Tuesday

Toby woke us up three times last night vomiting, beginning around 3:00. We think it’s because his stomach was empty. Our trainer says that stomach acids and bile can irritate a dog’s empty stomach. She recommended giving Toby a snack before bedtime. That makes sense because he played hard at daycare yesterday and had his dinner around 4.00 p.m. He didn’t throw up any food, just stomach juices.

Lack of proper sleep and a high of 64 degrees kept us at home most of the day.

We did make it to puppy training this afternoon. There were only two dogs, so we got lots of attention. Toby did great with his wait and leave it commands. He walked over two biscuits, a toy, and a bouncing rubber ball while coming to us. We used the leave it command and come. He also settled on his own without treats for the first time since early August when we started. Some of the other dogs were able to do that on the first day. Our trainer said that we had really stepped up. She said Toby had shown lots of improvement. We can see it, too.

We have one more week of intermediate training, even though Toby has already graduated. Essentially, he got to take the course twice.

I think he’s now ready for the advanced class.

Monday

 

The sun came out today making the day’s 64 degrees tolerable.

PB&J made with natural peanut butter. I have to cut it into fourths because it’s so soupy. No additives though.

Fruit bowl

Toby made it to daycare today and came back injury free.

John made sure he had an a new toy when he got home. Sweet man for a sweet dog.

Miles walked: 11.9

Miles biked: 0

Sunday

The thermometer said it was 64 degrees today, but it felt like 54. The skies were overcast and we were freezing all day. We didn’t leave the neighborhood until we went to pick up our takeout Chinese food.

We did take several neighborhood walks after bundling up.

We kept Toby exercised and thinking.

No records but fun to watch.

Toby started playing his games (pillows and blankets paraded around the house), but I got treats and told him what I wanted him to do (lie down and settle) and he did it. It was so easy! I was a bit surprised that he did what I asked and didn’t play anymore of his games.

Home style bean curd and a side of vegetable low mein.

 

We’ve settled into the night ourselves and are binge watching Netflix shows.

Miles walked: 9.2

Miles biked: 0

Saturday

It was a cool but beautiful day. On our first walk before dawn, it was 48 degrees. Fortunately, it was a short walk. I had to put on long johns to get out the door. By the time of our first neighborhood walk, the temps were in the mid 50s. And by the time we finished our causeway walk, the temperature was 64. The photo above is from our last walk around Lake Saundra.

The breezes were light today, helping to make 66 degrees feel bearable. The northerners keep bragging about the “perfect” weather, while John and I are freezing our butts off.

The Dunedin Golf Course, designed by Donald Ross, and the former home of the PGA from 1945-1962. The view above is from Ben Hogan Drive overlooking hole #9. This marks the furthest distance from our house on our long neighborhood walks, looping from Watrous to Ford, to Burke, to Ben Hogan, to Weybridge, to Palm, to Fairway, and back to Watrous. John considers this direction the “short” route and when we do it in reverse, it’s the “long” route. It makes intuitive if not rational sense.

St. Joseph Sound viewed from the drawbridge 

We’ve been binge watching Netflix shows because of the cooler mornings and evenings. We just finished “Emily in Paris,” which is cute and light hearted. Emily is an American in Paris on a job assignment as a publicist/influencer. She doesn’t speak French, but she’s smart and clever, always managing to make lemonade out of lemons. 

We also finished “Young Royals,” a teen drama about a prince in prep school experiencing his first love as a gay man at the same time he feels the weight of public opinion and the monarchy. It’s a sweet love story.

Toby had a good day. His scratches are healing quickly. He is doing great with sitting to be petted by strangers and sitting while we talk to neighbors. He’s got heeling down and “leave it.” During the holiday weekend, he’s gotten lots of practice, including walking by barking dogs and being passed by golf carts. He needs more practice with golf carts, but everything else he does great. We are amazed that we haven’t screwed things up. Puppy training resumes next Tuesday.

I fixed a broken sprinkler head in two minutes using extra parts I had laying around. I love it when that happens! 

Miles walked: 13.4

Miles biked: 0

Friday

We dropped Toby off at daycare after our morning neighborhood walk and headed to the causeway to walk and take in the views.

The winds were calm, but these optimistic sailors were going to give it a go.

We took advantage of Toby’s daycare appointment to browse the consignment store New For You on Main Street. We didn’t see anything we had to have.

We also stopped at Kimberly Home Thrift Shoppe on Main Street. It was clean and extremely well organized, but didn’t have the kinds of things we need.

Toby made it to K9 Adventures’ Facebook page again today, alongside his buddy Charlie. Those are two happy dogs!

We picked Toby up at 1:00. They met us at the door preparing us for a few scratches on Toby’s throat and one on his face. They assured us they all came from play, and no one intended any harm and no one had to be removed from the playroom. No one ganged up on him.

We knew because of Toby’s thin fur and pink skin that he would show any scratch, so we were prepared and had seen some marks each visit. Apparently, he and a German Shepherd puppy played hard. It was the shepherd’s first visit, so Toby gave him a warm welcome. John said he hopes that Toby gave as good as he got.

They applied Bactine to the wounds, so we rode our bikes to Publix when we got home and picked up some for tonight. John took this picture of me while I was feeling sad that Toby got hurt.

I rode my bike to the gym at Weaver Park to unwind.

We split two orders tonight: Hunan chicken and Szechuan chicken. They look the same, but have different flavors, which are beyond my ability to describe. The Szechuan almost had a BBQ taste; that’s about all I can think of. They were both very good. We would have them again.

Toby’s sacked out on my lap while I write this blog.

Today’s bike routes to Publix and Weaver Park 

Miles walked: 10.5

Miles biked: 10.34

Thursday

We enjoyed a beautiful Thanksgiving day with 75 degree weather. The clouds didn’t even look real.

We walked the causeway this morning and rode our bikes downtown and then to the causeway this afternoon.

People were out on their watercraft.

The skies were awesome.

We saw lots of new faces. Out of town guests, I assume.

John took this picture of a decorated street lamp. Businesses sponsor a pole and then decorate it for the holidays. This one is sponsored by Citrus, a women’s clothing boutique.

This morning’s walk was warm enough for short sleeves.

We had turkey sandwiches for lunch. John fixed beans and rice for dinner.

Toby got lots of walks and two long naps. He’s definitely calming down. Thank goodness!

Today’s bike routes to the causeway, downtown, and to Honeymoon Island 

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Miles walked: 12

Miles biked: 18.50

 

Wednesday

Santa on a bike on the roof of Tom's Tiki bar behind the house on the Pinellas Trail, 4641 Miles from the North Pole and 1.2 miles from Downtown Dunedin

I took these pictures on the way back from Weaver Park. It was sunny and 72 degrees, which as crazy as it sounds is cold in a 10 mph breeze on a bike. But not as cold as this morning's 47 degree pre-dawn walk.

We took a flip flop walk around Lake Saundra, killing some time before Toby's dinner time.

John perused the books in the lending library but came away empty handed.

The causeway walk this morning was pleasant at 60 degrees. We stopped by the thrift store in the Causeway Plaza on the way home just to see if anything jumped out at us, but it didn't.

It turned out to be a beautiful day.

Today's bike route to Weaver Park and downtown Dunedin

Miles walked: 13.1

Miles biked: 7.39