Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.

Tag Archives: Penny


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Another boyfriend?

Hi everybody! It’s me, Penny!

You know there are three boy dogs in my neighborhood that walk by my driveway almost every day. Personally I think they do that just to catch a glimpse of beautiful me.

These are a couple of my neighborhood boyfriends.

And I have had a couple playdates with Lance, a very handsome sheltie-boy who is about six months older than me. I think he likes me too.

I’m kinda sweet on my boyfriend, Lance, too.

And just this week mom arranged for me to meet Levi, a four year old sheltie who lives about an hour away from me.

This is my boyfriend Levi! Isn’t he a handsome boy?

Levi and I met at a fenced in dog playground in his neighborhood. The moms picked the coolest day of the week because, as you know, shelties are always wearing a heavy coat.

It’s so much fun to run free!

At first Levi and I weren’t sure about each other. He wasn’t sure he wanted me in his territory, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to be there either. He’s a lot bigger than me!

He can’t catch me! Well, he wasn’t really trying to catch me…

In fact mom said this is the first time I looked small!

Something smells good under here. Plus there’s shade.

But eventually, when mom broke out the frissbee we started to have some fun. Levi just loved my frissbee and I chased him while he chased it.

Levi has a beautiful coat!

After a little bit of running around we settled in a corner where there was some shade. Even at 68 degrees it was pretty hot. While the moms were talking I’d sort of peek around from behind mom’s legs and get Levi’s attention.

Time for some shade and a drink!

Then I’d race off and hide behind the slide and just dare him to chase me. Yep, I pretended I didn’t want to play and then I’d egg him on. I’m very skilled at being a tease.

Ha ha, got you to run Levi!

We didn’t run around too much, because of the heat, but we’re going to get together again when it’s cooler outside.

Running is just the best fun!

When we meet again we’ll be more comfortable, cause we’ll already know each other. Levi’s mom says he went home and took a nap. I went home and bugged my parents for the rest of the day.

Catch me if you can, Levi!

I guess I got a little wound up.

Thanks, Levi, for inviting me to play at your park!

Talk later, your most alluring sheltie-girl, ruler of all boy dogs…

Penny.


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Camping heat wave

We had some really hot weather up here in Michigan and it seemed to last forever. Of course it didn’t last forever, but for my two nights of camping at a local state park the heat hung heavily in the air even late into the night.

Even though it was hot I enjoyed a fire each evening.

I hadn’t camped at this park for a few years, not since Katie and I camped there and struggled with noisy kids partying all night just a few sites away.

This site is surrouned by woods.

This time it was much more quiet. I was in my favorite site at this campground, full shade, with lots of privacy. I went there specifically to watch the birds that hang out in the trees surrounding the site, many of which I don’t see at home around my feeders.

My app Merlin says this is a wood thrush. I don’t think we have wood thrushes in Michigan.

And I went to give Penny an opportunity to see a campground for the very first time. Her dad brought her over in the evenings and we sat around and talked.

“I’m a little anxious, mom. And it’s hot out here!”

She sat around and observed. Everything.

“What’s that over there, mom?”

I didn’t ask her to get into the tent for a number of reasons, one it was too hot inside the tent, and two she isn’t really happy in the tent yet.

“Mom, do you have any treats over there?”

But she did get to watch people and dogs and kids walk by and begin to realize she didn’t have to bark at everyone.

“You’re still here, right dad?”

It wasn’t easy for her. Watching dogs walk by, listening to noisy trucks as they hauled trailers past our site was hard.

“Dad? Those kids on bikes need to be herded!”

But little kids on bikes? Now that deserves a big bark, mom!

“So, this is your favorite site mom?”

We still have a lot of work to do, it was all new to her. But I can see potential.

“OK mom, that was interesting, I’m going back to my air conditioning now!”

There are, of course, a lot of memories at my favorite site, memories of camping with my Katie-girl. And I think she was there with me last week.

My girl used to use this leash to wander the site when we camped together so long ago.

I miss her so much, even while little Miss Penny is bouncing around distracting me. Penny says that’s OK and I appreciate her giving me some grace.

Hey Katie-girl, I know you were there.

On my last day at site 16, just before I started packing up and while I was feeling sad and missing Katie, a female cardinal arrived. She hopped around, up on the picnic table, underneath it, across the parking pad, always keeping an eye on me.

“Hey Lady! Don’t feel sad, she’s right there in your heart!”

I kind of think Katie sent her. She made me smile, just like Penny does, who, I’m sure, was also sent by Katie.

I don’t know what this bird is, but it’s pretty!

There’s lots of summer left. I hope I get to take Penny to another campground before the end of the season.

“Just remember lady, you’re never alone!”

And I figure by next summer she just might be ready for a real adventure, even if it’s camping in our own backyard.

See you later, site 16. Penny and I will be back!

.


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Three

Penny here.

We interrupt mom’s exciting (not) bird stories to show you a picture she just found on her laptop of my sister Bonnie. Bonnie was mom and dad’s sheltie before Katie. Obviously I never got to meet her, but I hear she was a very good girl.

Looks like mom was into yellow flowers decades ago!

Here’s Bonnie.

And here’s Katie.

And here’s me!

The yellow flower sisters!

PS: I hear today is International Sheltie Day, and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate it than posting about my sisters!

Talk later, your historian pal,

Penny.


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Hey! What about me?

Penny here. Geeze people, here I am having all sorts of adventures and mom and my aunt take off camping for a couple days and get to post about it for years. Ok. For days.

This is my studious look. I think it works.

But my point is, do I get to post? No I do not. I have not been given access. Until now, when mom finally gave into my pressure. I told her I won’t sleep in her stinking tent until she posts about all the fun stuff I’ve already done this month!

We went to Katie’s park for our annual photo shoot.

I know my friends have been wondering what I’ve been up to and let me tell you I’ve been really busy! And most of what I’ve been into isn’t going to get me into trouble either! Win-win!

Mom likes a good head tilt, and I try to oblige.

First off, as most of you know, my sister Angel Katie always had a spring yellow flower photo shoot with mom. Well, she told me all about it and I demanded equal yellow flower opportunity. I’m pretty sure it’s in my contract with my folks. So mom took me over to Katie’s park one day early this month.

Mom says I did really good. I thought it took way too long.

Are we almost done, mom?

Then when my Aunt Beth was here we stopped near some other yellow flowers and mom grabbed a few pictures. By then I was an expert at being a model, so it didn’t take long at all.

I think the sun was in my eyes that day.

My Aunt Beth and mom and I also went on quite a few walks in different parks. We all had the best time with beautiful blue skies and hardly any bugs!

Aren’t I cute?

I got to show Aunt Beth several of my own personal parks and especially how well I can sit for the camera. As long as there were treats available, of course.

I look kind of small, don’t I.

She was very impressed.

And THEN, the most exciting thing! I got to go on a walk with my Aunt Beth and my Mama S and my mom and even my doggy mom Vivian and her roommate Oliva!

Mom asked them to walk up this trail to set us up for a photo.

It was amazing! Three shelties all going for a walk together. I tell you what, we caused lots of heads to turn when we all walked by!

It wasn’t easy to get the three of us lined up.

OK, so sometimes I was a little rambunctious, and Mama S had to tell me to straighten up. After all, I’m still a baby…right? Oh…what….no? Not so much?

Sometimes a girl’s just got to leap for joy.

Well, I guess I’ll start acting more adult tomorrow, but that day I had so much fun! I got to share one of my favorite parks with my three moms and my aunt!

Yep we had a great time walking together.

I’m so grateful that Mama S brought her girls along on this walk! I promised her we’d do it again soon!

That’s my mom, Vivian next to me (I’m in the center) and her bestie Olivia on the right.

And then, still in the month of May, I got to go on a play day with my friend Lance! I can’t even begin to figure out how mom and dad managed to get this much fun stuffed into one month!

My friend Lance on the left, me on the right.

I think I better rest up for June!

Talk later,

Your playful pup, Penny.


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We’re behind!

Hey everybody! It’s me Penny.

Mom says we haven’t had internet for a million years. Ok, maybe it only FELT like a million years, maybe it was just about a week.

Mom told me to sit on this bench. So I did.

Anyway I’ve been to lots and lots of parks lately ’cause mom and dad are getting stuff done on the house and I tend to bark a lot while stuff is being done on the house.

But mom! I’m not sure about sitting next to a BOY!

Plus mom says it’s really nice to have the time to go to parks and work on my behavior issues. Seriously mom? Does it look like I have behavior issues?

Deuce seemed to tolerate my curiosity, but I don’t think he was thrilled to sit next to a GIRL either.

I didn’t think so.

Mom says she has some really nice pictures of me that she will share with you once she gets them edited and stuff. Which could be a million years from now.

Or a about a week.

Pictures in this post were taken by my Aunt Karen, Deuce’s mom.

Hard telling with mom.

Signing off for now, your photography model and exemplary citizen,

Penny.


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Reposting an important discussion about domestic abuse

Nonsmoking Ladybug shared today some scary memories of her own childhood that flashed back into her memory while she watched this powerful dance number which aired on America’s Got Talent.

Take a moment and go over there and watch, though be warned it may be a trigger.

https://nonsmokingladybug.wordpress.com/2024/04/20/something-so-beautiful-and-so-powerful

While I don’t have personal memories like this, I know people, all women, who do. Some are still experiencing these events today.

A dance like this will spark conversations. Hard, outraged, sad conversations. It’s likely any one conversation will cover all these emotions and more.

But beyond discussing, what can we do?

I don’t have any experience in what to do. But I’ve been reading Kim Sisto Robinsin at My Inner Chick on Facebook for years. Kim’s brother-in-law murdered her sister Kay after years of abuse as Kay was attempting to leave him.

Now it’s Kim’s mission to spread the word that help is available.

I know, from reading, that it’s not as simple as just leaving. You need a plan and a support system. And it’s very scary. But the first step might just be talking to someone.

Here is one place to start: National Hotline for Domestic Abuse: 1 800 799 7233

Now, go watch that dance again and try not to cry. I had my support dog, Penny, with me. She pushed her nose right under my arm and pressed her body next to my hip as I sniffled.

May you all have a Penny in your life. And may you all be safe in your worlds tonight.