Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.

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Combining some of my favorite things

This morning Katie and I ventured out to the garden looking for flowers to put in the beautiful vase that Truck Safety Coalition presented to me this past spring during our Sorrow to Strength conference.  (See?  Some of my favorite things; Katie, flowers and Truck Safety.  And you didn’t think I could find a way to combine them into one post!)

I haven’t been out in the garden for awhile and it was a beautiful, sunny, warm morning.  Katie immediately plopped down to enjoy the sun on her fur, closing her eyes.  I set about clipping blooms.  Pretty soon I had enough, and I called out for Katie to follow me back into the house.  She did, reluctantly leaving her sunshine to race me to the front porch, trailing her leash behind.

I got myself, the bucket full of water and flowers, the scissors and Katie inside the front door, closing it behind us with my hip.  The door didn’t close right, but I figured I’d come back and shut it the rest of the way after I got the flowers into the vase.  This is what the flowers looked like when I was finished:

Truck Safety vase with garden flowers

Truck Safety vase with garden flowers

Then I went back into the kitchen, cleaned up the water on the counter, put the bucket away, the scissors back in their drawer and commenced to make myself a peanut butter sandwich.  Katie barked – one yip.  I ignored her.  She barked again.  I called her to come and she didn’t.  She’s so stubborn.  She yipped again.  I told her to shhhhhhh as her dad was still sleeping.  She yipped back.  Darn it all….Katie…be quiet!

Then it struck me that she hadn’t been under my feet in the kitchen while I cut the flowers and put them in the beautiful vase.  Nor had she followed me into the dining room where I took my time photographing them.  And she wasn’t back in the kitchen with me even though I was making a sandwich.  Very odd.

So I went searching and there she was, out in the foyer at the end of her leash, the handle of the leash caught in the front door which had not closed correctly when I pushed it with my hip.  That I was going to go back and check after I put the flowers down.  That I forgot all about because I have no short term memory.

I won’t tell you what Katie said when I started laughing as I released her from the leash.  I don’t think it’s printable.

You FORGOT me Mama?!?

You FORGOT me Mama?!?


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Watch the space station

Husband, Katie and I just came inside after spending about 5 minutes out in the yard staring at the sky.  He has a NASA app on his I phone that alerts him when there’s the potential to see the space station going by overhead.

It’s the coolest thing.  You can find a list of when it will be overhead in your neck of the woods, even without an app, by checking out this NASA website.  There’s an alert on that site too, I don’t know how that one works…but if you have an I phone or  clone odds are you can find the app my husband uses to alert us shortly before the space station flies overhead.

Often this summer he has announced “space shuttle alert!” and we rush outside.  We’ve seen some pretty spectacular flights.  Earlier this week it was right over our heads.  Made me want to wave, because certainly if we can see them, they can see us!  Right?

What’s truly amazing to me is to know that a few minutes, sometimes moments, before we see it it will be flying over a faraway state, say Idaho..and a minute or two after it’s above us it’s out over the Atlantic.  Amazing.

Check it out.  Even if you don’t live out in the country I bet you can see the space station.  It’s a bright clear white…like a big star…but moving, depending on the angle, pretty fast.  If you’ve got kids, wake them up and go outside.  Watching the space station is a family friendly activity.

Can’t think of a nicer way to spend 2 or 3 minutes on a warm summer night.


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Frying pan musings

I woke this morning to remnants of a dream floating almost out of reach.  My mom was in the dream, along with me and someone else I can’t quite place.  We were talking about modern  kitchen tools.  Specifically the discussion centered on how the latest electric frying pan had a searing function to keep meat juicy. Trust me I have no idea how that would work in a frying pan or why my brain came up with this concept.

In my dream I recalled my mom’s electric frying pan, the one she took with us when we camped, the old pan without a nonstick surface that had to be scrubbed after each use.  I asked Mom if it had any special features, and whether I could read the manual.  “A manual” she exclaimed, “a manual?  You’re kidding right?  I’ve had that old frying pan for over twenty years.  If there ever was a manual I have no idea where it is now.”

As I began to wake from the dream I thought about my own electric frying pan, newer, with a surface that keeps the worst burned food from sticking.  And I realize that in twenty years I won’t know whether there had ever been a manual either; in fact I probably won’t even know where the frying pan is.  I woke doing the math and was startled.  In twenty years I will be older than my mother ever was.  Huh.  That’s an odd concept – to be older than my mom.   It took me a few minutes to digest.

Two weekends ago I went to a wedding that happened to be on my mom’s birthday.  I was sitting next to a college roommate at the reception, a woman I’ve known for over thirty years.  She mentioned that it was her mom’s birthday.  I was incredulous.  All these years we never realized our mothers shared a birthday.

Country wedding.

Country wedding.

So I’ve been missing my mom and I guess this dream was a way for us to have a visit of sorts, though I would choose something more interesting than an electric frying pan to discuss if I ever had the chance to talk with her.  I think.  On the other hand that frying pan held good memories.

This morning I lay in bed for a few extra seconds, remembering.  Then I hugged the dog and began to get ready for another day.  Tonight maybe I’ll make dinner in my electric frying pan.

And talk to my mom about the old days.

First time motherhood.

First time motherhood.


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Camping experiment results

Arriving

Arriving

As many of you know Katie-girl and I enjoy sleeping out in the backyard on warm (and sometimes not so warm) summer nights.  If there’s no rain predicted we leave the rain fly off the tent and watch the stars until we fall asleep.  I’d like to do more camping with her, further from home but she’s a Sheltie and Shelties bark which made me wonder about how she’d behave in a campground.  So I booked a camping site at a local KOA, one located only one exit up the road.  And last night we went camping for real with a backup plan of scooping her up and heading home if she barked too much at night.

This is my campsite!

This is my campsite!

Turns out she doesn’t mind being in a tiny campsite right next to other people (and their dogs) at all.  She’s interested, but not particularly offended by their presence.  She watched them until it got dark and then she settled down with a sigh on her pillows in front of her window and went to sleep.  During the night she got up a few times and settled somewhere new, sometimes up on the air mattress with me, sometimes somewhere else in the tent, but she’s always been a dog that sleeps in multiple places during any one night.

Watching the neighbor's campfire.

Watching the neighbor’s campfire.

She woke me around midnight with a series of soft yips but I don’t know what bothered her.  Maybe she just woke up in a strange place and was confused.  I tickled her tummy and we both went right back to sleep.  She barked about 4:45 a.m. but it turns out the next door camper was out with his dog, whose tags were jangling and he was coughing himself.  She had to let him know he was infringing on her space.  I told her ‘no bark’ once and patted her head and she settled back down with another sigh for an hour or so of sleep.

And then it was 6 a.m. and she was UP!  Want to get up now Mama?

Hey Mama! You awake?

Hey Mama! You awake?

Huh?  How about now Mama?  I really do have to gooooo!

We went out and found a good place, then went back to bed for another hour…when many people in the campground were up including neighbors on both sides of us, so we got up, packed up and went home.

Sheltie sized window. Perfect.

Sheltie sized window. Perfect.

She was a very very good dog.  I’d go camping with her again no problem.  Not at this particular campground which was crowded and noisy and not near anything interesting.  But for this experiment it was exactly what I needed; lots of people, lots of dogs, lots of noisy cars…radios, TVs, bikes, you name it.  She wasn’t distressed by anything other than an early morning walk by the neighbor dog dangerously close to her bed.  Cant fault her on that.

I think she’s a natural camper!

Can we do it again soon Mama?

Can we do it again soon Mama?


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Another leg

On the road again.

On the road again.

Katie, husband and I went to an obedience trial today.  She earned her 2nd leg (out of 3 required) for Novice Obedience.  I got us there way way too early.  Again.  Supposedly they were starting at 11 and I counted the entries, did the math, and we showed up about 12:30.  I don’t think we were on deck until after 4.  Katie spent the time in her crate or on her Dad’s lap, or wandering around with me.  The building was very hot and small.  It was a long wait.

Hanging with my Daddy!

Hanging with my Daddy!

There were 3 dogs entered in Novice B (the novice class for people that have titled a dog previously) and 4 of us in Novice A (the novice class for people that have never done this before.)   By the time we got going Katie was pretty much over it all..but she did just fine considering.  She was excellent during the stand for exam – she didn’t move at all.  Such a good girl!  She lagged on the heeling, and came in way way crooked on the recall.  But at least she came when I called!  We saw other dogs in higher levels that just sat there when their folks asked them to come!

Only one of the 3 dogs in Novice B qualified; the other two in that class laid down during the long sit.  It was hot in that building and I don’t blame them at all!

Katie sits like a good dog.

Katie sits like a good dog.

Only two of the four of us in Novice A qualified, the other two dogs went crazy and either had zoomies during their run or walked away during the long sit.  Sad for their owners.  But I was proud of Katie.  She looked at all the nonsense surrounding her during the long sits and downs and just stared at me.  She didn’t move.  Did I mention she’s a good dog?

So all in all, she earned her ribbon, hung out like a trooper, smiled at me before we began and did her best to follow my somewhat bumbling directions.

Oh yea…she’s a very good dog.

Another ribbon for the girl.

Another ribbon for the girl.


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Look what came in the mail!

Katie and I got a box in the mail today.  She was very interested.  I told her I didn’t think there would be anything from her boyfriend Reilly this time, but she was sure Reilly wouldn’t ship a box to us without something special in it for her.  After all…Reilly loves Katie!

What's in here Mama?

What’s in here Mama?

And Katie was (of course) right!  Reilly’s Mom shipped us two beautiful portraits of Katie…but Reilly slipped a little present into the box for Katie too.  She got some bully sticks!  She’s never had any before and she wants to know if she can have one now now now now now now?  How about now Mama?  I told her she had to wait until I saw what else was in the box.  Becuase I had an idea that something very beautiful was in there.

And I was (of course) right!  Look at what Reilly’s talented Mom did for us! (Click on the pictures to see more detail.)

Don't they look just like me?

Don’t they look just like me?

She does these portraits and donates the proceeds to animal related charities!  Isn’t her work gorgeous?  You can go check more of it out at her online store.  She’s shown a couple of other portraits there that she’s done lately.

Katie thinks they are both very very wonderful.

I can look at these all day Mama!

I could look at these all day!

We think they’re pretty wonderful too!  Go check out the blog.  She’ll do your pet proud.  I can’t promise that Reilly will fall in love with your dog…I think he’s a one girlfriend kind of guy….but you’ll fall in love with the art!

Thank you Bree!

Sending kisses to Reilly!

Sending kisses to Reilly!


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Awesome weekend!

Katie here.  Bet you just can’t wait to hear about my awesome weekend!   It was great!  I’m going to have to sleep for three straight days just to get rested up!

First of all I got to go to school Saturday morning.  I love love love going to my school.  Mama said something about me paying attention cause we have some doggie trial or something next weekend.  But I just did my thing.  Came in crooked on the recall.  Lagged behind Mama during the off leash heeling.  But still.  Being a princess and all that was pretty good.  I DID sit still while all the other doggies moved on the long sit and long down.  I know for sure that when I’m uncertain I only have to look at my Mama and if she’s staring at me I’m not supposed to move.  So I don’t.  Cause I’m a good girl.  Yes I am.

This picture was taken a couple of weeks ago when my Aunt B was here, but it shows you me at school.  Cause I knew you’d want to see.

Sitting straight

Sitting straight

Then Saturday afternoon I supervised Mama while she was working in the garden.  I love sitting out there while she’s working.  We stayed outside a long time and I couldn’t have been happier.

Mama's flowers. And me.

Mama’s flowers. And me.

Well, that’s not quite exactly perfectly true.  I got even happier later in the day when my Mama put up my tent!  OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY!  We got to go camping!!  I just LOVE camping!  I could hardly wait to get out there and go to sleep next to my little window in the cool evening air.

My tent.

My tent.

Ah yes this is doggie heaven!  Mama was sleeping under four blankets, but I was perfectly happy to just be out there.  She gives me two pillows and a blanket all my own and I’m good.

My window

My window

Of course I got her up at 5:00 to go out. But she wasn’t even mad because the stars were so bright and pretty when we walked around the back yard.

Camping in our yard

Camping in our yard

I helped her pack the tent up last night but I’m hoping we’ll get to camp next weekend too.  Mama even said something about going to a real campground!  Wouldn’t that be cool?

THEN guess what?  We got to go to my park on Sunday!  TWICE!

Resting on our walk

Resting on our walk

The first time was the farmer’s market where I got to sniff a bunch of stuff and I even ran into the vegetable guy’s sheltie.  I’m not too sure about him, but I liked everyone else that talked to me.  And THEN Mama took be back to my park Sunday evening!  Hot dog!  A walk in my park where I got to look for ground squirrels and baby rabbits!

My park

My park

This weekend turned out to be super fun!  Too bad Mama has to go to work today.  On the other hand, I could use the rest.  I sure am one happy tired puppy!

Have a happy Monday everyone!

Happy dog!

Happy dog!