After retiring last fall from my office job of the past eight years, I gave a lot of thought to how best to keep my mind active and productive. I believe I mentioned that I was going to start writing again for BellaOnline – an international multi-topic online magazine owned and operated by women.
I’ve been writing for BellaOnline since mid-December, but put off sending a link to you here on my personal blog because the BellaOnline site has been undergoing a major (and unavoidable) server change and they were experiencing a lot of script errors and delays in page loading. Although it seems to be a work in progress still, most of the major bugs have been resolved at this point. You SHOULD be able to click on the link to MY site (listed below) and get to it promptly at this point.
BellaOnline’s Mission Statement reads:
“BellaOnline is an encouraging, supportive publishing community for women. We provide free training, support, and promotion so writers may reach their personal and business goals. Overall, BellaOnline delivers high-quality, helpful, trustworthy content, at no cost, in a low advertisement environment for our millions of visitors.“
Quote from “About Us” at BellaOnline.com: “BellaOnline is not a corporation, or an entity with large funding. In a world where most content sites are owned by TV and Media conglomerates, we are fiercely independent. We are a community of women who live all around the globe. We support each other, train each other, and together we strive to offer the highest quality content we can to our visitor audience.”
The site I have once again become the editor of in this vast network of editors is the “Alaska Site” and I’m enjoying getting back into the saddle, so to speak, of writing a weekly article. I’ve already made friends with the “Canadian Culture” editor, the “Knitting” editor and several others – so many, many topics, and each one has a real person writing weekly articles!
BTW; BellaOnline is always looking for potential new editors and have a list of topics. Also, if you love to write and would like to suggest a topic that isn’t on the list, feel free to contact them. As you’ll see from a quick scan through the website, the variety of topics is nearly endless. Just a thought for my fellow bloggers to consider. đ
It’s entirely up to me to pick what I want to write about each week; travel destinations, book reviews, flora and fauna, history … absolutely anything Alaskan. I can’t imagine running out of ideas, and the research for many of my topic ideas just add more ideas to the list.
I do plan on using my own in-state RV travel experiences as jumping off points for quite a few articles, so some of my own stories and RV related articles will be mixed in with more informative or serious articles. My recent article, “The Whittier Tunnel to Prince William Sound”, was based on last summers fun adventure – I’m hoping it will encourage other Alaskan visitors to add Whittier to their trip lists. đ
I hope you’ll visit, read some of my articles, and maybe even click on the “Follow Alaska” link to be added to my newsletter. Just like my personal blog, my BellaOnline site will ONLY send you one weekly email, letting you know what new article topic I’ve written about and giving you a direct link to the article.
When you visit my Alaska site, you’ll want to check for my name as author to find the close to two dozen articles I have up so far. I actually have an advantage over many new editors – since I held this same position nearly 10 years ago, I already had quite a few articles published on the site from my previous stint as editor. I’ve simply begun adding to them again.
You will notice there are still a lot of articles written by “Guest Authors”. These articles were written, for the most part, by previous Alaska editors and will remain on the site until I have sufficient articles of my own for them to slowly drop off, at which point they will remain in achieves and are searchable by search engine until such time as the previous editor request to remove them, if they do.
AND … since I’m always up for new challenges; I will challenge YOU right now to come up with an idea for a new article for me to research. I’m building a list of topics and would love to add to it. All my personal blog posts will remain here, where I can be more casual and share my personal thoughts, photos and feelings. I think it’s going to prove to be a nice balance for me. đ
Ronni and I had a short but productive training session this evening. We were refreshing some trick dog moves and doing some easy pedestal work. When you are a looong dog, itâs even more important to have good rear-end awareness.
To that end; I had an empty box (thank you Amazon!) just the right size for Rhonda to fit inside – but only JUST. And being a freshly opened box, the flaps were stiff and stuck out on all sides. The challenge would be to jump into the box, clearing the flaps with all four feet and landing in the middle of the open box rather than half in and half out.
Checking out the challenge
I told her âJump in!â. Rhonda eyed the box from all sides, but when she placed a testing paw on the box flap, it gave way and her paw slipped. Her head cocked and she backed off and approached from a new angle. Same result. Hmm …
I tapped the center of the open box with my finger and repeated, âJump in!â. She had first learned this trick over a year ago, and we havenât really practiced it since then, but I didnât think it was all that difficult for a brave, agile little Dachshund. SHE obviously thought I was wrong in that assumption.
I offered a kibble treat in the box – now she was seriously motivated, but still not confident she could safely make the jump. She circled the box, pawed and pushed it, but didnât commit.
I decided she was being silly and decided âone picture was better than a thousand wordsâ. A role model was needed here.
âCome here, Baxter!â, I called. The boy jumped off the sofa and trotted over, always up for a treat. I pointed at the box on the floor and told him, âJump in!â Baxter promptly popped into the box, nimbly clearing the flaps and landing right in the center with all four feet and finishing smartly with a Sit Pretty. I tossed him the kibble. Well done!
We both glanced over at Rhonda. She had the good grace to look slightly abashed (well, that mightâve been in my mind, but I couldâve sworn …). I asked Baxter to âJump outâ and gave him another treat before turning back to Ronni.
The light dawned in her eyes and the knowledge that Baxter had gotten TREATS that should have been hers spurred her into action. If HE could do it, obviously she could do it! Not thinking any further, Ronni pounced on the box like a fox, landing with precision right in the center, fears totally forgotten. Feed me!! Sheesh!
Rhonda can be such a food-hound! Still – lesson learned. I had her jump in and out several more times for good measure. đ Silly dog.
I am NOT complaining over the happy fact that it is +28F here in Meadow Lakes, Alaska today. However, I really wish Mother Nature would be kind enough to do these things a tad less dramatically. I felt this change coming yesterday – weather change precognition seems to be a talent of many auto-immune sufferers. đ
It was -3F yesterday morning; the air still, cold and quiet. I was admittedly OVER the cold weather we’ve had non-stop for the entire month of January, but at least it had stayed consistently COLD. Today, with a 30-degree change in temperature overnight, combined with a barometer drop and fairly strong, gusting winds … well, that is just a prescription for a fibromyalgia flare up. Arrghh!
Fibro is one of many “invisible” auto-immune disorders. If you’d like to learn more about this and other auto-immune diseases so that you can better support a friend or family member, this (below) is a great link to a You-Tube video, explaining how auto-immune disorders affect everyday life. The author of “Spoon Theory” has Lupus, but the theory fits equally well for many other diseases as well, including fibromyalgia. I’d consider it a personal favor if you would take the time to watch it to the end. It’s about ten minutes.
So today, although the temperatures have risen and all should be right with the world, I am sitting in bed with my laptop in my lap (where else would a laptop be, right?), writing this and thinking maybe a nap should be my next order of business. I ache from head to toe and it’s only 1:00 pm. I do not have sufficient spoons for the plans I had for today and am only grateful it’s Wednesday and I don’t HAVE to be anywhere. I often borrow from “tomorrow’s spoons” to get through a day, and probably DID borrow some last night for three hours of Nose Work practice, considering the impending weather change, but it was worth it! đ
Heck, on the bright side; I washed my hair and even dremeled the dogs nails yesterday before we headed off to NW practice, so I don’t have to feel guilty that isn’t getting done today – one less spoon to worry about.
Hopefully, I’ll have enough spoons after my nap to walk on the treadmill. I’ve been trying hard to make that a daily routine (regular exercise, as long as I don’t overdo, is GOOD for fibro – it often leaves me feeling better rather than worse even though it can be hard to motivate myself to start) and I don’t want to let myself down. I’m working on teaching Rhonda to walk on it too. đ Baxter mastered treadmill walking years ago, although he insists on exiting when HE wants to rather than when I say so. At least he stays out from underfoot and understands how to safely get on and off, so I’m fine with that.
Ohhh … Jerry says we’re having great big artichokes for dinner tonight! I wonder if I can talk him into doing potato skins with them? Yum?
When the tiny 2-pound bundle of black and tan furry love that was âPocketâ joined our family in October 1998, I fell head over heels and irrevocable into love with Dachshunds.
Pocket was actually only half Dachshund, at least genetically, although her personality was sure 100%. Her mama was a gorgeous, AKC registered Miniature Dachshund â a shiny copper-penny red â destined for the show circuit and a probable future as a dam of quality purebred Miniature Dachshund puppies. Her sire lived in the same household in Washington state, but never the twain was supposed to meet [in that way âŚ]; he was an equally beautiful and equally well-bred black and tan Chihuahua. Oops! Someone left a door open. So much for best-laid plans.
Then again, sometimes magic happens. I first met the litter of âoops puppiesâ five weeks after their birth, during a driving trip from Alaska to California. We had made plans to stop at my friend Pennyâs farm on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington to see her Nigerian Dwarf goats and werenât aware of the possibility of puppies. A happy surprise! As soon as we walked through the gate, we were met by a scrambling pile of glossy black & tan and shiny red wiggle-worms, all wanting to be the first to meet the visitors. Such friendly, confident puppies!
Each of the five pups were already a unique little individual, and each looked different. How odd ⌠they varied in size and shape, with one very close to a tiny, perfect Chihuahua and another seeming to be a nearly perfect little Dachshund ⌠my first thought was that maybe there were two litters. But no, the other three puppies fell someplace in between in height and length. This was back before âdesigner dogsâ became popular â we promptly started calling this mix of Chihuahua and Miniature Dachshund âDahuahuasâ (pronounced âDAA-Wow-Waâ), which I STILL think is way cuter than Chi-Weenies.
Adorable though they were, we were on vacation and I was NOT looking for a puppy. All too soon, however, any possible decision was whisked from my hands as the miniscule black and tan Dachshund puppy (I couldnât think of it as anything else with her long little body and short little legs) swarmed up into my hands. Pools of dark chocolate met my eyes and held, filled with love and instant connection. She was barely the length of my hand, from fingertips to wrist and she was absolutely perfect. I vaguely recall Penny saying something like, âOh, it looks like she likes youâ and asked Jerry if he was OK with our adopting her. Jerry, being a smart man, looked at the two of us staring at each other in obvious infatuation and replied, âOh, I think that decision has already been made.â Pocket was meant to be mine.
9-week-old “Pocket” in her ferret-coat
Of course, at five weeks old, Pocket was way too young to leave her mama, which was just as well. We made arrangements with Penny and a little over a month later found ourselves at the airport in Anchorage, where we picked up a tiny little cat carrier. Seriously, if it was a dog crate, it was the smallest one Iâd ever seen. Even so, when I opened the little door, I had to peer all the way to the back of the crate to find my prize ⌠and was I ever surprised.
There was 9-week-old Pocket, her deep brown eyes peering out at me cautiously. Pressed up against her in the crate was a matching pair of brown eyes. What?! Wait. There were TWO tiny, two-pound puppies in the crate! What in the world? I had my answer in minutes. An envelope was taped to the top of the crate. In it, Penny explained that when she placed Pocket in her travel crate, she looked so small and so helpless, she just couldnât bring herself to leave her at the airport for the long trip to Alaska. She decided at the last minute to send her brother, Levi, along with her for comfort and moral support. đ She said we were welcome to keep him as a gift if we wanted, and if not, she trusted us to find him a wonderful forever home.
Little Levi was cute, to be sure. Black and tan like his sister, he had a shorter body and slightly longer legs, showing his mixed Chihuahua/Doxie heritage. Seriously adorable. We were tempted. But two puppies? Iâve never been a fan of raising sibling puppies â too often, you end up with what dog trainers refer to as âsibling syndromeâ. The pups bond so tightly with each other, it can make training more difficult and can lead to behavioral issues you often donât tend to see with a single puppy. Itâs also not as easy to give each puppy the attention they really deserve in those all-important early months. It can be done, of course, but two puppies truly are a lot more work than one. We left the airport with our arms full of tiny treasures, unsure of the future of one of them.
We had already promised, on the way home, to stop and show our new little Pocket to my friend, Julie. Was she ever surprised and delighted when we showed up with two puppies instead of one. She also had the perfect solution to our dilemma. One of her co-workers was looking for a small-breed puppy. Maybe âŚ? Introductions were made and while Leviâs potential new family fell instantly in love and started making the necessary plans, we took both puppies home with us for a couple days of rest and recuperation.
It was a joyful drive home â I was more than happy to have two puppies to play with for a day or two, especially knowing one of them would be heading off to his own home shortly. đ
Introducing Pocket, once Levi had left for his forever home, to our resident dog, GSD/Aussie cross, Isaac, was a little scary. She was just SOOOO small! We told Isaac that this was HIS puppy and heâd better be really careful with her. Within minutes, we knew it was going to be fine.
3-year-old Isaac with “his new puppy”, Pocket.
Pocket fit into our family seamlessly, loving everyone and everything. She was respectful of our Cockatiel, Pippin, was great with our cats and adored her big brother, Isaac.
Pocket believed she was much bigger than her 7-pound actual [adult] weight and lived her life with great confidence and verve. More than once we saw her dive right into Isaacâs big, toothy mouth to retrieve a desired toy. No fear â all Dachshund. đ
Pocket’s first Christmas
Playful as she was, I was always amazed at the calm equilibrium with which tiny Pocket accepted each new cat, dog, bird or other creature into âherâ home over the next fifteen years. We regularly dog-sat for friendsâ dogs and she never complained, growled or worried. They either became a new best friend and playmate, or, if they were really big dogs, they were beneath her notice and ignored. The only exception to the âbig dogâ rule, other than Isaac when she was a puppy, was Abby. Pocket adored Abby from day one and the affection was returned in full. Pocket could be a bit of a diva and definitely owned my lap, but she was also a true little lady and such a love-bug.
In hindsight, I wish Iâd realized how much more than a sweet housedog this little girl could have been. I had Border collies most of the years we had Pocket, and although I did obedience training and sports with them, it honestly never occurred to me to do more with Pocket than teaching her a few cute tricks. She was well-mannered and adorable; the perfect travel companion. But how little I knew about Dachshunds back then!
Pocket at age 5 years
Baxter at 10-months-old
In December, 2010, when Pocket was twelve years old, the opportunity was tossed into my lap to add another Dachshund to the family. Yep, another unplanned adoption. As soon as I saw 10-month-old Baxter, I was taken with the idea of âa matched set of Dachshundsâ, even though Baxterâs true Dachshund conformation accentuated Pocketâs mixed heritage more clearly â and he was twice her size. He was also a LOT more active!
Still, they were both black and tan and they got along like gang-busters right from the start. They were quite the little duo for about 3 ½ years, although as Pocket got older and frailer, playing wasnât as important as napping on her favorite blankie on the sofa or in front of the woodstove. Right up until she passed over the bridge just before her 16th birthday, she was a happy, loving little angel and considered Baxter to be her brother. Mixed breed or not, I will always remember Pocket as my first Dachshund.
Pocket at age fifteen
I remember thinking how fortunate I was to have Baxter as part of our family when Pocket left us to cross the Bridge. It was such a sad time and I missed my little girl terribly. I think being completely without a little black and tan dog in the house would have crushed me.
Pocket had been gone for a few years before I was finally ready to return to my dream of having that âpair of Dachshundsâ in my life again. This time, I knew a lot more about Dachshunds (thanks to Baxter and his nonstop drive to keep busy) and I knew Dachshunds were meant to be a lot more than house-dogs.
Soon the search was on ⌠and it took me quite a while. It was never with the thought of replacing Pocket; she was a âfirst loveâ kind of dog. But I wanted my PAIR of Dachshunds and I figured Iâd better do it while Baxter was still young enough to be part of a âpairâ. Even so, he was eight years old before I found the right Dachshund puppy. Pocket would have absolutely loved Rhonda. đ Iâm sure Pocket is up in Heaven right now, keeping an eye on both of them, thinking âLook how happy they are, and how happy Mom is. I started all that!â
Thank you, Pocket. You are a very special girl. Mama loves you.
De & the Dachsies - Our Rambles 