Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.

Tag Archives: Katie


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A day at the park

Katie here! I had the best day yesterday!

You know how I’ve been stuck in this house for a gazillion years? And when I did go out it was so cold that mama made me wear those silly booties? Well, I’ve been telling mama off. Repeatedly.

This is a lot of snow mama!

I’m doing my best to make her life miserable and it must have worked because yesterday mama bundled me into the car really early. I was suspicious at first because we hardly ever go anywhere that early unless it’s to the vet or the groomer or camp.

So I was sitting in my crate in the back of the car being very very quiet(so that she’d forget I was back there and maybe not take me somewhere bad) when I smelled my park! Well! I got all exited and started barking and pawing at my crate. Mama told me to be patient.

Right mama. I’m a sheltie, remember?

It was cold and windy out but mama and I walked around my pond so that I could make sure everything was good there. I hadn’t been to my park in a very long time, and you know how things can get out of hand if you’re not there to supervise.

Checking out my pond at my park in the early morning light.

It turns out things were just fine in my park and I wanted to stay longer but mama said her face was freezing and we had to go back to the car. Halfway back I refused and sat down. After all I am a princess, and this was my park. I wasn’t ready to leave.

So mama sighed and picked me up and carried me to my car. Mama does not play fair.

I was sad thinking that all the fun was over, but no! Mama took me to another park! There was a fenced area and no other doggies in it so mama let me run without my leash! I haven’t run in a very long time!

I don’t know why I have to stand on these things, but if it makes mama happy…

And then mama found a tennis ball! Oh boy my eyes lit up and I told her to throw the ball woman!

Throw it, throw it, throw it mama!!!

I wouldn’t actually pick up the ball, after all who knows what mouth that ball had been in, but I’d chase it and circle it and then run back to mama with a grin and make her go get it and throw it again.

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It was a very very fun game, and we played it for a long time. Then we walked around the park a little bit and I met a new friend. This is Louie. He and I sniffed each other and decided we could be friends. But Louie’s dad was calling him and Mama said it was time to go home and check on stuff.

Louie ignoring his dad.

Stuff? What stuff mama?

Well! When we got home there were trucks in our driveway! And lots of people coming and going! What was going on? I needed to be here to supervise! Let me at em mama!

Mama said we were getting a new furnace and that’s why she and I left so early, so that they could all work without my interference. Interference? Really mama?

Anyway, I got to supervise the last 5 hours of the furnace installation and all the people said I was a very good girl. I watched them go in and out, and I checked things out regularly. It appears they did a very good job, but it wouldn’t have been as good without me there to make sure things were done properly.

I’m watching you guys!

So I didn’t get any of my usual naps in yesterday. I figure that’s the sacrifice I have to make when my family needs me to oversee a project. Today I’m taking the whole day off….wait…what’s that you say mama? That today is going to be the warmest day in weeks? That we shouldn’t waste it inside? That we should maybe go to another park?

Well OKAY then mama! Let’s get moving woman, no time to waste! The princess demands her chariot…um…car…be brought around front for her next adventure.

Talk later people, I’ve got places to go.

Your Katie-girl.

This might be a bit much mama.


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Katie’s fashion statement

The latest style in boots.

Katie here.

My mama travels too much and she hardly ever takes me! Doesn’t she know it’s all about me? I try to remind her every single waking moment (and some that aren’t waking!) of every single day.

My mama is not listening to me.

Why, she was gone (without me!) almost the whole month of December! She was gone for Christmas! And she slept through New Years Eve. I tell you, mama is no fun.

So now that she’s home she says it’s too cold to go out and have an adventure. She says maybe we’ll go tomorrow.

I don’t even know what a tomorrow is.

But one thing my mama did do for me this week was take me to a store and buy me boots! I was so excited to be out doing something that I wiggle-butted all over the store and could hardly stand still when she asked me to stand on the measure my foot thingy.

I’ll model my new boots for you.

Good thing I’ve had like over ten years of school because I finally realized she was saying “KATIE! Stand stay!!” So I did, and we picked out the perfect sized boots for me.

But then she put them on me! OH DOG! That was an ordeal! The first time she had some upside down and she didn’t make the velcro tight enough and I took two high kicking steps and threw them right off of my feet.

Then I stood and looked at her and dared her to try again.

Mama went and sat down to think about things. And she went online and asked a bunch of you guys for advice. Good thing too because sometimes mama doesn’t think things through very well on her own.

Anyway, the next time she tried to put those boots on she had my dad help. One of them held me and the other put the boots on and cinched them up real tight.

I did not like the boots! I walked around trying to kick them off. Mama and daddy laughed at me. I was humiliated. I put my head down and tried to look miserable but then daddy asked if I wanted to go outside.

OUTSIDE??

Well of course I wanted to go outside! I love outside! I love the cold! I love the snow! I love everything about outside!

I’ll wait for you up here mama.

So we went out and I forgot all about the silly boots and I pranced down to the mailbox with my dad. I was so happy! Then we went to my pee room (daddy shovels out a special place for me to do my business because the snow is too deep right now.) and I did my stuff pretty fast and then I pranced inside and mama helped me get the boots off and everybody was happy and I got a treat!

HA!

Now I have this whole boot thing figured out. Sometimes I forget that I like them, and I do a back foot high kick right at first but most of the time I let mama or daddy put them on with no objection and I wait patiently by the door, all four boots locked and loaded, while they put on their coats and hats and gloves and boots. It takes them a lot longer to get ready than it takes me. Mama and daddy are super slow.

So now I think we should be able to go for an adventure, right? But mama says it’s still too cold to be outside very long. I have to agree. This morning she filled the birdfeeder and I waited for her on the deck. She took forever and I finally went back to the door and barked to be let in.

Did I tell you that mama’s super slow? Sigh.

She says maybe tomorrow we’ll go to the park. I guess I’ll have to wait and see.

Stay warm everybody. And if your toes are cold have your mama take you to a store to buy you some boots! I’m sure you’ll look as stylish as I do!

Talk later….your fashionista girl Katie.

Standing on the deck is not all that exciting mama!


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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!


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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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First snow!

I wish I could be as enthusiastic as Katie about the first snow of the season.

Really mama? It’s snow. I should be running, not sitting here getting my picture taken again!

I know that people in the South had much more snow than we’ve received. I guess I should be thankful that we don’t have more.

That’s better mama!

But I also know this is only the beginning of the long winter in Michigan.

Let’s do that again mama!

Katie thinks it’s about time there is snow to play in.

I think it’s time for a treat!

Of course she’s not going to shovel the driveway.

Silly girl.

This is my woods mama!


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It’s all about the parks!

Katie here. I’m certain you’ve all been missing me terribly. I know that mama and daddy have been busy and stuff, and you’re getting to read all about their adventures, but I’m positive you haven’t forgotten about me!

I don’t know why she wants me to sit in this grass.

When I finally got sprung from the slammer….ahem….kennel last month I gave my parents the stink eye for a couple of days and then I forgave them. I mean, what am I supposed to do? They hold the keys to the food bag you know? So I can’t stay mad at them for too long.

These reeds and berry briars are pretty mama. But not as pretty as me.

But then we had a string of bad weather days and I didn’t get to do anything fun for a katrillion billion days. I made my mama’s days miserable. I figure that’s only fair, right? If I’m miserable, everybody’s miserable. It’s a law or something.

Lately, though, she’s been making it up to me. Every nice day she takes me to another park! She says something about not wasting nice days because winter is coming.

I like the way my fur looks here.

I don’t know what she’s talking about, winter is lots of fun! I love running in the snow and I make sure to get her out in it as often as possible. I know she appreciates all those trips outside after she puts on her boots and coat and hat and mittens and scarf and stuff.

More leaves to sit in for mama!

Anyway, this week mama took me to three parks! We went to my park, just a couple of miles away and mama figured out how to use the timer on her camera and we got a picture of us together. That almost never happens.

Hey mama! What’s that over there?

We had to do it about five times and never once would I look at the camera. I mean, why would I do that? The camera doesn’t disperse treats. If it did maybe I’d consider looking at it. Maybe.

Then mama took me to her favorite park (That’s where most of the pictures here were taken.) It was really windy, and lots of oak leaves were blowing around.

Hey mama! It’s too windy here for photos!

We walked down a bike path and I was very good. I didn’t chase the joggers or the people on bikes at all. I didn’t bark at anyone! I even sat still and posed for mama when people were walking by. The only way she even knew there were people walking in back of her was the way I turned my head to watch them. I am such a good girl.

They’re not running away from ME are they? I didn’t even bark at them!

And I let a kid pet me! He even kissed me on my head and I was good with that. I guess all that training mama took me to was worth something after all.

I love walking in the woods with my mama!

And then today I got to go to a big park with my pal Deuce! There was hardly anyone there and the moms didn’t take too many pictures, which was fine by Deuce and me.

This is a pretty cool bench mama, I don’t have to sit too close to the BOY!

We did have to sit together a couple of times, but we’re used to that. We figure it’s the least we can do for them since they take us to these awesome places.

So…three parks in one week! It’s been amazing, but mama says after this weekend all this sunshine is going away. I hope I can convince her to take me fun places even without sun.

I might need your help on that, I know all of you can convince her. I’m counting on you to make sure she pays enough attention to me and I get to have adventures all winter long.

You can start bugging her now.

I got an oak leaf stuck on me mama! Get it OFF!