Two Quickly

My little baby girl Riley is two years old today! It doesn't seem possible that she is two - I brought her home at 3 months old and a mere 5 pounds. We went through housebreaking, baby teeth, meeting other dogs for the first time, meeting a cat for the first time, first toys, first bed, first crate. And now my baby girl is all grown up - and has the run of the house! She's grown physically - she's now a whopping 13 pounds - and she's grown mentally, having been boarded for long weekends, stayed with a family member for two weeks while I was away, traveled to Florida and back a few times, traveled to Georgia and back a couple times and has traveled to Fort Wayne several times. Sometimes it's seemed like time went so slowly, but in reality it seems now like a blink of an eye.  I remember carrying her and walking back and forth telling her it was so hard to be a puppy because there was so much to learn.  And learn she has. She loves her toys, so I splurged and got her a soft tree trunk with three little owls for her to find. Gotta keep that little mind of hers sharp.  So Happy Birthday, little girl! It's been a wild ride, but a great one!  I love you big time, baby girl!

A Pup or a Stuffie?

I found the original listing from One Tail at a Time on Petfinder.com for Riley (then known as Laney) and this is what part of it said: 

Though Laney is an extraordinary snuggler (and kisser!) who enjoys being held, she seems to be the most independent of her siblings. During car rides, Laney loves looking out the window and taking it all in. Often confused with a stuffed-animal, Laney's cuteness is hard to rival. 

Riley does indeed love her stuffed animals, some of which she destuffs!  So is she a pup or is she a stuffie?  I'm sure she wouldn't care what she was called as long as there was attention and loving to be had! 

A Second Blog

I've decided to make this blog Riley's blog.  My other writings can now be found at a second blog, Fracking Culture http://frackingculture.blogspot.com/

Please continue to come by here to read about the adventures of my crazy little pup, and please visit Fracking Culture for a look inside our times.

And for your pleasure today, here's a picture of Riley!

Mostly Wordless Wednesday

I've got a dinosaur to protect me!

Giving Thanks, the Fifteenth

Today, I am thankful for my car.  But it's more than just a car, pieces of metal and plastic and wires and who knows what else.  It's a time machine that helps me travel to wonderful places and visit with friends and family and bring back so many memories.  It's a home for a couple days on long road trips to Florida, me at the wheel, Riley in her crate in the back seat, listening to music and watching the world from the front window.  Whether I've driven to Florida, or Georgia, or Rochester, or Fort Wayne, or West Virginia, it's taken me on adventures that I will remember for a long time.  

My car has helped me move from one home to another - you wouldn't believe how much stuff you can get in the back of this little Rav when you need to!  It's been a constant in my life when other things have changed.  It's gotten me to work and back and meetings and back and sat in parking garages, and still started right up for me.  I try to take care of it and it has taken care of me.  

In a mobile world, I am thankful to have my own little car to get me around, city or highway, small town or big city.  Without it, my world would be less interesting, and much smaller.  

Giving Thanks, the Fourteenth

When I was a kid in school, I tried to do the best I could, not for me, but to please those around me - my parents, my teachers.  Like many young children, I liked school, and even played school with friends. I never did get to that point as a slightly older child where I disliked school.  Yes, some days I didn't really want to go, but in my house that wasn't really an option.  But I always liked school, it was a cool place to go everyday.

As I got older and went to high school and college, it became more about being a place with my friends. The 'education' part of it was there, sure, but I was in it for the friends. I did well enough in school, but it wasn't until college that my interest in various subjects started to really take hold - I was not one of those kids who knew early on what they wanted to be when they grew up.

Today, after many years of formal education, I still find myself interested in different topics.  And that's the way it's supposed to be.  Life long learning isn't just a phrase, it's a way of life.  I am thankful for the formal education I received but I am thankful for the ability to learn on my own as well.  Education doesn't stop with a diploma or a cap and gown or even once you've got a job. There's always more to learn in life.  I sometimes wonder what avenue I'll wander down next, what will set off a spark of interest.  It may be just around the next bend.

Giving Thanks, the Thirteenth

If you've ever tried getting around in areas you're not familiar with, maps have perhaps been your friend.  Back in the day, you had a paper map - one that never quite folded back the way it was supposed to - that showed main roads, some towns, and not much else.  If you wanted to know where a certain store or restaurant was when you were traveling, you had to ask someone along the way and hope they knew, or find a local phone book to look it up.

Today, going to unfamiliar areas is easy.  You can google the address, find out what's close by, get directions (with multiple routes) to get there, all with the strike of a few keys.  You can get information as close in as you want, or get a bigger picture by panning out.

I've driven by myself halfway across the country, and up into Canada, by myself, with nobody to read a map and tell me which way to turn.  And I've traveled to unfamiliar areas of the Chicago area without fear of getting hopelessly lost.  I am thankful for the access we have today to online map programs.  They help us navigate, help us find our way, help us connect.