Change

Hello Friends.

Change.  Change is enviable.  That's what they say, and they are right.  There are some changes in my life and MOM's too.  Let me tell ya about a few. 

That's me in our Blazer.

And that's my gal pal Belle.  MOM has had this Blazer for longer than she has had me, almost 16 years!  We love it. 

It has taken us to some amazing adventures, hikes, backpacking, leisurely drives.

MOM has done most of the maintenance on the Blazer, here she is changing the fuel filter.  Well the time has come to let the Blazer go.  It was starting to need to much work and frankly MOM does not have the time to do it any more.  I am sure going to miss it, butt... change is just apart of life.

Here is my new ride, a Subaru Outback.

Yea I fit in here just fine.  I still am the co-pilot.  Which brings me to another change, sort of.

Like the Blazer I have gotten older, I am approaching 15.  And like the Blazer, with age I have slowed down a bit and sometimes I brake down.  Don't worry MOM is not trading me in for a newer model, butt..

You know I am a lover of the outdoors.

Hiking

Backpacking

Strolling in nature

Blazing trails

You get the idea.  It's a big part of my life with my MOM.

Butt in the last year it has gotten harder for me.  OH I STILL LOVE IT, but when we finish I am sore, extra tired, and it is hard for me to get up after a nap.

And even more recently I have trouble climbing, and jumping over logs and gaps in the earth.

I have lost muscle tone in my back legs making it hard for me.

Steep inclines like this I use to run up and down a half dozen times before MOM even got to the top.

Now it takes a lot more effort.  A time or two in the last year MOM has had to help me, even once carrying me about 1/4 of a mile out.

So this past weekend MOM and I were going to go on a 4 day backpacking trip.  Butt a few things came up and it got cut short to maybe 2 days.  Then MOM decided maybe it wasn't such a good idea, she was worried about me.  Butt I convinced her we should go.  I slept with her hiking boots, sniffed them, would whine push the boots and look at her.  So she decided we would go on a SHORT trip.  She could tell it was important to me, so important that she did not go to church (don't worry others filled in for her so we could make this trip).  That's what the photos are of.

Look how happy I am.  I just love being out there.  Just me and my MOM.

MOM of course kept a close eye on me and she seemed to take a few more breaks during our adventure.

She would sit along the river while I took my break standing in a pool in the river.

Well I stood there until I noticed a stick across the way that may need rescuing.

And it did.  Good thing I was there.  For some reason MOM just looked at me and smiled.

We took it slow through fallen leaves and bare branch archways where tree roots made steps for us along the way.

I may be old butt I still lead the way and MOM let me decide where we should go.

There was such beauty everywhere we turned.  Butt nothing more beautiful than time spent together doing what we love.

We sat and talked, MOM shed a tear or two.  Oh this won't be the last of my adventures, it's just a change in the adventures.  I won't be climbing up and down mountains, but stroll through woods and easy trials.  I won't be flying through the air and sailing over logs, but find an easier way around.  I won't go on 5 day backpacking trips, butt shorter ones or maybe just day hikes.  Change can be hard, that is true.  Butt I am going to make the most of it and enjoy it every bit as much as my more rugged adventures.  As long as I am with my MOM it really does not matter where we are or what we are doing.  MOM said there will be more couch snuggle time in our future.  Now that is change I am looking forward to.

Blessings,

Goose