Cabin Time

Spring has sprung and with that comes cabin time!  DeeAnn & I and the dogs took a drive up to the cabin to check it out.  Once on Comstock Lake Road, Holly was sitting up with an instant smile on her face!  It had been nearly a 6 month wait but the day had come, the familiar feel of turning on to a dirt road after having been on a paved road for a long time meant the cabin was coming. I wasn’t sure how Holly would respond with ‘staying in the yard’.  It had been a half year since hearing the phrase and her recalls have been sketchy at best in the park.  Apparently cabin behavior is burned into her brain, she was very responsive and listened well.  At one point I found her staring at the empty flower box on the cabin, pointing her nose like she does when she is trying to tell me something.  ‘That’s where her frisbee was hidden”, DeeAnn said.  Despite being impressed by her memory, I pretended I didn’t understand what she was asking.  Acting clueless is sometimes easier than admitting being dumb, though it is a fine line.  Holly quickly let it go and made her way to the firepit, pulling out a good size tree branch to shred apart.  Disappointment does not linger when at the cabin.

Easter week-end brought out neighbors and neighbors grandchildren.   I had Keltie and Rainie also.  As is often the case, a yard filled with dogs serves as a kid-magnet.   Donna’s grandsons, Dane and Cole, came into the yard to play with the dogs which of course had Holly jumping over the moon.  Literally.   Once settled down, Dane and her played fetch intermixed with chase.  Cole & Dane played a game of keep away with Holly, tossing the frisbee to and from each other.  Holly’s speed would thwart the game especially during any poor throws or dropped tosses.  Then the game became chase, Holly’s head held high with a smile taking over her face while she held the frisbee.   Heartley stopped by as well, once again migrating to Helen.  Those two sat safely tucked away on the adirondack chair.   Later that afternoon, Ivy came running over to the fenceline.  They had just returned from church so she was wearing her new Easter outfit with a darling white dress coat keeping her warm.  Seeing her put a surge of adrenaline into all the dogs.  Their barking and jumping on the fence were both out of control. Once calmness finally began settling in, I noticed Ivy had a muddy pawprint on the bottom left corner of her beautiful white coat.   I saw her looking back towards their house and I knew she was concerned on how to explain the mud on her white coat.  I was concerned too.  I offered her a damp rag which she quickly accepted, always standing with her back to their house.  She worked on her coat for about 10 minutes, even using a Tide cleaning pen on it.  She was finally satisfied with how it looked and stated her plan – ‘I’ll just keep my hand over it’.  I felt bad that the dogs had caused her such stress.  I wondered if I should go explain the crime to her parents,  yet a part of me also wanted to help pull off the cover-up she had going.   I told her if her mother says something to have her call me, her grandma has my number.  I didn’t hear anything more about it.   Today, all of them (John, Donna, & Diane) walked over to the fenceline to throw the ball for Holly and chat with me.  I confessed about my aiding and abetting a crime of covering up muddy pawprints from a darling white Easter coat.  They laughed, not knowing anything about it.  I filled with pride inside thinking that Ivy may have pulled it off!   Both Donna & Diane were elementary teachers, both have awards and high honors for their outstanding and dedicated work.  Diane made comment  – ‘it’s the kids that don’t get dirty that I get concerned about.’   I hope Ivy had the same sort of relief as I did.  I apologized again and said it is probably the parents I should be talking with not grandparents, which brought a flinging motion with her hand and the comment ‘Don’t worry.  We’ll take care of them.’  Now I know why all their grandkids absolutely love coming to their house to visit!  And why I adore them as neighbors.   That said, this spring has proven it is time to again attempt a training plan with Holly discouraging her from  jumping on people, fences or doors. After all, she is three years old.

Heartley, her Dad and Milo (dog) found Holly, Helen and I at Old Main Park.  Holly was fetching the frisbee.  Helen sniffing the grounds.  When Heartley recognized it was us she ditched her Dad and dog to come running over to us.  This time Helen wasn’t the main draw, but Holly and her frisbee.  Heartley releaved me of my frisbee tossing duties much to Holly’s delight.  Apparently my tosses have gotten boring.   At one time a very large building sat on the Old Main Park grounds.  It was the original UMD building.  A fire destroyed the main structure about 25 years ago.  The main arches into the building were saved and stand tall at each side of the flattened ground where the building stood.  The arches have recently been enclosed with fences, signage with falling rock warnings.   Many people are disappointed in the new safety precaution as it has ruined the beautiful background of photo ops.  Proms, weddings, reunions, etc all had been captured with the beautiful backdrop of the giant rock arches.  Including a chain link fence changes the whole mood of the photo.   Chain link fences also have a way of swallowing stray frisbees that get caught in swirling winds.  When one of the frisbee tosses landed on the wrong side of the fence for Heartley, I hollered out reassurance to her that Holly has many more frisbees, all is well.  Silly me.  She looked back to me and said – ‘I can get it.  I know how to get in.’  Off she went to the opposite side, out of sight from her Dad and I, then appearing inside the fence where she picked up the frisbee and tossed it back out to Holly.  Then she disappears out of sight and returns to the park side to continue her play time with Holly.  I told her thank you, followed by a you’re welcome.  That was the end of it.  After they left, I circled the gated archway looking for an opening.  Nothing.  Tight as jail cell.  I have no idea how Heartley got in and out of there so easily and quickly.  I can’t even say I aided in this crime and there was no acting clueless this time, I am totally clueless.  It makes me smile though, thinking of these two bright, energetic and innocent young girls.  They respect rules but when the situation warrants they find way to bend and amend.  They have a good handle on life already.

Since that backyard fence fiasco, I’ve been taking Holly for short leash walks to the Lakewalk and/or around the neighorhood.  I have to say she is doing quite well with her heeling and not pulling.  I know though that if an adrenaline-rush moment occurred, she would be trying to drag me right to it.  These are the teachable moments – learning restraint during the rush.  It’s hard to scold happy, but for Holly & I to be a team in the community she & I will need to learn to display happy with a similar level of energy, give or take a bit.   I’ve got the perfect helpers in the neighborhood.