Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.

Tag Archives: Katie


by 20 Comments

The long goodbye

On the beach

On the beach

We spent the day headed down Highway One saying goodbye to the Pacific yesterday, stopping to play among the waves and sand at several beaches.  The first was early in the morning at the deserted Ocean Beach, just north of the Vanderberg Air Force base. I had my shoes on so didn’t venture into the water.  It looked cold.

Ocean Beach...original name

Ocean Beach…original name

The second, and best, beach we visited was the Jalama Beach, a county park where we had to pay a $10 entrance fee.  Worth every dollar.  There’s a campground there that I’d visit again in a heartbeat, right on the beach.  Being November there were a lot of spots available.  It made me want to fly home and pack up the tent and Katie and head right back out here.  Though I think all the pounding waves, salt water and funky kelp on the beach might not be to the princess’s liking.

Anyway, this beach had a few more people on it, like the surfer…

Surfer dude

Surfer dude

…and the fisherman.

Fisher guy looked warmer than surfer dude.

Fisher guy looked warmer than surfer dude.

I played in the water here and got quite wet.  Turns out the ocean wasn’t as cold today as it was yesterday.  Or maybe I was just getting more acclimated.

Wonderful beach!

Jalama Beach – wonderful!

We stopped somewhere just north of Ventura to watch some people sailboarding.  The wind was strong and they were just flying across the water.

Almost flying

Almost flying

We ended the day watching the sun set at Malibu.  Amazing I know;  sunset on Malibu’s Zumba Beach!

We had no idea the beach is home to about a gazillion trillion seagulls.  Or more.

Some of the many

Some of the many

I found them quite fascinating.    They sat in massive groups…

Waiting for the next flight

Waiting for the next flight

…and then flew as a unit when anyone approached them.

Jogging at sunset

Jogging at sunset

I almost missed the sunset I was so interested in the birds.

Catching the last light

Catching the last light

It was a lovely day that ended in a lovely place with the moon rising over Malibu.

California moon

California moon

I can’t ask for more.  Except maybe more time in California.

20131114_110548 (Small)


by 11 Comments

Novice Obedience – Katie earns her title

These are mine!

These are mine!

With high hopes we went to Katie’s third leg for Obedience Novice today.  I even figured out pretty close to perfectly our timing so we didn’t have to sit around all day.  Katie was engaged as we waited, but anxious to get going. So was I.

Is it our turn yet?

Is it our turn yet?

There were six teams in our class; we were #4.  Just as the Team #1 started I realized Katie hadn’t gone to potty in awhile…so we went out in the rain and walked around. She wet but I had hoped for more.  Ah well.  (Truly, this matters, later in the story.)

Then it was our turn.  Katie heeled fine into the ring and set up fine.  But she lagged behind me on the heel on leash and wouldn’t sit at the final halt which was right in front of the gate.  She was more interested in everyone sitting out there than me.  I don’t think she even realized I had stopped.

Her figure 8 was OK,  though she lagged a bit on the outside curve, she at least sat when we halted.  Her stand for exam was perfect; she had no problem letting the strange lady touch her.  I was so proud of her!

Then we were back to do more heeling this time without a leash.  If I could get the video to play in this blog you’d see that she was on a different planet than I was.  And as we headed back toward the crowd she whipped around and tugged at her tail.  This is her sign she has to GO!  😦  She didn’t sit on the last halt on this heeling pattern either.  Just stood there and looked at me looking at her.  SIGH.

On a brighter note her recall was pretty cool.  She was almost straight when she ran up and sat in front of me.  That’s been an ongoing problem for quite awhile…she’ll run to me and then sit crooked, all the while grinning.  Silly girl.  Today she sat pretty straight, and finished by circling around me when I signaled and sat pretty.  WHEW! (Those of you on facebook can see the video there.  I can’t remember how to upload to youtube, and so it isn’t going into this blog.)

I thought we had it in the bag then, she has had no trouble at all on her long sits (1 minute) and downs (3 minutes).  But surprise surprise, she didn’t want to sit, though she did after one additional command….and she REALLY didn’t want to down.  I had to physically fight with her, which cost me big points.  I know that she had to GO Mama!  And I was holding my breath the whole 3 minutes thinking she was going to just get up and head for the door.  She did shift from one hip to another and I thought she was going to move, but she stayed where she was.  Have I mentioned that she’s a good girl?

All lined up.

All lined up.

So in the end Katie got her Novice Obedience title.  We scored 178.5 out of 200 possible points.  We even got third place!

Did I do good Mama?

Did I do good Mama?

While we were waiting for awards the dog next to me leaned in for a head rub.  I couldn’t stop, each time I tried she leaned in further.  What a sweetie!

New best friend.

New best friend.

Best of all for Katie is that she got a ton of ribbons and a new toy!  She won a pink whale.  She’s already been playing with it.

Me and my whale.

Me and my whale.

She’s napping now.  I need a nap too.  She did things today she’s never done before, but most of the errors were mine.  Which is why I didn’t get a pink whale I suppose.

Good girl sweetie.  Mama loves you.

Don't touch my whale!

Don’t touch my whale!


by 17 Comments

Yes I’m a pretty girl. I know.

New smells!

New smells!

Katie here!  Haven’t you missed reading about my adventures?  Me too, cause I haven’t had any!  I’ve been bugging and bugging my Mama but she says she’s working too hard to go adventuring with me.  Huh.  Seems an easy fix; just stop working Mama and hang out with me all the time!  Problem solved!

So anyway, I’ve been working on her to take me to the park and she finally said yes, she could take me in between all her other commitments, if I was sure I wanted to go.  Sure I wanted to go?  Is she crazy?  I’m always sure I want to go.  Go ahead.  Test me, say “Hey Katie, want to GO?” and see what happens.

I'm ready Mama!

I’m ready Mama!

Yep I’m always up for a jaunt in the park.  This time we went to a park a little farther away with fresh smells.  We went way in the back of the park where no one was and she let me run around off leash!  That is so much fun!  I always stay very close to her but it’s nice to be able to stop and sniff whenever I want.

Then suddenly she was clipping on my leash real fast and telling me to hurry up!  And you know what came chugging across the field?  THIS:

What the heck is that?

What the heck is that?

It was a tractor pulling kids on a hayride all around the park.  I thought it was very interesting, but I don’t think I would have run after it.  Well.  Pretty sure.

After that we went to investigate the kids playground.  Mama kept asking me to sit on these silly big dots of color.  I told her I didn’t like the way it felt on my feet, and besides, I pointed out the sign said ‘NO PETS’ but apparently Mama can’t read.  She did leave her glasses in the car, so maybe that was the problem.

I found a dot that matches me Mama!

I found a dot that matches me Mama!

At one of the dot places there was a drain and it had funny sounds coming out of it.  I didn’t like it.  Not one bit.

Scary! Can we go now Mama?

Scary! Can we go now Mama?

After that we walked past the climbing wall.  I was pretty bored.  Doesn’t Mama know that dogs don’t climb walls?  What does she think I am, a cat??

Stupid climbing wall. Wonder what's over THERE?

Stupid climbing wall. Wonder what’s over THERE?

Mama kept asking me to pose in front of pretty trees and stuff.

Another red tree. Boring.

Another red tree.  Sigh.

That was boring too.  I wanted to walk some more and  we did end up walking a long way…but not 8 miles.  She’ll tell you we did, but honestly?  We didn’t.

Look! I went a long way! (kidding!)

Look! I went a long way! (kidding!)

We did some heeling practice too cause I have a trial coming up next weekend.  Mama said looking down at me and my shadow it almost felt like she had two dogs.

Me and my shadow...

Me and my shadow…

Daddy says I have enough personality for two dogs.  And that’s why he won’t let Mama get me a brother or sister.  He says I am enough.  I don’t know.  I might like a brother or a sister.  But on the other hand I sort of like all the attention myself too.

It got kind of windy before we left.  I like how the wind blows my fur around.  Makes me very glamorous don’t you think?

Yes I know I'm beautiful.

Yes I know I’m beautiful.

My mama and I had a great time.  I don’t know why I have to bug her so much to get her to take me to the park.  She has just as much fun as I do.  Maybe even more considering she’s always taking pictures.  In fact the header up above, the one of the two leaves?  She took that while we were at the kids playground.  I pointed it out to her.   My Mama.  Always stopping and taking pictures.

Next weekend we have an Obedience Trial.  I can tell she’s sort of nervous.  She’s always spontaneously asking me to heel.  Geeze.  I get it Mama!  Give me a break!  I’ll be fine next weekend.

Will you be fine Mama?

Smiling at my Mama.

Smiling at my Mama.


by 19 Comments

The big adventure

At the rest stop.

At a rest stop.

Katie here.  I just have to tell you about my big adventure.  I’d have told you while I was adventuring but I was having too much fun to blog.  And then I was so exhausted that I had to sleep.  A lot.  Mama had to wake me up just to type this.  She is wicked that Mama.

So anyway, you know how my Mama is always taking me on adventures?  She gets me all excited and then we just go to my park (which I like and all, but it’s hardly an adventure!) or to the store, or worse, we tour the back yard.  Well this time when she told me we were going on an adventure she wasn’t kidding around!

We drove and drove for about forty days and forty nights.  (OK, it was 4 hours, maybe a little more.)  We stopped at 3 rest stops along the way and I liked all the new smells a lot.  But still it was a long car ride.

My chariot.

My chariot.

When I was just about to explode and tell her off we were there!  Guess what?  We went to visit Ricky!  Yes, THAT Ricky!

Little Ricky!

Little Ricky!

And he has a cool fenced in back yard and we got to run through his tunnel and jump over his jumps and everything!  (No pictures of that because we were all having too much fun to remember the camera.)

Ricky and I got along just fine.  He showed me lots of stuff, like how to do stairs.  He has a lot of stairs at his house.  I don’t do stairs, unless I have to when Mama isn’t looking.  But mostly I don’t have to because, as you all know, I am a princess.  So my Mama carries me up and down them because I whine about it.  It’s a skill.

Mama! Come get me!

Mama! Come get me!

But you know what the best part of the trip was?  We went to Ricky’s park.  It is sooooo wonderful!  It has woods and a ravine and a creek and gardens!  There are so many things to look at and sniff I could hardly stand it!

Me and Ricky.

Me and Ricky.

Ricky and I and our Moms spent a long time there and I didn’t complain once about having to walk so far.

Pretty gardens!

Pretty gardens!

And I sat in the back seat of Ricky’s Mom’s car without trying to crawl into my Mama’s lap!  See?  I can be a good girl.

We sat in the back seat. Together.

We sat in the back seat. Together.

Ricky is a good influence on me.  He’s also a good friend, and so is his Mom and Dad, cause they let me stay in his house and sleep in his room on his sofa!  Well.  He might not know I did that, so maybe we won’t tell him.

Our ride home was very long too…and I did not sleep not one bit.  OK.  maybe a little.  But I didn’t put my head down until we were almost home!

Just resting my eyes.

Just resting my eyes.

It was a wonderful trip.  Next time my Mama tells me we’re going on an adventure I hope it’s as exciting as this one.  Though I don’t know how she could top it.

I don't get my feet wet either. Just sayin.

I don’t get my feet wet either. Just saying.

I’m off to take another nap now.  Gonna have the best dreams ever!

Thanks Ricky!

Thanks Ricky!


by 11 Comments

Lucky girl

This is MY park!

This is MY park!

Katie here.  My Mama says she’s a lucky girl because she had today off!  And what a beautiful day it was too!  I am also a lucky girl cause my Mama took me to my favorite park and she wasn’t even in a hurry.  She let me do lots of sniffings and waited patiently (somewhat) for me to move along.  It was awesome!

OK.  She made me sit and pose for her too.  I don’t know why she wanted all those photos of the floaty fluffy white things.  They are not as pretty as me!

Boring!

Boring!

Mama says we are going on something called a ‘big adventure’ tomorrow.  She says I have to be a good girl.  Well.  Whatever.  I can be good if I want to be.  Whether or not I will want to be we shall see.

Won’t we.

We'll see.

We’ll see.