As pets get old.........................

We have limited funds and we have 4 poodles, not a smart move but when we got them we were not expecting to get old so quick. I will be 71 this week. I hope we outlive our lovies. Bodicea is getting old too, she has health issues, she is ummmmmmmm plump. She has a small breathing tube for want of a better name, she snores and she snorts like a piggie when she eats.

Bodi has a tumour on the inside of her back leg, she hobbles and I am sure sometimes it hurts. The dilemma is with her breathing/weight problem I wonder about getting it fixed. We will take her to the vet and get that checked out as soon as we can because it is getting bigger. We did get it checked and its not cancer. I remember another poodle had one, Bonnie, we got hers removed and it did the trick. I guess they are fatty tumours and a lot of dogs get them. They don't complain, not like us people.
Everyone loves Bodi, she is such a sweetheart.

Brea is the little one, she has a bum knee, we need to fix that too. She is often in pain limping but again, no complaints. We are in the process of getting a credit line on our house so we can take care of these kids.

It's been 9 years since we lost my horse. I can't believe its been so long. We still miss her and I miss the life. I miss going to the barn in all weathers and going for long walks in the fields every day. We all loved that. I know Tristen would have loved it too. Shame we can't have another one but it's not possible. Not unless we move to the country again and have a barn and rescue one. Who knows.

NO I can not afford a horse. Really, I can't.
Bijou is a money pit. I don't think we can do a lot more for her at 1000 a shot. Twice now she has had an operation and I don't think she can have another although the problem with her "stones" won't go away.

This is my cute little Bella

They are all so cute and so have all the others been that came before. It's always sad when they start to get old, get ailments and know that some day they will be gone.
Bella knows how to relax



Bella and Brea sisters of different mums, same dad

Bella and Bijou in winter coats

Brea and Bijou

We figured that Boots is getting up there as well, she has her own problems. She is a cat, she pukes all the time. I think drinking the pond water may have something to do with it and one of my fish is missing. No idea what happened to it either

The young one is Bessie. She is fine so far, no problems with that one. Bella has teeth problems but we keep up on that.

Anyway, my little loves. I remember every single one I have ever had. I have loved them all equally but different. From Rabbits to Walter Pidgeon and birds and hamsters. I guess the only thing we have never got into is reptiles, we have had fish. If I did I would have loved those too. The hurt comes when they die. Sigh...........I hope to see them all over the rainbow bridge.

To the Beach, getting out of town..................

With Cherry Festival in full swing, Laura, Reina and myself headed out of town. The traffic is horrible during summer, during the festival it's unbearable. So best to head out as far as possible. We decided to not go to Leland in the beginning thinking it would be crowded. We instead headed for Port Oneida and one of the lesser known beaches. We got there with just one car in the lot and one leaving. Not bad we thought.



It was windy and big waves churning up the sand but hot and sunny so for me quite pleasant although Laura and Reina were cold.




Gone are the days when we had two little kids with us wondering what had happened that we still had little ones. Life takes turns we do not expect and little kids grow up. Reina is 11 now.

Laura rescued a bee, got him all sunned out and off he went, straight into the water and drowned. Very traumatizing for us

We didn't find too many stones to bring home but enjoyed the walk, and the hike back up the steps was good for us. Groan.
We needed a bathroom so we stopped at the little park at the beginning and used the outhouse. I took my own toilet paper after Laura said there was none. Always have carried supplies in that old van.


We decided to go to Leland after all. Figured we were rock hounding not sun bathing so why not.
There were not that many there in the end. Not at that time anyway. Maybe one or two families. The rules have changed. You have to stay at the very small beach area now. The rest is private property and this year is being enforced. I don't blame them. For our purpose it didn't matter. It is quite legal to walk in the surf and close to it.

Reina found that little guy and he got to live another day, thank goodness.
We did collect a bunch of rocks and it was quiet, when we went back along the beach the entrance was crowded all bunched up in one small area with a cloud of chemical fumes hovering over them. How people can enjoy that is beyond me, but it didn't bother us any, we were up the beach on our own.
We left Leland after stopping at Trishes Dishes for a Reuben sandwich that we took down by the River to eat.

I had my eye on some chap who left his dog in the car. We hoped he was just going to pick up some food and it turned out that was probably the case. Lucky for both of us when we drove past he was back in the car leaving. Relief!!!!!!
We had no time that we had to be home having told Gerry to fend for himself so we headed back to Port Oneida to spot wildlife. Stopped at the old school house lake, one day I will remember the name.


Saw turtles sunbathing

There were little fishes, dragon fly and Red Wing Blackbirds.

So up to the woods we went, through the back dirt roads talking of why we never see cougars or wolves or bear. Got to the top of the hill and saw some people by the side of the road. Wondered what they were looking at, they waved, we slowed down to ask if they were OK (and see what they were looking at, didn't want to miss anything) well apparently they were lost. Sort of. They had apparently (we managed to get out of them), parked at Pyramid point and hiked off through the woods. There they were without a clue, red faced and worried and going the wrong way. Laura offered them a ride. They piled in with much gratitude. Two older folks looking rather red and warm, and a young man and woman, their grandkids (I heard her say grandpa) so she sat on the guys lap and Reina in back with Pops we took them down the trail to Pyramid point. Goodness knows how long it would have taken them to get back seeing as they were headed the wrong way. They never would have found the car park. Anyway.............we dropped them off and started again. So much for wildlife, just tourists.

The only wildlife we saw were a couple of Sand Hill Cranes

The meadows were beautiful though

Lots of bees, we left those alone. After the one who commited suicide at Leland the big ol bumble was in no danger.

He did come and take a look at me before swooping off. Good to see so many bees active in the Cow Vetch. We stopped at Gallaghers Farm Market on the way home. Got me some cherries, blueberries and a big ol Cherrie pie and some ice cream. Boy was that good. I just had a slice. I love farm produce and home baked goods. Gerry was compensated for fixing his own supper as I also got donuts.

Down by the riverside........

Gabby and Cooper came with me for a walk down by the river. Our destination was the Bookie Joint. That is a place that you can bring books that you are done with and get credit for them to get books you have not yet read. I gave all my old books to Gabby so that she can have the credit there. So off we went. It was rather hot so I parked near 6th st so we didn't to have walk so far. Last time it was a tad further than we thought. So this time we were prepared.


Like most other places in this town, this old walk by the river has been cleaned up and made delightful. Maybe because they built apartments on the other side. I was sad to see someone left beer cans and some garbage down there not something one usually sees.
Cooper spotted a butterfly


He didn't catch it though. The geese and babies were gone this time and no wild life.
Cooper did find the hollow tree and was as fascinated as Tristen was last time we were there


The view from the bridge above.

Walked on to the Bookie Joint where I found 4 books for 20 bucks.

Well it was even hotter walking back it was good to get in the car and crank the cold air.

Back to the Boardman.......................

Today, Tuesday, the Nature center should be open so we went back. Cooper liked it because it has a section for kids to do things.
They have colouring papers, a tunnel to climb through, books. Magnifiers and stuff to look at. Puppets and stuffies. He zeroed in on a balloon and focused on that.


He enjoyed that so much he didn't want to move on and look at the exhibits, but we got him going.


They have Michigan wildlife exhibits and telling a bit about them at each station. Sometimes including skeletons.


He enjoyed being able to "touch".

I went outside while he went back to the activity center.



When he was done we went for a walk. The Peace Trail.


this followed the river a way as it opened up into more of a pond.


The Swans were there today

A pair with one baby that I could see

At a distance some turtles were sunbathing. I wonder what will happen to them all when they change things. How do they plan on opening it all up and changing the direction and flow of the river.

Cooper is not used to long walks, so we kept it short again. He does well but looses interest quite quickly. At least we got some walking in again.
He had wanted to go back inside for the balloon but we deflected that by reminding him of his rock from yesterday, was it still there? Off he went to check that out and that was quite near the car. Phew!!! We made it without a meltdown.