THREE MONTHS with Tedders Fredders Fritter Fry

Where did spring go? What? Wait!

It has officially been three months with Teddy. It has been rewarding, exciting, challenging, encouraging, frustrating, educational, infinitely amusing, hilarious, fun-filled quarter with our new boy. The only thing that really matters is that we love him so much, and he loves us right back!

First, the challenges:

In the first few weeks of our new Teddyverse, Greg was still working in Reno so I was parenting solo. It did not go perfectly smoothly (although it's already funny looking back on those first weeks...).

Here is a short list of Teddy sacrifices that were made before I learned that crates (which he likes) are total lifesavers if I have to leave him alone:

- the couch
- textbooks
- picture books
- a door frame
- his harness
- his collar
- his leash
- tax forms
- markers/pens
- baseboards
- ...and many more!

So that was an interesting time, and oh boy have I changed my tune on crates. He feels safe in his crate, enjoys going in it to sleep and eat his food, and it keeps me from losing my mind (and all of my belongings). A solution that worked for everybody! Hallelujah! The destruction was a big headache, but the fix was quick and easy.

Second, and most importantly, we're still working on his fear of strangers (and the resulting dramatic barking/lunging reaction). Thanks to our great trainer, and a lot of experimenting, we have figured out a system that really works for him. It hasn't failed yet! We're using clicker training to help him redirect to us when he is scared of an approaching person, and he has really been making great progress over the past couple of weeks. It's really exciting to see.

As always, we celebrate small victories and good behaviors with lots of treats and hugs. It's obvious that he's trying his absolute hardest (we are too) and well all still have a long way to go, but we are really proud of him!

OK, now to the fun:

1. Greg is DONE working! Forever!
2. Teddy is so dang fun and such a great hiking/running/exploring buddy!
3. It's SUMMER!

Basically, everything is awesome.

Spring quarter was beautiful and we spent many (most?) afternoons exploring the trails, creeks and secrets around the Santa Ynez river valley, usually with Teddy's best friend Khora and our great human friends Julie and Elliot. There are always surprises. Here are some pictures from Paradise Road Tick Collectors Incorporated:

Best buds ready for another adventure.

Fire break exploring near Lower Oso.

Taking a river break on Arroyo Burro.

Looking down Camuesa...

Running up the Camuesa Connector.

Exploring along Buckhorn Road, with Little Pine behind him.

Teddy & Khora playing their new favorite game.

We even went to the beach a few times.

Teddy loves playing with all the other dogs! 

But we've learned that he has to stay on his leash,

because he does not necessary love all the people...

A happy boy in Santa Barbara.

 Smiling at Douglas Preserve.

This is where Mattie and I first met,

and was one of our special laughing places.

For spring break we headed north for our final stay at the Canepa Ranch in Reno. That was a rough one. That beautiful ranch right on the Truckee River was a great home, and the starting point for countless climbing, fishing, and exploring expeditions with Mattie around Tahoe and Nevada. We'll miss Mr. Burrito and the place itself - it's not often that you have petroglyphs in your backyard and blue-ribbon trout fishing just behind them. But even great things end, and we left there bittersweetly knowing that we wouldn't be staying at the ranch in Mogul anymore.

Early spring fishing at the Truckee.

My two guys.

Teddy loves cuddling.

When he's not more interested in punching your face.

Teddy and Burrito meet.💗

He even likes fetch! 

We took a little trip to Aspendell to check on the cabin, and for Teddyhoula's first trip to the Eastern Sierra! He loved playing fetch in the snow, adventuring in the sagebrush, and even learned that he loved digging holes in the sand. 

Wandering with the White Mountains behind him.

My family.

Cuddling on the cabin couch.

Hunting in the snow.

Playing fetch with Greg in the backyard.

Then we headed back to Reno for a few days to close out spring break before heading back to the coast. We'll miss you, Canepa Ranch! Thanks for an amazing three years!

Our final morning at Canepa Ranch. 

We love this place, and we hope the next person living there does too.

It's a special little haven on a river, and we were lucky to call it home for a while.

We'll be back to visit, Burrito.

We left and were sad, but that also meant that Greg was SO CLOSE to retiring. I taught my intensive course for 5 weeks (with more hiking, exploring, river adventuring, etc.), and just like that Greg wrapped up 28 years of work, packed up his things, and moved half of it to Aspendell and half to Santa Barbara.

Teddy really lost his shit when Greg showed up. He was so excited. It was a great reunion (again) for these two, and for the three of us. After almost 5 years, our family gets to live together all year instead of just over half of it. YESSSSSSS. Hanging out with these two is the absolute best.

Secret trail near Sage Hill.

 Whatever works, as long as I'm cuddling with my Dad...

We spent spring tromping around the grasslands, poison oak, riverbeds, fire roads, and trails all around Paradise. Countless ticks were collected. Poison oak outbreaks were kept to a minimum. We got scratches, stickers, bites, sunburns, and nettles. We saw bear prints, mountain lion tracks, digger bees, a CONDOR!!!, snakes, and even a giant horny toad. We had a big awesome party for graduating students at the cabin before we left for summer in the Eastern Sierra. Basically, it was a really amazing couple of months.

Exploration station.

 This wander was actually pretty shitty,

but we did it anyway.

First crossing.

Horny toad buddy in the riverbed! 

We love him. 

California condor over Aliso Canyon!

Who would've thought? 

Standard Teddy/Khora insanity above 19 Oaks.

Just a lil' baby rattlesnake buddy...

Teddy even made good friends with Yeti and Dad! 

Here he is on the Lower-Upper Oso trail.

This is also where I saw the mountain lion years ago.

We'll have to get a better picture of Teddy & Bill next time,

but this is proof that they actually hung out in SLO for a short visit.

Then, after a great spring in Santa Barbara, it was time to get north to the mountains again.

So here we are.
It's a SUMMER in the Eastern Sierra again.
It's our first summer without Mattie, but it's our first summer with Teddy, so it's okay.

We hit the ground running up here (literally and figuratively), and are finally getting our lungs up at 8500'. The fishing is fun, I'm losing flies like it's my job, the moths aren't here yet, the weather has been beautiful, and we've already had some great visits from friends and family!

We had a nice visit from friends Alina (soon-to-be Bren graduate) and Russ, who came over for an evening of beers and stories about being a kid in the Eastern Sierras. Then Eric and Meng came up for a super fun weekend of exploring, whiskey, music, petroglyphing, Teddy-wrangling, food, beer, suicidal birds, Mountain Rambler Brewery, and Aspendell neighborhood walks. Teddy warmed up quickly and they became fast friends...by the end of their stay he felt so comfortable with them that he liked sharing their armchairs and punching them to try to make them play (oof). We had such a great time - thanks for coming to hang out with us, and for the whiskey and new perfect bluetooth speaker! Such great choices.

Come visit again soon, Teddy misses you :)

Adventuring between North & Sabrina Lakes.

Great weather, friends, and singletrack.

A stop at Mountain Rambler.

Kevin, this is to motivate you & Dawn to come visit!

There is ONE brewery in Bishop, but it's a good one 🙂 

Patina petroglyphs.

Exploring the Buttermilks.

Eric & Meng sizing up some boulders. 

Barely holding that thing up...

Meng made an awesome fire!

Teddy supervises (and plays with his toy on his favorite seat - the ottoman).

A lot of planning and schematics went into this success. 

Memorial Day cheeseburger & beer BBQ on the deck.

Family picture in front of the cabin before they headed home.

Come back soon! 

Now, it's back to the three of us.

We've been doing some landscaping and are going to start on the deck next week (wooooooo! uuuughh!). We have a ton of work to do, but we'll have a beautiful view behind us and we'll have to take plenty of breaks to go fishing and hiking every day.

Yesterday we caught fish out of the North Lake outlet and right out of Bishop Creek in the neighborhood. Plus found some new bedrock mortars.

It's a good start to summer. We'll update you again soon.

With love from the cabin deck,
Allie, Greg, and Teddy the Menace