camping | Change Is Hard

June 6, 2014
by dawnkinster 13 Comments

Weekend song

This is the song Katie and I are singing on our drive to an adventure:

I can do what I wanna do, be who I wanna be
I got no one to answer to, soon as I turn the key
A cash machine, gasoline and we’re outta here
Call it an early weekend, call it goin’ off the deep end
Baby, you and me,we can leave it all behind

I don’t have to be me ’til Monday
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
I ain’t gonna face reality
Three days without punching a time clock
Three nights of goin’ non-stop
No work and all play
I don’t have to be me ’til Monday
Yeah

Thanks to Steve Azar for putting down exactly what we’re thinking.

We’ll tell you all about it soon!

Gonna be fun!

May 10, 2014
by dawnkinster 22 Comments

Katie’s perfect day

Hi there everybody!

Katie here. Bet you’ve missed hearing from me haven’t you! Sometimes my mama forgets I’m a princess and need to talk to my subjects regularly. She’s sort of ditsy like that you know.

So anyway. I got her up this morning at 6 a.m. I tried to get her up at 5:30 but she told me to go away. So I did for a few minutes. I can be patient if I have to, but not forever, you know? So after we were up she started getting stuff done, like she made humming bird food, and she cooked some chicken (and no I didn’t get any) and she did some laundry and she went to the grocery store and then we went out front where I supervised her while she started spring weeding.

Mama filled this cart up with weeds.

Mama says she really appreciates me getting her up so early because otherwise she’d never have gotten all that done before lunch! I figure if I get her up about 4:00 tomorrow morning she’ll be even more appreciative.

And then you know what she did in order to say thank you to me? Yes indeed, I bet you know already!

This is my park.

She took me to my favorite park! Of course I had to sit around and get my photograph taken in all the yellow flowers. We do this every single year. Except for last year. Last year mama got to the park a little late and all the yellow flowers were puffy things that made me sneeze. She says this year she’s trying to be more organized.

We had such a great time at the park! The weather was beautiful and no one else was out there! We walked all the way around, and I even stood on this stupid bench for her so you could see the little lake in the background. I’m cute aren’t I. I practice being cute all the time when they aren’t looking.

See how pretty it is here?

Then we got home and mama made me stay inside while she and daddy went out and did lots more weeding. I wanted to stay inside anyway to rest my eyes you know, after being out in the park and stuff.

It’s exhausting being perfect.

OH! And I almost forgot! Mama bought a new tent and I helped her put it up this evening! I don’t think we’re sleeping in it tonight, she’s just letting it ‘air out’ whatever that means.

This goes up pretty easy with my help.

I think it’s pretty cool, I ran right in as soon as it was up, even though none of my camping stuff, like my blankets and my pillows, are in there yet.

Did I tell you that mama and I are going to go camping at a State Park up north sometime? She made reservations for us, I just can’t remember when. The calendar sort of confuses me. I think every day should be a Saturday, don’t you?

Welcome to MY tent!

So that’s the story on my perfect day. We have a whole new day tomorrow too! I can’t wait. But I really need to get some sleep. I might not be able to get mama up so early tomorrow if I don’t get to bed soon.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you out there tomorrow! We hope you have as perfect a day as we had today! Spend it in the sun with people you love.

That’s my plan, yes it is. See you guys later,

Katie-girl.

Made you smile!

April 9, 2014
by dawnkinster 24 Comments

Come on summer

Katie says:

Let’s get moving people!

I think my park ranger people should set these picnic tables up and get this summer started!

And guess what? Guess what, guess what, guess what?!!!

Mama made a reservation for us at Hartwick Pines State Park! For two whole nights in June! She’s got a campsite in the woods and there are trails for us to explore!

You remember I had so much fun when we went camping at a real campground last summer, right? Well, this will be even better! I can hardly wait! She says we can explore stuff, and people watch, and go for a walk, and then we can take a nap and then we can do it all over again!

I am so excited!

September 11, 2013
by dawnkinster 7 Comments

Wordy Wednesday

Carol commented on the last post that sometimes our pets seem to have devil horns.

I’m sure Katie isn’t one of those pets. (click on picture to make it larger…just to be sure.)

No devil horns on me!

Nope. Well. Maybe just little ones.

September 7, 2013
by dawnkinster 17 Comments

Mama says

Katie and I went camping last night. In the yard, back behind the big blue spruce. Just about where the tent is pitched in the header of this blog. Yep. A nice spot.

She did good, climbed right on top of her big pillow and went to sleep at 11 when we ventured out. I slept good too. Until 3:22 when Katie barked once. And then stood on me to look out the window and slowly watched something move from right to left while growling under her breath.

I convinced her it was all right and eventually she gave up guard duty. But then she was up! And she wanted nothing to do with hanging out in the tent and going back to sleep. I gave up asking her to go lie down at 4:15 and we wearily (well I was weary, she was prancing) walked across the yard to the house.

Her Dad took her out the front door to do her business in case that was the problem, though why she couldn’t do that on the walk to the house is beyond me. Apparently you can only do your business if you go out the front door.

Then we went back to bed. But she wasn’t having any of that either. After a bit of jumping on and off the bed and barking to be let out of the bedroom I used my school voice and told her to LIE DOWN! She did and we all fell asleep.

Until 6. Because, don’t you know, 6 is when we get up….right Mama!? So I took her out again and as we wandered the front yard she starts staring out into the shadows and growling, then lunging at our shadows. And doing some spins. We went inside.

Now we’re both up.

But I’m going back to bed. And I’m not promising that I’ll be awake in time for doggy school. I’m not setting an alarm either. She has lost all brownie points and any possibility of an adventure this weekend.

Oh look. Now she’s asleep on the sofa. Looks cute doesn’t she.

Uh huh.

September 3, 2013
by dawnkinster 11 Comments

No adventure? REALLY?

Katie here. I just wanted to tell you guys how disgusted I am with my Mama. Yes. My Mama. She was home for three whole days and did we go on an adventure? No we did not! She sat around and said she was tired. And told me to go lie down.

Oh sure I got to go to doggie school and I love doing that. I especially like running recalls and coming in crooked. I like how that makes my Mama look all frustrated and stuff. Makes me grin, but you can’t tell cause of all my fur. And I get lots of attention from everyone else there. Sort of makes up for being ignored at home. Doesn’t make it totally OK though.

She says I should be happy that we camped out in our yard for two nights straight. B.O.R.I.N.G! I’ve graduated from the stupid back yard! Didn’t I prove that when we went camping at a real campground? There were lots more interesting sounds and smells there. At our house it just smells like grass. And sometimes a stupid bunny. Geeze. I’m not a baby anymore. I want to go on a real adventure.

Face it Mama. You let me down. I think you’re getting too old for adventures.

Geeze Mama!

August 18, 2013
by dawnkinster 17 Comments

Camping experiment results

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!

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.

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?

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.

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?

August 5, 2013
by dawnkinster 15 Comments

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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!

July 13, 2013
by dawnkinster 24 Comments

Guess what?

Katie here. Guess what, guess what, guess what!?!?! OK. Maybe you can guess cause my Mama posted it on Facebook. But I don’t know if all you doggies read Facebook.

I love camping!

My Mama and I got to go camping! I know, I know. It was just in the backyard and some of you don’t think that’s camping at all. But we have lots of wild animals around here that smell extra exotic when you’re in a tent. Trust me on this.

It was a beautiful night to be sleeping outside. With no rain in the forecast Mama didn’t even put the rain fly on the tent so we got to look at the stars and the fireflies as we dozed off. Well. She did. After a little sniffing I went right to sleep.

And I didn’t bark at one thing! Not one!! Even when a creepy bird flew by and made squawking noises, or the motorcycle guy roared up the road, or the people at the party across the street got loud or those two planes went overhead, or the train came through town! Mama said I was very good.

She kept trying to get a picture of me sleeping upside down. But every time she turned on the camera I woke up. I gave her my “don’t bug me now Mama, I was sleeping” glare and that pretty much settled her down for the night. Mamas sometimes need to know who is boss.

Stop it Mama!

Geesh.

She’s always saying that I get her up way too early. And you know what? Mama’s the one that got up at 5 this morning cause it was so light out and she said she had to ‘go.’ Whatever that means.

Now we’re getting ready to go to school. Best weekend ever!

MY window!

March 16, 2013
by dawnkinster 26 Comments

Living life big….or small?

Wonder who’s going to live here?

I commute to work every day, often driving through some very wealthy communities. For years I’ve been watching a couple of really big houses being built even though our area was hard hit by the recession.

I’ve watched these homes go up painstakingly slowly and wondered why. I’ve wondered who needs so much space, wondered what all the rooms were for.

Must have lots of bedrooms.

At the same time I’ve been reading blogs written by women living full time in RVs…some of them in very small places. The life of living small has always intrigued me. Many years ago I told my Mom I wanted to grow up and live in an RV full time. She said that I’d always want some home base, and maybe that’s so, but I don’t think way back then many people were living full time in RVs; certainly it wasn’t a movement it seems to be now.

I recognize that I view life on the road with rose colored glasses and by reading blogs I have come to realize a few of the realities of life in a fourteen foot recreational vehicle. The dumping of tanks, the challenges of cooking, finding internet access, doing laundry. Safety and health issues add even more levels to the discussion.

Still. I look at the photos of miles of dessert in the front yard of a small RV, or the canyons and mountains glowing under an evening sun and my heart is tugged.

Could you do it? Could you pare your life down to essentials…and would those essentials fit an RV life? Or are your essentials such that you need more space? Which would you rather live in? The new build? Or the little trailer in the yard?

Which provides a more interesting life?

I’m torn. But it’s fun to dream regardless.

Lots to think about.

Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.

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