasons, I still made some wonderful memories.  I was glad to share the joy of the season with Nicol, Peaches, and Maddie.  We have checked some more items off of Peaches bucket list too.  I know that life goes on and traditions change, and someday, I'll be the grandma getting a Christmas morning visit and making more special memories.  But I'll never forget the memories or those loved ones that have gone before who made Christmas special.

I received the most amazing gift from Nicol, a framed collage of pictures I have taken of all of the State Capitols we have visited.  Only one more spot to fill!