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88 posts
Cat Litter, Ranked by Someone Who Scoops Every MorningSeptember 4, 2025Clay, pine, walnut, paper and crystal: five litters we tried with Mabel, ranked for dust, tracking, smell and what a month really costs.
Blue-Green Algae Season and Where Hank Swims InsteadAugust 27, 2025Late August brings algae warnings on some lakes. How we check before a swim, the spots we skip and the sandy river bend Hank loves instead.
Two Dollars Short of Our Pet Insurance DeductibleAugust 19, 2025Two itchy-dog visits, $498 in eligible bills and $0 reimbursed. A mid-year look at what we've paid in premiums versus what came back.
Canceling the Fresh Food Subscription: The Math That Decided ItAugust 12, 2025Three months of fresh-food topper cost us $174. What changed for Hank, what didn't, and the per-day numbers that sent us back to kibble.
Braham Pie Day, Four Slices InAugust 4, 2025The first Friday of August, a small town and a lot of pie. Our yearly trip to Braham, the slices we ranked and why the dog stayed home.
Frozen Treats for a Hot Dog: Four We Make at HomeJuly 31, 2025Ice cube trays, plain yogurt, blueberries and broth. Four frozen treats we make for Hank in July, and the one that melted into a mess.
Our Dog-Friendly Cabin Week Near Nisswa, Honestly ReviewedJuly 25, 2025A $75 pet fee, a dock Hank refused to leave and one porcupine scare. What a dog-friendly resort week up north was really like.
Hiring a Drop-In Cat Sitter for the First Time, and What It CostJuly 22, 2025Mabel stayed home while we went to the lake. Finding a sitter, the meet-and-greet, eight visits at $24 each and the photos that calmed me.
Packing for a Lake Week With a Dog: What Made the CutJuly 9, 2025Four nights at a lake cabin with a 68-pound dog. What we packed, what never left the car and the towel math that matters for a swimmer.
Getting a Fireworks-Scared Dog Through the Fourth of JulyJuly 2, 2025Hank shakes from the first bottle rocket to the last. The basement den, white noise, timing and the vet conversation that helped our Fourth.
Hot Pavement, 6 A.M. Walks and Our Summer Dog ScheduleJune 28, 2025Once June hits the eighties, our walks move to sunrise and dusk. The hand-on-asphalt test, our shady routes and how the day reshuffled.
Soft Food Week: Notes From a Cat's Dental RecoveryJune 20, 2025Pain meds hidden in a lickable treat, pâté warmed for ten seconds and a cat who sulked for two days. Mabel's week after her extractions.