dawnkinster

November 7, 2013
by dawnkinster 17 Comments

Do you believe in messages from beyond?

Before they were parents.

I know everybody out there has loved ones that have moved on to what I think of as their next adventure. But I’m wondering. Do you look for signs that they’re around? That they’re alright? I do.

In the beginning I consciously looked all the time. Now it’s more of an automatic thing. Mostly it’s birds that seem to give me signs from my folks, but I’ve also begun to consider the bright orange semi trucks I see out on the road as greetings from my Dad.

I know that probably sounds weird. After all it was a bright orange semi that killed him. And for a lot of years seeing one of those trucks was a knife to my heart. They are everywhere and there is no escape from them, so some time ago I decided I couldn’t allow myself to be knifed anymore. I started saying ‘hi’ to Dad each time I saw one and I still do that today. It doesn’t make it all better, but somehow it’s not as painful to see those trucks on the road anymore.

And of course I’ve told you about the stars in the sky that I’ve assigned to each of them; Orion’s belt for Mom, the Big Dipper for Dad. At this time of the year they are both in the morning sky, high above my head when I take the dog out early. I look for them, sometimes even have a little conversation with them, while Katie’s checking out the yard.

I’ve seen a few episodes of the TV show The Long Island Medium and wonder if people are so desperate to know their loved ones are OK that they feed the medium clues. I wonder if I do that in a way too, wonder if I look for signs so intently at the moments when I need them close that I manufacture comforting signs. I think the truth is that I have to believe Mom and Dad are somewhere just around the corner. Because to think otherwise would make living without them impossibly difficult.

What about you? Do you believe that your loved ones are still around in some form? Somewhere more than just in your own heart? Do you think they send messages? Or do you think it’s all a bunch of bunk?

I wonder.

Wordless Wednesday – last summer memories

November 6, 2013 by dawnkinster 15 Comments

November 5, 2013
by dawnkinster 30 Comments

The great Cheez-It conspiracy

I love Cheez-Its. I know. They’re not good for me. They’re empty calories. They derail diets. Who knows what’s really in them. I know. I still love Cheez-Its.

For years I’ve worked on loosing the 20 pounds I’ve gained since 2004. Actively counting calories. Recording everything I eat. Foregoing dessert or seconds or night time eating. Struggling. Making progress, falling back. Giving up, trying again. Joining groups, quitting groups. Some of you know the routine.

Right now I’m allowing silly little yellow orange squares to beat me. They sit in the vending machine I pass several times a day. Did you know that little bag in there is 6 Weight Watcher points? In a diet that only allows me 21 points for the entire day? Crazy! I think the manufacturer bakes something into them that triggers my craving. It’s a conspiracy I say!

I know that snacking is one way of coping with stress…and there’s plenty of stress in my life…but not enough to eat like this. So what else is it? Why does it seem impossible to walk by that machine without contemplating spending the 85 cents? Some days I win the battle. Some days I don’t.

So now I need to give up on the crunchy salty goodness. If I tell you I’m not eating these anymore will that make it true? Can I think about each of you when I’m tempted and keep the change in the purse? I hope so!

What about you? What’s your favorite snack item? And how do you keep your cravings under control?

November 4, 2013
by dawnkinster 22 Comments

When is here good enough?

Home

You know I suffer from wanderlust. I’m a lot like Katie that way; give me a place to go and I’m ready. If I had my way there would be somewhere new to visit every weekend; errands, housework and the yard responsibilities would melt away. Some people, particularly someone I’m married to, probably think I’ve already abandoned all household responsibility. He would be close to correct.

The road calls me constantly and it’s hard when I’m out not to just keep going. So I found it refreshing Sunday afternoon to feel content and happy just standing on our deck watching the birds swoop in and out of our freshly filled feeders.

My brave little titmice were first to zoom in, even before I retreated from filling the feeder.

Brave little guys

The chickadees soon followed…

What you lookin at?

…and the goldfinches, now a subdued green were happy with the full thistle feeder.

Greedy goldfinches.

And as soon as I was inside a whole gang of cardinals arrived to party.

Party!

It’s good to know that I can be content here too. Even if it’s only for an evening. I know that the call of the road will be singing loud again soon.

But for a moment it was good to be home.

Supper!

November 3, 2013
by dawnkinster 30 Comments

Weekly photo challenge: Eerie

The WordPress weekly photo challenge is Eerie. I toyed with going out and finding something new. I have a few ideas, but nothing exactly right. Plus I am totally swamped this weekend.

So I went to my archives…and found a moody photo from our trip to northern California a couple of years ago.

Can you feel them?

Inside Alcatraz you can almost feel the inmates moving beside you.

Maybe someday I will make a point of going out to find eerie. It would be fun to look. Keep your eyes peeled, there might be something eerie near you!

November 2, 2013
by dawnkinster 11 Comments

Novice Obedience – Katie earns her title

These are mine!

With high hopes we went to Katie’s third leg for Obedience Novice today. I even figured out pretty close to perfectly our timing so we didn’t have to sit around all day. Katie was engaged as we waited, but anxious to get going. So was I.

Is it our turn yet?

There were six teams in our class; we were #4. Just as the Team #1 started I realized Katie hadn’t gone to potty in awhile…so we went out in the rain and walked around. She wet but I had hoped for more. Ah well. (Truly, this matters, later in the story.)

Then it was our turn. Katie heeled fine into the ring and set up fine. But she lagged behind me on the heel on leash and wouldn’t sit at the final halt which was right in front of the gate. She was more interested in everyone sitting out there than me. I don’t think she even realized I had stopped.

Her figure 8 was OK, though she lagged a bit on the outside curve, she at least sat when we halted. Her stand for exam was perfect; she had no problem letting the strange lady touch her. I was so proud of her!

Then we were back to do more heeling this time without a leash. If I could get the video to play in this blog you’d see that she was on a different planet than I was. And as we headed back toward the crowd she whipped around and tugged at her tail. This is her sign she has to GO! 😦 She didn’t sit on the last halt on this heeling pattern either. Just stood there and looked at me looking at her. SIGH.

On a brighter note her recall was pretty cool. She was almost straight when she ran up and sat in front of me. That’s been an ongoing problem for quite awhile…she’ll run to me and then sit crooked, all the while grinning. Silly girl. Today she sat pretty straight, and finished by circling around me when I signaled and sat pretty. WHEW! (Those of you on facebook can see the video there. I can’t remember how to upload to youtube, and so it isn’t going into this blog.)

I thought we had it in the bag then, she has had no trouble at all on her long sits (1 minute) and downs (3 minutes). But surprise surprise, she didn’t want to sit, though she did after one additional command….and she REALLY didn’t want to down. I had to physically fight with her, which cost me big points. I know that she had to GO Mama! And I was holding my breath the whole 3 minutes thinking she was going to just get up and head for the door. She did shift from one hip to another and I thought she was going to move, but she stayed where she was. Have I mentioned that she’s a good girl?

All lined up.

So in the end Katie got her Novice Obedience title. We scored 178.5 out of 200 possible points. We even got third place!

Did I do good Mama?

While we were waiting for awards the dog next to me leaned in for a head rub. I couldn’t stop, each time I tried she leaned in further. What a sweetie!

New best friend.

Best of all for Katie is that she got a ton of ribbons and a new toy! She won a pink whale. She’s already been playing with it.

Me and my whale.

She’s napping now. I need a nap too. She did things today she’s never done before, but most of the errors were mine. Which is why I didn’t get a pink whale I suppose.

Good girl sweetie. Mama loves you.

Don’t touch my whale!

November 1, 2013
by dawnkinster 12 Comments

November challenge

Happy Halloween! Not.

Katie isn’t feeling all that festive.

Introducing the witches

See? You’ll look cute!

Awww..it’s not so bad Katie!

Don’t like it Mama!

As long as I had a treat she’d let it sit on her head….but I have to say she wasn’t happy.

She’s a good girl…but we’ll probably lay off the festive attire.

Stupid Mama

October 30, 2013
by dawnkinster 5 Comments

Wordless Wednesday

October 27, 2013
by dawnkinster 17 Comments

Yes I’m a pretty girl. I know.

New smells!

Katie here! Haven’t you missed reading about my adventures? Me too, cause I haven’t had any! I’ve been bugging and bugging my Mama but she says she’s working too hard to go adventuring with me. Huh. Seems an easy fix; just stop working Mama and hang out with me all the time! Problem solved!

So anyway, I’ve been working on her to take me to the park and she finally said yes, she could take me in between all her other commitments, if I was sure I wanted to go. Sure I wanted to go? Is she crazy? I’m always sure I want to go. Go ahead. Test me, say “Hey Katie, want to GO?” and see what happens.

I’m ready Mama!

Yep I’m always up for a jaunt in the park. This time we went to a park a little farther away with fresh smells. We went way in the back of the park where no one was and she let me run around off leash! That is so much fun! I always stay very close to her but it’s nice to be able to stop and sniff whenever I want.

Then suddenly she was clipping on my leash real fast and telling me to hurry up! And you know what came chugging across the field? THIS:

What the heck is that?

It was a tractor pulling kids on a hayride all around the park. I thought it was very interesting, but I don’t think I would have run after it. Well. Pretty sure.

After that we went to investigate the kids playground. Mama kept asking me to sit on these silly big dots of color. I told her I didn’t like the way it felt on my feet, and besides, I pointed out the sign said ‘NO PETS’ but apparently Mama can’t read. She did leave her glasses in the car, so maybe that was the problem.

I found a dot that matches me Mama!

At one of the dot places there was a drain and it had funny sounds coming out of it. I didn’t like it. Not one bit.

Scary! Can we go now Mama?

After that we walked past the climbing wall. I was pretty bored. Doesn’t Mama know that dogs don’t climb walls? What does she think I am, a cat??

Stupid climbing wall. Wonder what’s over THERE?

Mama kept asking me to pose in front of pretty trees and stuff.

Another red tree. Sigh.

That was boring too. I wanted to walk some more and we did end up walking a long way…but not 8 miles. She’ll tell you we did, but honestly? We didn’t.

Look! I went a long way! (kidding!)

We did some heeling practice too cause I have a trial coming up next weekend. Mama said looking down at me and my shadow it almost felt like she had two dogs.

Me and my shadow…

Daddy says I have enough personality for two dogs. And that’s why he won’t let Mama get me a brother or sister. He says I am enough. I don’t know. I might like a brother or a sister. But on the other hand I sort of like all the attention myself too.

It got kind of windy before we left. I like how the wind blows my fur around. Makes me very glamorous don’t you think?

Yes I know I’m beautiful.

My mama and I had a great time. I don’t know why I have to bug her so much to get her to take me to the park. She has just as much fun as I do. Maybe even more considering she’s always taking pictures. In fact the header up above, the one of the two leaves? She took that while we were at the kids playground. I pointed it out to her. My Mama. Always stopping and taking pictures.

Next weekend we have an Obedience Trial. I can tell she’s sort of nervous. She’s always spontaneously asking me to heel. Geeze. I get it Mama! Give me a break! I’ll be fine next weekend.

Will you be fine Mama?

Smiling at my Mama.

Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.

Author Archives: dawnkinster