More Hiking

Blur of sniffery.

Hiking is an activity I've always had a love-hate relationship with.  It's something that has to be done to get to a crag, but it's always the worst part of the climbing process for me.  I'm no good at it, I lack the balance, sure-footedness and stamina to really enjoy it.  Also, half the time, it involves some reverse approach in the fading daylight, in addition to the general lack of skill. That said, Singer can't get enough of it, and for her, I am willing to get a bit, or a lot, uncomfortable.

Serendipitously matching hat and backpack.  

On Saturday, we took a short hike in Terryville, replete with a few scrambles and some trail running.  Cue fading daylight.  On Sunday, we met up with the dog hiking group for her second big girl hike with the other dogs.  This time, instead of being 15 minutes late, we were a solid 30-45 minutes late.  (Fence mayhem.)  This meant that by the time we got there, we were sprinting (okay, sprinting then walking, sprinting, then walking) up the trail, trying to catch the rest of the pack.  Singer didn't mind one bit.  At one point, before the summit, we spotted them descending, so we cut through another path and caught up in time for Singer to run around with Avery and a little beagle for the last mile or so.  We ended up doing a variation of the loop again, to let Singer run around and to check out the frozen pond

I think I've done more hiking in the past two weeks than I've done during the past 12 months, but at least my boots are getting some use.

Gratitude

Before the holidays, I sent a heartfelt thank you ACO Elease, who introduced me to Singer. She truly is my modern-day hero. Yesterday, I received this wonderful email from her:

Stories like yours help make our job a pleasure! I am very glad to know that Singer is a wonderful addition to your family and that you are VERY HAPPY to have her in your life. My staff and I love to have the ability to do our own adoptions for that very reason- Happy Tails!

We no longer have the kennel that Singer came from. It makes me very sad because I know that my staff and I met with countless persons over the years that “Just wanted to look”. And by us being on site with the dogs we were able to unite those “Just looking” into being new pet owners! The town is working on another kennel site that would be located in the town of South Windsor and would house two other towns with ours. While Manchester may never have a kennel to call our “Own” it would be nice to have the ability to meet with persons that are “Just looking”! Our current kennel situation does not really offer us the ability to meet people at random.

We wish you a spectacular New Year with loads of fun and exciting adventures!!

It is indeed quite sad that budget cutbacks have eliminated many traditional shelters and pounds. Many dogs are housed in borrowed space or in foster homes that don't allow for 'chance' meetings like mine and Singer's. Heck, I'm a foster dog-mom myself, and I've often wondered if BoBo would have been adopted ages ago if she hadn't been contentedly slobbering on my couch.

But it is sobering to know that had I been looking for a dog one year later, I would never have met Singer and my life would not be what it is today. Thank you again, Officer Elease.

Hike-a-palooza!

All in all, Singer went on two mountain hikes and one beach walk this holiday weekend.  What a lucky pup!  Can you guess where we are in this picture?

Can't wait to get her some snow gear so I can take my little rock star glisadding!  Or even better, turn her into a sled dog.  Mmmmmush.

Happy New Year!

Singer's 2011 was capped off with her first group hike!  We met up with a local dog hiking group for a 1.5 hour off-leash hike on Saturday morning.  Of course, we were late, and by the time we got onto the trail, we ran into a woman who had already lost her Husky dog.  Not an auspicious way to start the hike!  (The Husky was eventually found, twice, in fact.)

Singer, following the elusive Kenai.

Fifteen minutes later, we finally caught up with the lead group, and met the other hikers and dogs.  There were probably about 30 dogs, from Dachshunds to Dobermans.  Singer was the only Singer in attendance though.  Although she was a bit timid at first, she made fast friends with a mix named Avery and a big wire coated giant Schnauzer named Demetrius.  A giant black Russian Terrier was a part of the mix too, but she was a little more than Singer could handle.  The dogs all ran circles around each other, racing up and down the trail, barking and play bowing.

Singer looked so thrilled to be running around with the other dogs.  For every mile of the trail, she probably ran 3 miles.  The hike was 3.6 miles in total... Singer just about did a half marathon!  She's made so much progress in just a year.  This time last year, she was running behind me at the sight of puppies across the street.  Yesterday, she was letting other dogs sniff her, engaging dogs in play and chasing and being chased, like a "real" doggie.  Happy New Year!

Character (and quality). Of a man and his work.

My friend had a picture posted on her Facebook today.  In the picture was a hand, holding what appeared to be a small bunny.  Around the hand/ bunny was printed, "You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him," attributed to James D. Miles.

This post struck a nerve with me on several levels.

1) Singer's Christmas fence was a total disaster.  I was very sad this morning when I saw the whole thing in daylight.  I cried.  I hope the company, so far unnamed, will do the right thing and fix the problems promptly.

2) The first thing I thought of when I saw the picture was Lenny.

3) I've been a little slow on the uptake lately, so I had to break this third one down.  Pets, even the most annoying ones, do something for you.  That's what makes them lovable, cherished members of the family.  When they stop doing anything for you, they're just burdens.  I guess that goes for everything in life.  Sometimes things are unpleasant and feel like burdens, and it is how we deal with them that shows our true nature.

When I first started fostering Bo, she was a terror.  Many people advised me to have her put down.  She was expensive, time consuming and unpredictable.   However blindly, I never stopped caring about her, even when I was bedridden and on painkillers because of her.  I'm not quite sure what she provided me, but I never felt like she had nothing to give.  She was troubled, confused and defensive, but full of life, and certainly deserving of love.  But what would it have taken for her to become an unqualified burden?  Would I have walked away?

Christmas Wrap Up.

Mantel Merriment (!)

Singer and Bo spent Christmas in CT and NY this year, so Santa came several times.  Their booty included  treats, a hair brush and the whopper, a fence that will be installed later this week.  Pretty soon, Singer and Bo will be able to run around with reckless abandon in their backyard.  If you've never gotten a fence installed, those things are not cheap!   I wonder if I can take the fence with me when I move?  My next house will definitely have a fence.

On Christmas Eve, my parents and I loaded up the car with the doggies and went Christmas light hunting and found an amazing property that had been decorated like a gingerbread village.  It was truly a sight to behold.  I love everything about Christmas, from the lights to the festivity to the time spent with family.  CHRISTMAS!

Singer has the Christmas zoomies.

In any event, my parents were thrilled so see Singer, and she was thrilled to show off with some extra fast zoomies in their yard.

Bo, on the other hand, was content to gnaw on a tennis ball after giving chase.

Unflappable concentration

In other Bo news, someone has expressed interest in adopting Bo.  As you know, Bo is a foster that I have had for almost 7 months now.  My family has grown quite attached to her, despite her old lady quirks.  So much so that she stays with my parents half-time these days.  If push came to shove, I would adopt her myself. 

Waiting for Santa Paws

Will not be leading the sleigh tonight.

Singer's quite the Christmas traveler.  For our first Christmas together, we went to New Hampshire and Maine and nearly missed being stranded by a snow storm.  This year, she'll be spending it in Connecticut and New York.  On the way to see her grandparents, she gained a few not so secret admirers who actually stopped their car just to tell me how adorable she was being.  And with a face like this, who could disagree?

Santa, I've been a very good girl this year.

Just because Christmas came early for her doesn't mean she still isn't still holding out for a little something special in her stocking tomorrow.