In memory of our dear friend, Zi.

Last Thursday my good friend Bryce lost his best friend, Zi.  Zi was a special dog and anyone who ever met him would definitely agree.  While this loss is felt most by Bryce, I know that there are many people who will miss him.  We in my household definitely mourn his loss as well.  He was a special boy and the girls and I always loved our time spent with Zi.  He was a friend to the girls and we were always excited to go on adventures with him.  So tonight, I wanted to take a little time to remember Zi.

Zi came into the shelter just about 9 years ago as a puppy.  He had had a tough start to his life.  He had been thrown out like trash, left for dead in a trash bag in a local park.  But through some miracle he survived and was rescued by one of our wonderful Animal Control Officers.  Thin and frail(his shelter name was Green Bean because he was so thin), he went through many trials and tribulations, but was well loved by all of the shelter volunteers.  

Not long after Zi came into the shelter, Bryce became a volunteer there.  He met Zi during his volunteer time and that is where their story began.  Finally, on June 4, 2011, Bryce made it official.  At the shelter's annual adopt-a-fest, he adopted Zi and took him home to give him a wonderful, love-filled life.  In a wonderful coincidence, that day just happened to be the very first day that I volunteered at the shelter.   While I had not met Bryce or Zi yet, it only seems fitting to me that Zi and I shared that special date-his last day at the shelter and my first.

Later that Summer I became involved with the Dog Walking Club at the shelter and got to know many people, including Bryce.  I heard many stories about Zi and was lucky enough to meet him and to get to know him.  

Bryce and Zi were rarely apart and it was hard for Bryce to leave Zi behind, however, one weekend he had to leave town for a wedding.  I felt blessed to know that he trusted me enough to leave Zi in my care for that weekend.  And what a great doggy slumber party it was.  

Eventually Bryce and Zi moved North to the Keweenaw Peninsula.  Over the years, the girls and I made many trips there to visit our friends.  There were many days after Bryce first moved that he was so busy working on his house that he didn't have time to spend with us, but he always entrusted me with Zi.  Off we would go, Imke, Maddie, and Zi together in the back seat of my Grand Prix, heading out on some grand adventures.  Those are some of my fondest memories of him.

Zi was always happy to see me and always ready for some fun.  I can't tell you how many times, he'd jump in my car or Jeep when I would arrive, or as I was preparing to leave, just to make sure he wouldn't miss out on an adventure with us.  

There were a number of dog parties in my backseat while Bryce and I grabbed dinner after a day of adventure.  There were also plenty of dog parties in my hotel rooms while the dogs hung out together while Bryce and I and friends had lunch or dinner as well.  One of my favorite memories is returning to my room after dinner one night to find the blankets and sheets flung off one of the beds from what I am sure was a grand wrestling match between Zi and Peaches. 

As the girls got older and didn't want to play as much, I always promised Zi that one day I would bring him a new puppy who he could play with and teach to be a good dog.  I'm sad that was not to be.  Sadly, he became sick after only seeing Peaches a few times and was unable to spend more time playing with her.  But I'm thankful that she did get to spend some time with him.

The last time I saw Zi was several months ago.  He was having a good day and we all went for a hike through the woods, Zi running ahead as he always did.  It was a great day and, as I prepared to leave, he tried to jump into the Jeep with the girls, just like he always did.  I gave him a good scratch behind the ears, whispered a special secret into his ears, kissed his nose, and got into the Jeep to drive away.  I can still see him standing there in the driveway next to Bryce as I drove away.  I knew then that I may never see him again, but had hoped that wouldn't be true.  

Zi loved life.  He loved people and dogs.  He loved naps in the sun, his special green toy, and fun times on adventures with friends.  He loved to greet me with a wagging tail full of excitement every time I visited.  Most of all Zi loved his dad and Bryce loved him right back.  

While I am so sad that he is gone, I know that he lived an amazing life and I am thankful that he is no longer in pain.  And I know that when he crossed over to the other side, he was greeted by a happy, barking Imke ready to take her friend for a run on the beach.

Rest peacefully my dear friend, until we meet again.

 

Mid-Winter Routine

Happy Palindrome Day!  02/02/2020-the same forward and backward...and apparently this is the only day in our lifetimes that this will happen.  The last time was 11/11/1111 and the next will be 03/03/3030.  At least it's an interesting little fact.  It is also Groundhogs Day and the mid-point of winter.

At this point most Winters, I am sick of the snow and cold and I am excited to see the sunlight last long enough for me to get home and walk the dogs in something other than pitch-darkness.  But this Winter has been so mild that I have actually been feeling like something has been missing.  Don't get too crazy and think I've turned into a lover of snow and cold, but living in Michigan my whole life, I don't think I've ever experienced a Winter quite like this one...and I have found myself missing the smell of the cold Winter air during a peaceful snowfall. I have also enjoyed the few snowfalls that we have had.  But I've also been thankful that most of the bad weather has happened on the weekend, when I don't have to go anywhere.

This crazy Winter has really seemed more like an extended late Winter/early Spring.  While the rain and mud are about enough to make me crazy, we have all enjoyed the milder temperatures, and, while we haven't really experienced a real Michigan Winter, now as the daylight hours grow longer, I find myself beginning to long for Spring.

We've been taking advantage of the nicer weather and extra daylight to get out of the house a little more during the week and we've been taking some longer nightly walks.  The girls and I have gotten into a nice routine and have found a good route to take to get in a nightly walk of about 2 1/4 miles.  While in the past our walks would have been more along the lines of 3 to 3 1/2 miles, Maddie can no longer make that trek regularly, so we've adjusted our nightly route to accommodate her.  While our nightly route is just about perfect for Maddie and Cricket, I know that Peaches is always left wanting more.  Thankfully she and Cricket find time each day to spend some time running and playing in the backyard. 

On the weekends, we have been getting out for some hiking adventures and I'm thankful that on those days, we can get Maddie to go a little further.  I've found that if we plan things well, she has been able to average right around 3 miles each time we have gotten out on the North Country Trail this year.  I think that the different scenery and new smells give her a little extra incentive to keep going.   I know that Peaches and Cricket have really been enjoying those weekend outings on the trail too.

This weekend we were able to get out on the trail on two occasions, once on Friday night in Marshall and the other, today in Albion.  My current goal is to complete a minimum of 12 miles per month from January-April, hopefully reaching the 50 mile mark by May 1st.  We were able to complete 12.2 miles in January and got a good start today with 3.35 miles for our first February hike.  I'm hoping that by hiking more when the weather is milder, Maddie will be able to get out with us more.  Because I know once the temperatures start to rise, her ability to walk much will go down significantly.  I know she loves to get out on the trail and I want her to enjoy it as much as she can. 

Both of our walks this week were in NCT Trail Towns and in Albion we took the route that goes through town, down the Riverwalk, and then into a neighborhood.  We saw what appeared to be the Albion Cross-Country team out for a training run.  I really would have loved for one of them to take Peaches for a little jog!  She definitely had some extra energy today!

I have no definite plan for the girls to complete all 100 miles with me this year, but I also can't imagine being on the trail without them.  So I'm just going to go with the flow and whatever happens, well, I'll be happy with that. 

With the temperatures near 50 degrees and the sun shining brightly, it was a beautiful day to be outdoors.  We all thoroughly enjoyed our time on the trail.  Fresh air and exercise  is always good for us all, and the walk was a great success.  I always enjoy the quiet ride home after some time on the trail.

Cricket was excited to steal the front seat away from Peaches for the ride home.

Peaches was not very happy about that...and decided to pout!

After a quiet ride back to Lansing and a quick stop to grab a few groceries, we headed home to watch the Superbowl...and I had 3 snoring happy girls.  Overall it was a great day. 

Not many pictures to share this week since my phone camera is currently not working properly and I haven't had it in me to take the time to go to the Verizon store to see if they can fix it, so I had to pull out the faithful old point-and-shoot.  Hopefully I'll get that phone camera fixed this week.

Now off to bed so we can start a fresh week with new adventures!  Hope you all have a great week!

Adventures in fostering: the naughty little hound

We've had a quiet couple of weeks at my house as we've returned to the routine of post-holiday life.  January always seems a little mundane after all of the excitement of the previous couple of months, but it is also nice to get back on some sort of regular schedule again.  Outside of work, life has been uneventful.  

Cricket has settled in nicely and is really becoming comfortable here.  She's beginning to show more and more of her sweet little personality.  The comfort of a home and a regular routine seems to suit her well.   She's now been here for 9 weeks and I think she has really begun to feel at home with us. 

In an effort to expose her to new people, places, and things, I've been trying to take her as many places as I can, and she has become a regular visitor to my office.  She seems to really enjoy going to work with me and she is so good while she is there.  She spends most of the day napping and enjoys the occasional visitor-because they always bring her treats.  Honestly, she's so good that I hardly even notice that she is there with me.  She's now been there enough that her whole body begins to wiggle with excitement when we pull into the parking lot.  I think she'd really love a home where she could go to work every day.   

We've also gotten out on some adventures both around town and on the North Country Trail.  Cricket thoroughly enjoys every adventure.  You can't reach for a leash without her getting excited.  She dances in circles and her entire body wiggles.  She shows so much joy and it makes me so happy to see her be able to experience so much happiness.

While she is still nervous about meeting new people and some new experiences overwhelm her, she is making great progress, becoming more and more brave, and realizing the world isn't always a completely scary place.  She still has a ways to go, but the progress I have seen is amazing.

Peaches and Maddie are doing great as well.  While Maddie has been enjoying the slower pace of life lately, Peaches always hopes for more fun and adventures.  They have both been feeling well and just enjoying life too. 

Cricket has learned a lot from Peaches while she's been here and has determined that she is the perfect sized lap dog.  She loves to climb up into my lap to get some love and pets.  She has her favorite spots in the house, her favorite toys, and her favorite treats.  And she absolutely loves spending time outside every chance she gets.

I know for a fact that Cricket is feeling at home here with us because over the past few days her naughty little personality is beginning to show too.  She's found it necessary to try to sneak around with things she shouldn't have, she tries to sneak snacks that aren't for her, and she does things she knows she's not supposed to do, but then she looks at me with those sad little eyes...and I can't stay mad at her for very long.  But I know that she knows that she's been a naughty little girl.

This weekend we got out for a walk in the Lowell Game area and she was on high alert watching for critters in the woods.  As long as she can stay focused, she is a pretty good walker, but any movement in the distance and her hound instincts shine through.

I've really enjoyed having Cricket here, but I'm hoping that she can find a home of her own soon, before she gets too settled here with me.  I want her to find her perfect family and to begin her happily ever after.  She is such a sweet little girls and she deserves a good life full of love. 

And, while Peaches and Maddie love to make new friends, I can tell that they are ready to have their mom back all to themselves for a little while. 

The impending Storm

Happy Sunday!  After a pretty quiet week at home, we survived the threat of a major ice storm here in Lansing over the last couple of days. With forecasts for the potential of up to an inch of ice, we are thankful to have dodged that bullet!  I am not a fan of ice storms and have to say that I am so glad that not much came of this one. 

On Friday, with potentially dangerous travel conditions headed our way, I made the decision to run a few errands right after work so that we could settle in for the weekend.  I was happy to be able to get the dogs out for a short adventure too because I was unsure when I'd be able to get them out again if we did get a significant storm.  

The temperatures on Friday were mild with temperatures near 50, and those temperatures stayed through most of the night.  When we woke up on Saturday, I was hoping to be able to get the girls out for a walk before the sleet and ice moved in to our area, however, the rain prevented us from getting out for any exercise.   Because the conditions hadn't gotten bad at that point and I had two very restless girls, we took a quick drive to Soldan's Pet Store to find some items to keep the girls occupied while they were stuck inside.   By the time we left, the sleet had started, so we headed directly home with no plans to leave again.

My yard Saturday 9am

Due to the threat of ice and potential for power outages, I spent the morning cleaning, finishing laundry, and doing some meal prep while the girls enjoyed their special treats.  If we lost power, I wanted to be as prepared as possible. The girls did make an few quick trips outside, but none of them were thrilled with the weather, so they were happy to be inside snuggling and napping for most of the day.  

Saturday 6pm

Thankfully, the day went pretty well.  The girls stayed quiet and happy and I was able to sit back and relax for a bit.  I was looking forward to a quiet day at home and that's exactly what we had...until about 10pm, when Cricket and Peaches both got restless and wouldn't relax anymore.  I thought we got through the restlessness, until I let them out at about midnight for a potty break and Cricket decided it was time for a good round of chase...and Peaches obliged.  And  there was no stopping them, so for the next 15 minutes they ran and wrestled and had a great time.  

Sunday 12am

Cricket and Peaches were up bright and early this Sunday morning ready to play again, there they were outside at 7am for a good bout of chase once again.

Sunday 9am

There were many trips in and out for some romps in the yard, but finally it was time to settle in, snuggle, and nap.  It was actually nice to have a little snow on the ground...I've gotten a little tired of mud in January!

Most of our day was spent quietly inside and our weekend was pretty uneventful.  While a slow week and a quiet weekend at home can be really nice, I'm hoping that we'll be able to get out for some good exercise this week and maybe even a big adventure this weekend.  I'm sure the girls feel the same way!

New year...new goals

Happy New Year and welcome to 2020.  While I'm not one for resolutions (because I think is seems arbitrary to decide to make changes once each year simply because the date on the calendar changes), I am one to strive every day to be my best self .  I think it is important to do things daily to grow and to better myself.  I believe an import part of that is setting goals, writing them down, and sharing them with others.  So this year, inspired by Chelsea @ thebiglakemi and something she shared on her Instagram page, I'm going to set 20 goals, some big and some small, for 2020.

I've had nearly two weeks off from work over the Holidays.  I've spent a lot of quiet time at home and I've had plenty of time to think and reflect on where I am today and what I'd like to accomplish this year.  Over the last several years, many of my goals have focused on travel and last year I finished my most important goal of reaching my 50th State Capitol.  This year's goals also include some travel related goals because life without travel is just not for me.  So here goes:

1) Travel to the Canadian East Coast.  There are three Canadian Provinces that I haven't yet visited and I plan to visit them this year.  That will be the only big trip that the girls and I take this year and with this trip, Maddie will also have visited all 10 Provinces,  I'm pretty excited for this trip because the rocky shoreline of the coast is really something I love.

2) Complete the Hike 100 challenge on the North Country Trail for the fifth year.  I wasn't going to sign up for the #hike100nct for 2020... Maddie can't walk as far as she used to and sometimes just getting to the trail can be a challenge.  But then I saw everyone sharing posts of their New Year's Day hikes on the trail, and I felt the urge to get out and start our hiking.  It's the fifth year of the challenge and we haven't missed a year. Honestly I can't imagine not doing it!

3) Visit 10 Michigan State Parks.  As I work toward my goal of visiting all of the Michigan State Parks, I'd like to break it up into smaller pieces to make sure that I continue to make progress.  I'd like to revisit some parks I've visited in the past as well as see some new parks.  My mini goal within this goal is to hike in each park and find a geocache in each one as well.

4) Spend more time in the UP.  As I focused on traveling to other States the last few years, I haven't spent as much time in the UP as I would like, but I'm planning to change that this year.

5) Visit Isle Royale.  While this may be the biggest challenge since I can't take the girls with me, I really want to make a trip to this beautiful National Park, even if for just a couple of days. 

6) Write a book.  Now that I have finished my 50 States travel and have made it to all 50 State Capitols, it is time to write my book about Imke and Maddie and all of our travels.  The plan is to write a simple book first-maybe a children's book-with pictures of Imke and all of her friends that have traveled to the State Capitols with her(and with me).  I'd also like to write more of a memoir-style book about our travels...but that is a book for another year. 

7) Do more yoga!

8) Practice gratitude.  I am grateful for the life I have, but it's important to recognize and acknowledge that gratitude.

9) Be a better friend.  This was a goal I set for last year too, and I think I made good progress, but I don't think you should ever stop trying!

10) Spend more one one time with each of the girls.  I love getting to spend individual time with each of the girls, but sometimes it is hard to make the time.  This year I'm hoping at least once per month to take each of them on individual adventures. 

11) Spend more time with my daughter.  Nicol is the most important person in my life and I need to focus on spending more time with her.  I talk to her all of the time, but I really want to make a point of seeing her more and planning some fun things we can do together.

12) Focus on what I can control.  I tend to want to control all situations and I just need to remind myself that some things are out of my control...and I should focus only on the things that I can control.

13) Create a budget.  I want to be better at budgeting my money so I can save more.

14) Volunteer more.  Volunteering at the shelter has always made me happy.  The last couple of years I haven't been able to spend as much time there, but this year I'm going to spend a little more time there again.

15) Eat more Vegetarian/Vegan meals. 

16) Clear out clutter!  Clean out closets, cupboards, and the basement, and get rid of things I don't need. 

17) Read more.  I used to read a lot more and for some reason I haven't read as much lately.  It's time to start reading more again.

18) Love myself more!

19) Perform a weekly random act of kindness.

20)  Be Present.  Live in the moment. All we have is this moment right now; cherish it.

Wow!  What a list.  There is a lot to get done this year.  Looks like I'll have a lot of things to write about in the blog throughout the year.  Now, I better get off of the computer and get started!  

Holiday Traditions

Happy Holidays! It is hard to believe that it is December 31st and the holiday season is nearly done.  I have to admit I've been a bit lazy over the last week.  After the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, I really haven't felt like doing much.  Sometimes it is nice to spend a few quiet days at home.  I'm not sure that the girls agree with that, but I do know that they've been happy to have me home with them.

Before the Holidays this year, I had made big plans to get out and experience as many different fun holiday activities as I could.  I was looking forward to seeing so many new things-the lights at the Detroit Zoo, Christmas at Greenfield Village, the Winter Wonderfest in Copper Harbor, and several other things. but what I discovered this year is that I don't need to add a bunch of new activities to my Holidays.  I already have several traditions, and those traditions are what make the Christmas season special.

We did start the season with a couple of new adventures.  We started by visiting the Old Fence Rider Museum's Old Fashioned Christmas in Edmore.  We made a full day of it, attending a local craft show and then hiking a local trail, and as we left town, we saw Santa.  It was a good way to get me in the spirit of the season.

I followed that by attending the Wonderland of Lights at Potter Park Zoo.  Every year the Marines hold a Toys for Tots toy drive one Saturday at the Zoo.  I love to bring a toy or two to donate and, as a bonus, I get free admission to the event.  I love to walk around the zoo looking at all of the lights and stopping to see the big cats.  It is one of my favorite holiday traditions.

The girls and I visited the Capitol and the State Christmas tree more than once over the course of the month.  I love walking downtown and listening to the Christmas music playing in the streets and enjoying all of the sights and sounds of the holidays.  I think this year's tree is one of the prettiest I've seen.

I attended the Holiday All-Nighter at the shelter with Cricket.  This event has become a big part of my Holidays over that last several years and I always enjoy spending time with my friends there and helping our homeless friends find new homes before the holidays.  Cricket and I were there for a few hours and, while she didn't get adopted, I was proud of how well she did with all of the people and craziness.

While I didn't do as much as I have in the past, I still spent some time baking some family favorites.  One of Nicol's favorites is my great-grandma's sour cream cookie recipe, and I made a special batch just for Christmas eve.  It was the first time that I was able to use my grandma's cookie cutters to make cookies and it was a special experience for me.  I'm sure this will be a new tradition that will last for years.

I took the girls out for our annual drive to look at Christmas lights and we also enjoyed some quiet evenings at home just enjoying the Christmas tree and some holiday movies.

Nicol came home for our Christmas eve celebration and all of the girls, even Cricket, were excited to see her.  They were spoiled by both of us and thoroughly enjoyed the whole celebration.  I was pretty spoiled too!  Christmas eve is always my favorite night of the year because I always have all of my girls together and nothing makes me happier than that.

Christmas day was spent at my parent's with my family.  There was food, presents, and family time.

This Christmas season the weather has been unseasonably warm.  We've had temperatures in the 40s and 50s.  It hasn't really felt like Christmas here in Michigan, but I have enjoyed being able to take the girls out on some nice walks.  They have also enjoyed being able to spend more time outside enjoying the yard.  But Christmas shouldn't feel like Spring.  Surprisingly, I have missed the snow.  I guess I really do dream of a white Christmas.

Normally, I would spend a few days leading up to New Year's Eve and New Year's Day in Copper Harbor.  This has become a tradition over the last several years, a tradition that I really love.  I had made plans to leave yesterday for the long journey North, but Mother Nature had other ideas...and dumped nearly a foot and a half of snow over the Keweenaw Peninsula.  Most of the UP and the Northern Lower Peninsula experienced a large storm throughout the day yesterday and into today.  Snow, ice, and power outages were experienced throughout the area.  And this morning, the snow finally arrived in Mid-Michigan.  So for our safety, the girls and I stayed home and are enjoying a quiet New Year's Eve at home.  I'm sad to be missing my New Year's Eve in the Harbor, but I am thankful to spend the night with my girls no matter where we are!

I have enjoyed the holidays and I am thankful for all of the memories I made with these amazing girls of mine! 

I want to end with an update on Maddie.  As you may remember, we recently had her at the vet for an ACTH Stim test in order to test her for Cushing's Disease.  The results of the test came back  inconclusive for Cushing's Disease and negative for Addison's.  With the test results, the chances for Cushing's is unlikely, but still possible for atypical Cushing's.  After discussing options, and potential other causes, we decided that an abdominal ultrasound would be the best next step (most of the other possible causes of her symptoms are very rare and very unlikely).  The Ultrasound would give us a better idea if she could still potentially have Cushing's, despite all of the testing showing otherwise.

Saturday morning we headed to the vet for the ultrasound.   The ultrasound would tell us if there was swelling (or a tumor) of the adrenal glands or anything else going on in her abdomen that could be causing her symptoms.  I had a great discussion with the vet who did the ultrasound as she completed the procedure  Both of Maddie's adrenal glands are enlarged, but show no sign of tumors.  The size of the enlargement is typical for a dog with Cushing's disease.  In addition, the wall of her gallbladder is thickened, which is also typical for a dog with Cushing's disease.  Maddie is showing all of the signs of Cushing's despite the test results. 

Our next step is to take her in for a more intensive test which will take 8 hours and should give us a more definitive answer.  She is scheduled for that test next week.  Since all of her blood work has come back good and her abdominal ultrasound showed no signs of any tumors, I've decided that if the next test is negative, we won't be doing any other testing and I'll just deal with her symptoms.  She's a happy girl and is pretty healthy for a 13 year old, so I feel pretty blessed. 

As we end 2019 and move into a new year and a new decade,  I just want to say thank you for continuing to follow along on our journey.  As I think back over the last year, and the last 10 years, it's crazy to think of all that I have accomplished.  I am thankful for my family and friends and the life that I lead, and I am especially thankful for all of my girls.  I look forward to the new adventures that 2020 will bring! 

Happy New Year to you all!