Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.


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The Princess celebrates a birthday

Katie here! Guess what, guess what, guess what??!!

Today is my 15th birthday! I wanted to share it with all of you because I was sure there would be balloons and presents tied up in pretty ribbon and visitors singing to me, and of course, cake!

I got to go on a birthday walk over the weekend! Don’t tell anyone but it’s not really a wilderness.

I mean, 15 is a milestone age, right?

There were a few times this year my folks didn’t think I’d get to see this day. With the surgery back in April to save my life when my gall bladder filled up with sludge and then the harsh antibiotics I had to take because they found infection in me and then the kidney disease…well…things haven’t always look so good this year.

The late afternoon light was amazing.

Mama says it’s been a roller coaster. I don’t know what that means cause I never get to do anything fun, but I can tell mama and daddy have been stressed.

All the more reason to spend today celebrating me and eating cake! I’m sure you agree.

Years ago there were farm fields here, this is part of a rock fence line.

But mama says I need to be more realistic, and that cake isn’t good for me, and balloons would just scare me and that I can’t expect people to just show up and start singing to me. Besides I’m deaf, so singing might not be the best way to celebrate.

Plus she said I’d just bark at people and balloons anyway.

So you know what we’re doing instead? We’re going to the vet, that’s what we’re doing!

We didn’t walk real far, but I was so glad to be in the woods!

Yes, you read that right. Mama made a vet appointment for me on my birthday. I swear the woman has no sense of appropriatness at all.

I’m just a little girl in the big woods.

To be honest, she didn’t make the appointment until yesterday. And she only made it because I’ve been throwing up after I eat. Three times this past week. She and daddy are worried and the vet said to get me in there, so she scheduled it even though it was my birthday.

This was a giant fungus. Mama made me pose next to it a few years ago too.

And then she said seeing the vet and making sure we do everything we can to make me more comfortable is the best present they could give me.

I guess. But cake would have been good too. Just saying.

This was a nice spot to stop and rest. Or get a treat.

I did get a real present from my daddy this past weekend. It came in a box from the nice guy who drives the big noisy brown truck. I got to sniff it and everything. I was excited because everything that comes into this house should be for me.

What’s in there daddy?

I’m sure you agree.

Daddy ordered it for me after mama told him I was having trouble eating out of my bowl on the floor. My bad right foot kept slipping out to the side as I tried to get my head way down there.

Those of you that are older like me know how hard it is to get up off the floor the older you get. Well, I was having trouble getting my nose way down there into the bowl, but I love eating so I wasn’t complaining.

Hey daddy! This is perfect!

The day mama noticed my problem she ended up holding the bowl up higher for me, and letting me brace my sliding foot against her. Eating is much easier with a little help.

I just love the dinner and water dish thingy daddy got me! It’s the perfect height for a girl of my stature. And it has the perfect angle too, though it’s designed to have the bowls propped up at an angle or flat. I like them propped up.

You really get me, don’t you daddy!

So I can’t say I didn’t get anything for my birthday. I just didn’t get cake. Mama is such a strict dietitian. If any of you want to sneak me a treat I won’t tell.

And if you want to sing to me while you’re slipping me that biscuit, I’ll smile and pretend I can hear you.

A birthday walk AND a new dinner dish. Guess my birthday wasn’t a complete washup after all.

Talk later,

Your 15 year old Katie-girl.

Birthday nap. Daddy got me the pink princess rug too.


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Birthday girl is all smiles

Katie here,

Guess what, guess what, GUESS WHAT?!

Today is my birthday! My very own special day when my folks have to pay attention to me! When I get whatever I want. Like to go to the park, and then take a nap and then have cake and ice cream. With presents!

We went for a walk earlier this week. But this wasn’t my birthday walk.

Well, maybe not the cake and ice cream, and maybe not presents either, but definitely the park and the nap! And because it’s my birthday mama says I can use her “Weekly smile” post too. Cause there’s nothing so easy to smile at as a happy sheltie-girl.

Mama, you’re being silly now.

And let me tell you, this birthday girl is happy!

Cause you know what mama got me for my birthday? She got me SNOW!

My birthday walk today was special cause it was snowing!

I just love snow. It’s so cool on my face, and enhances my natural beauty. Mama said she didn’t know what to get me, I’m now a teenager in addition to being a princess, so she ordered up my favorite thing next to supper. Snow.

We had this part of the park all to ourselves.

We went out to one of my parks and walked a long way through the woods. Mama was very busy taking pictures of me in my snow.

This is my supermodel pose.

I didn’t mind because she brought treats. In fact I started looking for good spots for pictures too. I figured the more pictures she took the more treats I got!

This tree trunk is pretty cool, mama, and I look good next to it.

But then mama said since it was my birthday she’d put the camera away and we’d just enjoy the walk. I was OK with that too, there was lots to sniff and I pulled her around to a bunch of places.

I’d look over in one direction and she’d say “Do you want to go check that out sweetie?” and then we would! It was a great morning! We just kept exploring.

We were near some picnic tables when mama asked me if I wanted to be a special birthday girl and leave something for someone else more needy than me. I said sure, so she left some birdseed for the squirrels who were running around the park.

I hope you enjoy this squirrels! Happy birthday to me!

I figured it was the least I could do, cause I know I’m pretty privileged.

We walked for a long time. And then something amazing happened. The sun came out!

The sun smiled down on me, perfect for my birthday walk.

Well! The camera came back out, right away. Mama said I glowed like a true princess! But the sun only stayed out for a moment or two and then we were back to a typical cloudy December day.

It was a perfect walk on a perfect sheltie-girl birthday!

I didn’t mind at all.

Mama said it was pretty perfect for her too, she watched me sniff and explore and enjoy the snow and she forgot her own wet feet and cold fingers. She couldn’t stop smiling herself.

Isn’t the snow beautiful on my fur?

So that was our smile for the week – my snowy birthday walk.

We hope you all had a wonderful week too. As we head into the busy holiday season we remind you all to slow down and enjoy the time you have with family and friends.

The woods are so beautiful in winter.

And if you can, take a walk in the woods, especially if it’s snowing. You’ll smile too.

Happy Holidays!


26 Comments

It’s my birthday!

Katie here. Mama said it was OK for me to hijack her blog cause it’s not every day that it’s my birthday. I know I get spoiled every day, but that’s not the same thing. That’s just what’s due me as a princess.

Obviously.

We got sunshine!

But today, Saturday December 15, is my birthday! I am now a big mature girl of 12. Mama says I am too old for cake and ice cream and presents and that I should be happy to just go to my park for a birthday walk.

Does she think I’m going to buy that?

Whatcha mean no presents mama!

Well…going to a park for a walk is my most favorite thing to do. But geeze, mama already took me to two different parks this week. So she’s going to have to up the ante a bunch to make it a special enough walk to qualify as my birthday adventure.

Do I get an extra treat for standing up here?

The pictures I’m posting today are from our two walks. One was last Tuesday when we had our one day of sun. Mama said we shouldn’t waste it and we hurried right over to my park.

It was extra cold that day so I was very very happy. I trotted around that park like I was a puppy! I love it when it’s cold out. Mama? Not so much.

Yep, the pond’s frozen. Must be winter now.

She was wearing about 50 thousand layers and she was still cold, but she let me sniff wherever I wanted and we stopped to take a lot of pictures (of course).

Mama says it’s very hard to take a selfie with a sheltie. I personally think it’s very hard to take a selfie with a mama.

What’s that over there mama?!

Then on Thursday we woke to new snow all over my yard and mama said we shouldn’t waste that either, so she bundled me up in the car early in the morning before it all melted.

Are you going to make me sit in front of a bunch of stuff again today mama?

I was scared. Usually when we go somewhere in the morning I end up at the vet or the groomer or camp. But this time we ended up at a new park!

There was a nice wide path that had been mowed and it moved through the woods which were covered in the new, wet and sticky snow. It was beautiful!

It was hilly too, mama said we did the equivalent of 6 flights of stairs!

But not as beautiful as me!

I don’t know what I’m getting for my birthday, but mama got a new camera for an early Christmas present and Thursday was her first time taking pictures with it. Of course most of them were of me.

Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful.

Personally I don’t think she needed a new camera to take pictures of beautiful me. I look good no matter what camera she uses. I can’t help myself.

Which way should we go mama?

But anyway. We had a great time walking through the snow even though the sun didn’t shine until we got home. Mama says that figures. I don’t know what that means but I hope it means we get to go out again soon.

Come ON mama! You are sooooo slow!

Like today, for the promised birthday adventure. Maybe even without the silly camera.

A princess can only hope!

Happy Birthday to ME!


23 Comments

It was my birthday mama!

No one loves me.

Katie here. Bet you think I’m here to wish you all a happy holiday. Wrong. Wrong wrong wrongwrongwrong. I am here to protest! To tell the whole world how abused I am! To get back my birthday rights!

Look, I know that turning 11 is not a big deal. It’s not like turning 10. Ten is important. Eleven is just another year. I know that.

But you’d think I’d at least get a birthday treat! You’d think there’d be a little present or something. Maybe a special meal.

At least a birthday tummy tickle!

Anyone want to tickle my tummy?

Did I get any of that? No I did not! I wasn’t even home for my birthday! I was shuttled off to camp and no one cared it was my birthday at all!

So I’ve been protesting. Loudly and often. I think mama gets it now and maybe she’s a tiny bit contrite. But I bark to wake her up every day anyway, just to be sure she doesn’t forget.

Can’t we just go play mama?

I haven’t been on any walks or to any parks or on any adventures since they got home either. I told mama last night that she better come up with a fun trip for me pretty soon or I was going to go on permanent strike. No more pictures until we do something fun.

I’m not kidding.

PS: Merry Christmas to all of you. I’m sure she’ll shape up before the holidays.

Come ON mama!


21 Comments

Happy Birthday Baby-Girl!

It’s Katie’s 11th birthday today. She’s celebrating it with a few of her closest (literally closest — they’re in the same facility) friends at the kennel because her negligent mama and daddy are traveling.

It’s my party mama, and I’ll cry if I want to.

I’m pretty sure she will make us pay for our lack of planning, but I promise she’ll tell you all about it when she gets home. Meanwhile, Happy Birthday sweetie. We miss you and we’ll be home soon.

And yes you can tell me off if you need to. I’m sure you’re practicing right now.


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Happy birthday sister!

Happy Birthday to my sister…

Wonder what's in the news today?

Wonder what’s in the news today?

…life long learner, educator, caretaker, excellent baker, friend.

May your birthday be full of light and laughter….even if that has to wait till after work. In fact, let’s just say that this whole weekend is your birthday!

We love you!

-The rest of the Badger kids

Badger kids all together.

Badger kids all together.


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Birthday girl recaps

Katie here! HEY! I know you all wonder how I spent my glorious birthday yesterday. It’s not every day a princess turns nine, right? Right!? So there should be celebrations! Parties! Extravagant gifts! Crowds of cheering fans! Piles of yummy treats!

See our library way over there behind the pond?

See our library way over there behind the pond?

Or at least an adventure.

I can always count on my mama to take me on an adventure and I was not disappointed. (The gifts and treats and parties were a bit lacking though I did appreciate all your adoring fan comments on mama’s blog yesterday!)

I'm the copilot!

I’m the copilot!

So anyway, Mama broke the car early in the morning and it had to go to the shop for repairs. That was OK because we got to do my adventuring in daddy’s truck! I used to be scared of the big truck but now I like it cause I get to see out the front window. And I get to smell the breeze coming in the vent. When I ride in the truck I have to wear my harness and get connected to the seat belt. But that’s OK, it’s worth it to be close to mama.

Our first adventure wasn’t much of an adventure. We just went to my park. But this time mama said I could choose where I wanted to go and I took mama on a different path and we ended up over at the library! I took her all the way around it and then back to the car. She said we hadn’t quite walked a whole mile; she’s doing some sort of silly challenge where she has to walk a mile every day, so we also walked all the way around a softball field. And over to the playground.

I'm the birthday girl!

I’m the birthday girl!

I figured that was all I was going to get but nooooo! Mama asked me where we should go next! Cause it was my BIRTHDAY! Happy happy day! I said….’remember that park we went to a couple of years ago in the winter mama? With the little creek?”

Just a muddy little creek this time of year mama!

Just a muddy little creek this time of year mama!

She said OK,let’s go there baby-girl! So we did! All these pictures, except the first one, are from the second park — it’s actually a nature trail and I think they do cross country skiing there in the winter when there’s snow.

Come ON mama!

Come ON mama!

When we got there we noticed a big storm knocked down a tree on the bridge across the creek. That didn’t bother me, we just walked around it. Mama was a bit worried about the safety of the bridge but it was just fine. She’s a worrier, my mama.

This is actually a cute bridge.

This is actually a cute bridge.

Then we got to a wooden bridge over a low wet spot. I ran right up it and across. I told mama it reminded me of my agility days, it was just another dogwalk to me! She said it was slippery and I should be careful but I told her not to be such a scardy pants. Geeze.

It's just a dogwalk mama!

It’s just a dogwalk mama!

I was very happy at this new park. There was so much good stuff to sniff! Nobody was out there but you could tell lots of people and dogs had been there earlier. Even though it was getting colder and mama was starting to tell me to ‘leave it let’s go!” I stopped to sniff a lot.

Good smells here mama!

Good smells here mama!

After all…it was my birthday.

We even got to run down this big hill! I thought that was a lot of fun and wanted to go back up and do it again but mama said no way was she climbing back up there. Mama is a wimp.

Hi there mama!

Hi there mama!

We walked another whole mile in the new park and I had a blast. I even sat on this stupid bench for mama to take a picture. She forgot the treats in the truck and I didn’t get anything the whole time we were in this park even though I posed about a hundred million times for her.

She said she’d make it up to me later.

I didn't protest, sitting on this bench gave me a chance to rest!

I didn’t protest, sitting on this bench gave me a chance to rest!

I’m still waiting.

But I’ll forgive her because we had such a lovely time together. Those worker men were at my house again yesterday, and they were still there when we got back from our adventures. But I didn’t bark at them or anything even though they were noisy. I just went inside and took a birthday nap. For a really long time. It’s important to get my rest you know.

Cause they’re going to be back today, and I expect my mama and I will be heading out in daddy’s truck for another adventure any moment.

I have the best parents ever!

Where are we going next mama?

Where are we going next mama?


33 Comments

Celebrate!

Katie here.  Mama says I can have one more day on her blog because….drum roll please….today is MY 7th BIRTHDAY!  

It's snowing on my birthday!

It’s snowing on my birthday!

Mine mine mine mine mine…uh..ahem.  I’ve already made my mama take me outside six times this morning.  I don’t actually do anything out there except play in the snow…

This is my backyard.  Mama got it for me.

This is my backyard. Mama got it for me.

…and look gorgeous for my mama so that she can take more pictures.  That sort of seems like I’m giving her a birthday present doesn’t it.  I’ll have to make sure she pays me back.

My closeup turned out great.

My birthday closeup turned out great.

I’m waiting for my cake now.  Funny.  I don’t smell anything baking.  I’m sure she’ll figure it out sooner or later though.  I have to give her extra time sometimes cause she’s a bit crazy, my mama.

But I love her anyway.

Happy Birthday to me!

Happy Birthday to me!