Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.


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Weekends with Katie

Last weekend Katie helped me pack up Christmas.

She wasn’t very comfortable with all these boxes on the sofa, especially since they made funny noises when I put ornaments in them.

But she was curious enough to come back and sit on the sofa and watch each time.  She didn’t, however, provide much advice about how to get all the ornaments packed away.

This weekend Katie helped me fill the bird feeders.

She thought this was a lot more fun.

Then we went out into the back yard to play.

That was the most fun of all.

She’s napping now.  All this work wears a Sheltie out.


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Attention all Sheltie parents

For those of you with Shelties….Katie has been wondering what kind of food you’re feeding them, how much..and especially WHEN.  She gets a cup of her dry food about 12:30 in the afternoon…and she thinks it’s not nearly enough.  She is especially upset not to have anything first thing in the morning and just begs and begs.

So she’d like to know…is she being starved to death by an evil set of parents?  And how much should a 15″ (or so) Sheltie girl weigh anyway?


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Seeing grass

Yesterday we had a heat wave…temps in the 40’s and lots of rain.  Even thunder.  As the snow melted I tried to convince myself the rain smelled like spring, but it didn’t work.  Somewhere in my mind the truth lurks…that we have weeks and weeks, months even, of winter still ahead of us.

But today, with the backyard bare and the grass still faintly green, Katie and I went out to play.  Twice.  It was soooooo cold, with temperatures in the teens and the wind blowing, that each of our play times was short.  But Katie needed to run, and I needed some fresh air.

We explored the yard the first time.  I asked her to sit for me in front of one of our backyard Christmas trees…she did, but she was much more interested in those noises from the woods where all the rabbits and squirrels and pesky deer lurk.  So we investigated, and though we never actually saw anything interesting…there were plenty of good things to sniff.

Later in the afternoon, with tiny little snowflakes gently floating we went out again, this time to chase the frisbee.  She loves her frisbee.

We didn’t stay out long because it was freezing, but we had a good time running around the yard.  Apparently catching a frozen frisbee isn’t that comfortable so she mostly let it land, then picked it up and brought it back.  Or not, depending on her mood.  Sometimes she waited for me to walk over and get it, then she’d get all excited to chase it again.  I guess it’s all about the chase, not so much about bringing it back to her Mama.  Silly girl.

And so the first weekend of the year passed peacefully, quietly, with plenty of naps and a few spurts of activity.  All good as Katie and I get ready to start the next week.

Next weekend maybe we’ll explore a bit further than the yard.  This weekend we had all we needed right here at home.


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A box…and it's not even Christmas yet!

Guess what?  Katie and I got a present from Reilly and his Mom!

How exciting!  Katie got a beautiful bunny rabbit!

She could hardly stand it, having to sit still while I took a picture.  And then it was all about killing that rabbit!

She’s in love!

And Bree sent me a pile of really beautiful hand made cards.  One of which I am sending to my Aunt for her birthday right away!

What a lovely gift, all of it, including the CD booklet filled with pictures of Katie that I can take with me to work.  In case I miss her during the day.  Which you know I do.

So thank you Bree and Reilly!  That was really thoughtful of you!

Katie’s sleeping with her rabbit right now.  🙂


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Why two won't work

Maisie’s sister is for sale.  She’d be about 2 years old,  and I’m sure she’s a beautiful tri- sheltie.  I’d love to have her.  But this morning, in the early gray light of pre-dawn I recognized why having two shelties won’t work for us.

The one sheltie-girl we have had to go out at 6:30 this morning.  She doesn’t know that it’s Saturday.  Or that Mama had a really long week.  She just knows that she goes outside at 6:30 every morning.  If not earlier.  So I drag myself out of bed, bundle up in layers while she hops impatiently around my feet.  Out we go into the dark.  Up and down the path her Dad shoveled for her.  Up and down the path again.  Have to smell everything.  Trying to find a really good spot.

Apparently there were no good spots, and after 15 minutes she turned and trotted purposefully toward the house.  I went back to bed.  At 7:00 she had to go out.  I told her to “GO LIE DOWN!”  She did for a minute, then she was back.  She had to go! I told her to GO LIE DOWN!!! She burrowed under the blanket, down to my feet and nipped my toes.

I dragged myself out of bed, put on the layers.  We went out.  Walked up and down the path.  A lot.  I sang to her “Find a spot…find a spot.  Katie go bathroom.”  My ears were freezing.  So was my nose.  We left the path and slogged through the snow, out to the road, sniffed the mailbox and then trotted briskly back up the driveway.  She skidded around the corner into her path and we raced to the end of it.  I was excited; surely now we’d get some action?  She stood at the end of the path and looked at me.  Then she trotted for the front door.  I went back to bed.

Twenty minutes later she knocks me up the side of my head with her paw.  She wants to go out.  I didn’t even try to tell her to lie down.  I dragged myself out of bed, added the layers..we went out.  Read above paragraphs for the routine.  We ended up back inside with no business being done.

I thought to myself.  If there were TWO shelties I’d get to do all this times two.  No way am I up for that.  So we’ll try to find Maisie’s sister a good home, somewhere she’ll be spoiled rotten, in a warmer climate maybe, or someone with a fenced yard so going out isn’t such an ordeal.

Cause this Mama is already tired.  And it’s going to be a long winter.


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Happy Birthday!

Guess who’s 4 on Wednesday?  Here’s a hint:  she’s the shortest person in the household.  But she has the biggest hair.

Happy 4th birthday little girl.  Take a birthday nap and enjoy your supper.  Your Dad said he’d put an extra piece of dog food in your bowl in celebration.


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Can I help?

We put the tree up last night.  Though I grew up with fresh cut trees and I miss the smell, I don’t miss the mess.  Ours comes out of the basement in a big bag.

While husband and I were setting up the tree Katie thought she’d help. Silly dog.

Later in the evening we found her curled up in the bag taking a nap.  It’s hard work to be a helper dog.