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88 posts
Mabel's Dental: Three Extractions and a $1,183 BillJune 13, 2025A routine cleaning turned into three extractions. The estimate, the final bill, what my staff discount covered and why we paid from savings.
Living With Original Oak Floors and a 68-Pound DogJune 5, 2025Seventy-seven-year-old oak floors and a dog who sprints to the door: the scratches we accept, the rugs that help and why nail trims matter.
Teaching Hank to Ride in a Fishing Boat Without Jumping ShipMay 30, 2025Caleb wanted a fishing buddy. Hank wanted every loon on the lake. A borrowed boat, a $45 life jacket and four short practice runs.
Itchy Paws in May and How Our Deductible Actually WorksMay 24, 2025Hank's spring allergy visit cost $212. How that bill counted toward our $500 deductible, and why nothing has come back this policy year.
A Window Perch Mabel Finally Approved OfMay 19, 2025Three cat perches later, one stuck. What Mabel rejected, the hammock she now naps in daily and how we made it work on an old window.
One Month With a Robot Vacuum in a Two-Shedder HouseMay 12, 2025We bought a $279 robot vacuum on sale in April. What it picks up, where it gets stuck in an old house and whether Mabel has forgiven it.
Trying a Fresh Dog Food Subscription on a Kibble BudgetMay 5, 2025We added a fresh-food topper to Hank's bowl for a trial. The first box, the fridge space, his reaction and the real per-day price.
Tick Season Starts Early in Isanti CountyApril 29, 2025Snow melts and the deer ticks wake up. Our nightly tick check, the prevention our vet has Hank on, and the trail edges we skip in April.
Spring Cleaning When Half the Dust Is Dog HairApril 22, 2025Winter coats come out in clumps every April. Our room-by-room spring clean, the tools that earn their keep and where the dog hair hides.
Easter Weekend Foods That Light Up a Vet Clinic's Phone LinesApril 15, 2025Chocolate eggs, ham bones, grapes and lilies: the Easter calls I've taken at the front desk, and the simple counter rules we keep at home.
Why the Dog Has Pet Insurance and the Cat Doesn't (Yet)April 8, 2025One costly holiday surgery, one staff discount and two very different animals: how we decided which pet to insure and which to self-fund.
How a Golden Mutt From Oklahoma Ended Up on Our Gray SofaApril 2, 2025A transport van, a foster home in Anoka and one very calm meet-and-greet: the story of how Hank joined our family in October 2021.