Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.

Tag Archives: fun stuff


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Lots on my mind.

It’s a full moon and the end of the month.  The combination appeared to make the mortgage industry  this week simply insane.  So I’m glad it’s finally Friday night.

This weekend will be pretty busy.  We are going to the Ann Arbor Symphony on Saturday night.  I’ve been so stressed I’m not even sure what they are playing, but it doesn’t matter.  I could so use some music therapy right about now.

And on Sunday morning Katie and I are going to attempt to earn the first leg of her Novice Obedience title.  I’m mostly freaked about her off leash stuff.  Unlike Rally where I can talk to her and call her back to me when she wanders, Obedience doesn’t allow talking other than the heel commands after each halt.  And there are a number of things we have to do, so our time in the ring is longer…without treats to keep her motivated.  I’m hoping that 6 years of school click in and she’ll just do what we’ve done for years.  If she is on her game…and if I don’t mess this up…well…there will be a jackpot waiting for her.  Between you and me there will be a jackpot  regardless of whether we “Q” or not…just because we love her.

So anyway, after a very stressful week at work I’m now sort of stressing about the weekend.  And next weekend I’ll be in Washington DC at my 5th Sorrow to Strength.  I need to get prepared for that too…but I can’t seem to think about it too much until I get past the Obedience Trial.

Sometimes I wonder how I get myself into all this stuff.  But really?   It’s just that almost everything interests me and if I could have my way I’d be doing even more things.  But for now I’ll focus on the symphony on Saturday and on getting to the trial on time for Sunday.

I’m sure Katie will take it from there.

What you talkin about Mom?

What you talkin about Mom?


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Color me red

When Karma challenged us to find photos of a color we are drawn to I was stumped.  I love all color.  Sure a lot of my clothes are blue and green.  And gray and brown.  And black.  But I don’t think I have a favorite color;  I’ve always struggled with that question.

To compound the problem I like to go out and find new photos for Karma’s photo hunts.  And my world here in Michigan is pretty much brown.  Which is better than white.  But still.

Brown cornfield with brown oak tree.

Brown cornfield with brown oak tree.

Yep, the world here is brown.  And beige.

Katie's park is brown right now.

Katie’s park is drab right now.

And so I thought I’d do the piece about green.  I like green well enough.  There are so many shades of green, and it’s a color that brings such hope for those of us in the north after long winters.  I wasn’t quite satisfied with that decision, but was starting to look around for some new green photos when I saw this:

Welcome home.

Welcome home.

I saw it out of the corner of my eye as I was on my way to a bright green soccer field I had seen Friday night. And suddenly I knew.  The color that attracts me most as we inch our way out of a long, cold, and endless winter… is red.  Bright red.  The color of spunk, of confidence, of joy.

So I switched gears and began to notice the red all around. It’s everywhere, little bits of warmth, of the promise of summer.  Some of it is tucked away…

Hidden behind the pond.

Hidden behind the pond.

…some of it is in your face bold.

A local family lives bold.

A local family farm.

Some red I found at our local nursery….

Promise of summer.

Promise of summer.

…and some I found last weekend on a trip over to Lake Michigan.

South Haven lighthouse.

South Haven lighthouse.

Joyful red is everywhere.  I just had to spend a little bit of time to notice.

Made you smile!

Made you smile!


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Sunshine on my shoulders!

Welcome to my park!

Welcome to my park!

Katie here!  Guess what?  The sun came out today and I got to go to my park.  Hey!  Do you think there is a correlation?   Mama said “Hey Katie!  It’s nice outside, do you want to go to the PARK?”  Well of course I did…so I got all jumpy and excited and barkey and she could hardly get me into the car.  Then I barked all the way there.  I was telling her to hurry up!

No one was at the park except a couple of little league teams.  They were all busy playing ball so we had the rest of the park to ourselves.

Play ball!

Play ball!

We were almost at the back of the park when I heard a loud noise and the earth started shaking.  Mama said it was a train, but I think it was a really really big car!  It has never been back there when we’ve been at my park before.  I stood stock still and watched it go by.

That's a BIG car!

That’s a BIG car!

When Mama asked me if I wanted to get closer I sat down.  No way!  I’ll wait right here Mama!

I'll wait right here.

I’ll wait right here.

After the big car was gone I was quite happy to continue our walk.  We came to the only wet spot on our walk and Mama walked right by it on the edge.  I stopped.  Mama got on the other side and looked back and called me.  No way!  She forgets all the time that I’m  a princess.  Princesses do not get their feet wet.  I made her come back and carry me over.  You’d think she’d have thought of that first.  Geeze.

Are your feet wet Mama?

Are your feet wet Mama?

Anyway, I had a great time and wish my Mama was home all the time to take me to the park every day.  Oh wait.  I forgot.  Mama brought ‘treats’ because she wanted to work on our heeling.  She brought dry dog food!  Can you believe that?  I came and sat once when she asked me and she gave me a piece.  I was disgusted and spit it out.  Honestly.  Sometimes she is not very smart.  If she had brought chicken I’m sure I would have run through that puddle.

Mama’s got a lot of learning to do.

Come ON Mama!

Come ON Mama!


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The colors of our world

Karma has challenged us once again.  This time she wonders what colors we are drawn to.  I love all color so it’s going to be hard to choose.  Plus I like to find new photos for Karma’s challenges…and currently the world in Michigan is pretty much grey and brown.

Hmmm…wonder what I’ll end up doing.  It’s not due till the 28th so there’s lots of time!  There is time for you to share the colors of your world too!

Say….what colors do you see in the clouds floating overhead today?

Sunshine arrives. Finally.

Sunshine arrives. Finally.

Maybe there really is some color out there besides gray and brown.


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Attack of the robins!

Gotta watch out for crazy birds!

Gotta watch out for crazy birds!

Katie and I were outside this morning, just as the sun was coming up.  She was sniffing around looking for the perfect place when from across the street two robins flew up from the lawn, flapping their wings and screeching at each other.  Up and down they flew, chest against chest, then they began chasing each other in larger and larger circles still screeching.   Soon other robins entered the fray, and they all began swooping and diving in a frantic dance.  The swarm of robins burst across the road, diving around our heads, then spun around a tree, then flew back across the road where they all dissipated, each to a separate tree except for two who ended up on the lawn where it all began.

Katie and I looked at each other.  “Well that was weird” I said.   She nodded and finished up what we were out there to do.   We headed inside for breakfast.

Morning peace was restored.


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It’s raining here

Three killdeer

Three killdeer

I feel like I’ve moved to the Pacific Northwest.  It’s raining here.  Every day we wake up to 35 degrees (1.6 C) and mist.  Or 35 degrees and rain.   It rains off and on all day and all night.  We haven’t seen the sun in so long I’ve forgotten what it looks like.  I have faint memories of walks in the park under a warm sun, but my most recent memories of the park are walking through slush in my winter coat, wearing gloves and telling Katie to hurry up!

Today it’s overcast and 35 degrees.  The week long forecast holds a little hope of warmer temperatures but looks like rain every day.  I guess we can dream.  I have an adventure brewing that would be nicer if the temperatures were above freezing.   And if it doesn’t rain on me that would be extra special.  On the other hand all this rain could be snow, like my friends up north are experiencing. And Duluth Minnesota just got 7 inches of snow with more coming tomorrow.

Maybe I’ll just sit down and be quiet.


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Mama went and registered me for another trial!

Don't hate me because I'm beautiful.

Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful.

Katie here.  You know, first Mama goes and visits Ricky without me.  Then she takes me to school and tells me I have to pay attention more because she’s registered me for another trial and we have to get focused.

And then she brings CHICKEN to school and I’m so crazy I can hardly stand it.  She says she thinks I’m a little too motivated with the chicken and says maybe she’ll go back to cheese.  I say, how can  I be TOO motivated anyway!?!  Mamas are crazy.

So anyway, Mama registered me for my very first obedience trial!  Ha!  Like she thinks I’m going to be obedient?  Me?  I’m a princess….in case any of you have forgotten.  I do what I want when I want to.  Unless there’s cheese or even better chicken.  Then I do exactly what my Mama wants right away.  I guess I can be bought.

The trial is Sunday April 28 at an arena about an hour away.  Wish us luck everybody!  We’ve got a couple of weeks to practice.  Mama says she doesn’t have to memorize any crazy signs and all I have to do is heel when she says to heel and watch her.  I suppose I can do that.  Oh.  And come when she calls.  And sit when I’m supposed to sit.  And stand when I’m supposed to stand.  And not be afraid of the judge even when she touches me!  But those long sits and downs?  I got that, no problem.

I may be a princess…but I am an educated princess.