Anniversary weekend getaway

A few weeks ago, Todd and I were able to make our (mostly) annual trip Up North for our anniversary weekend.  While Todd would have preferred camping, I said "no way" this year--25 weeks pregnant at the time and in no mood to fight off bugs and sleep on the ground.  It was a bittersweet trip, as last year we had Bueller with and we began to suspect something was up with his health.  Lots of memories of hiking with him...sigh.

Anyway, we thought about bringing Boden along, but maybe next year.  This seemed like a good (and only) opportunity for a mini baby moon. So Boden stayed home with a nanny whom he adored and had a fantastic time with despite an unexpected last minute pain in the butt (literally) that took some coordinating but it all worked out.  

We stayed in Lutsen and hiked up to Eagle Mountain (a favorite trail of ours) though I was a bit slower this year.  Our resort had views of Lutsen Mountain and was incredibly close to several stops on

The Superior Hiking Trail--so we tried a portion of that out for the first time and were happy enough with it that we look forward to exploring more of it in the future.  The evenings were cold (yep) and the days were on the cooler side which made it perfect for hiking.

Overall, a great trip and, as usual, we returned less well-rested than when we left!!

Below is a selfie of me from the overlook on the SHT and a picture of Todd from the same trail.  It was much wetter and less rocky than hike to Eagle Mtn.

Keep Me In Your Heart For Awhile

Earlier this month, Bueller lost his battle with cancer and we all had to say goodbye.  It was and still is incredibly sad and painful for Todd and I.  After 11 years, he was intertwined in our family life and the hole his absence has created is felt every day.   I'd be sad if he was 15 years old and died after a long day in the field hunting, for sure, but seeing such a strong, athletic dog with a healthy diet die from cancer makes me so sad for him and crabby at I don't know who. 

Boden is processing the death in ways that I'm sure 4 year olds do...over time and in small doses.  We go from talking about how we miss Bueller to his simple summation of the situation with "Well we can just get a cat." (unlikely).

In the end, Boden's pre-school mantra "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit" applies to our love for Bueller and his loss (and to many other things, as you might imagine).  I am thankful we had 11 wonderful years with him but we'll miss him like crazy.

 Bueller was a fantatstic dog; full of soul, loving (on his own terms), cantankerous, with a crazy-naughty streak that made us chuckle (after we were done being mad).  As I like to say, he was the perfect blend of sweet and salty for our tastes.  There'll never be another one like him.

"Shadows are falling and I'm running out of breath

Keep me in your heart for awhile

If I leave you it doesn't mean I love you any less

Keep me in your heart for awhile"  (Warren Zevon)



Sloan's new shoes...



No, I don't find this amusing.

and other humiliations. Poor Sloan--she's such a good sport. Per her personality, she's eager to please, so no matter what Boden has in store for her (his favorites: pulling her tail, trying to get on her back), including his most recent interest of "dressing" her, she goes along with it albeit reluctantly. He's most recently tried to get her in winterwear (to keep her warm, of course) which don't go over well.  But wiith my assistance, we managed to get shoes on the poor thing. If I could tell what she was thinking from the look on her long face, it would be something like, "Help. Help me, please." :)

If she would just run away when Boden has her in his sights, like Bueller does! Bueller has no qualms about heading for a hideout with an urgency that screams "Every dog for himself!" when Boden comes running. Sloan could learn a bit from that ol' dog.

In the dog house

Boden checking out Bueller's house

Not sure why all little kids that visit us think that Bueller's kennel is king, but they do, and Boden is no exception.  The video isn't that great, but it shows Boden in action--he's a walking, talking, mostly capable little dude.  It's crazy to me that last time at this year, he was just learning how to walk and now,  he runs, he says words I can understand, kind of listens to me (once in a while), and has his own ideas about what he wants to do...child development is truly amazing.

CSI: Victoria

The crime: suspected dog mayhem

The evidence: Paw prints on countertops and kitchen table

The suspects: P-man's Valdhorn Bueller Brown (aka Bueller), Sloan Brown

Prior records: Both suspects have long rap sheets of prior convictions related to bad dog behavior.

Final Report: Both suspects were interrogated extensively. When presented with the evidence, Bueller turned his head, yawned and seemed a little bored; Sloan wagged her tail and smiled happily. She seemed oblivious to the fact that she is our top suspect. The paw print evidence is inconclusive as they could be traced to either suspect. The crime remains unsolved but we will continue to closely monitor the suspects. They were such good pups, it's hard to understand where things went wrong.

His future is so bright...

Boden has to wear shades. Here he is walking around in his full winter get-up and laughing at the puppies.

He's just a dog...

Really, Bueller is much more than that. He started physical therapy last week and I shared this with a few people during every day conversation. I got some interesting looks and responses (filled with judgment)...like "wow, you must really love your dog" and "my husband would never agree to doing that for a dog." I'm sure some people think it's a completely frivolous expense, but, if your kid dislocated his shoulder would you tell him he was just going to have to live with it? Yes, Bueller is a slightly lower priority to me than Bodie (Todd may rank them differently), but he is a very integral part of our family.

There's been many times since we picked Bueller up from the breeder almost 8 years ago that we've been ready to give him "back"; luckily, he only p'd one of us off at a time so he always had either Todd or me on his side to keep him around. But through all his puppy biting (oh, he was awful), obstinancy, selective hearing, finickiness, and "talking" back, he's ours to love and care for.

He's, of course, been incredibly intolerant of the PT--won't stop running, jumping, and is rebelling against walking on leash...in other words, he continues to test our patience daily (as he has from day one). I equate his personality to that of a crabby, little bit crazy, old man who is really gruff but has a tender heart. He is what he is and we love him. Sure, I want to beat his #$% some days, but I still love him and would probably give him a kidney if he needed it.

Wanted: Good Home for a (Sometimes) Good Dog

"Family at their wits end is seeking a good home for precocious, strong-willed, sometimes loving, often fussy, pure bred male dog. Good home is one that will adhere to a tight schedule and a predictable routine that revolves around dog's needs only. Dog listens in an "I'll take that into consideration" kind of way, has a great education, lives for hunting, tolerates humans in the off-season, is wildly stubborn in a Grumpy Old Men sort of way, and indulges in excessive personal grooming. He's impeccably clean, often rising in the hour before dawn to primp himself for the day and enjoys getting his teeth brushed and ears cleaned. Please call, if interested, and I will arrange an appointment for the dog to interview you to see if you meet his standards."

Me and Bodie took the dogs for a walk this morning which is a wonderful way to start the day--unless all you are doing is yelling "Bueller, come", "Come here!", "Mother (bleep)er! Get the (bleep) over here!" Hence, leading me to compose this want ad in my head between screams of frustration.