My book review process typically starts with finally being offered a book of interest. I agree to write and post a review. Then, I promptly freak-out about finding the time to read the book. Weather, in turns out, did me a favor. Thursday, May 3, 2018, we got a ton of heavy, wet snow. So much that I didn't go to agility class. So much that we lost power (and phone service) for about 12 hours. I did as much writing work as possible on my laptop and through sparing use of our battery back-up system to access wifi a few times to check email, but there was only so much I could do. So, I read Stephanie Feldstein's book all in one sitting. Here is my book review Animal Lover's Guide to Changing the World - Practical Advice and Everyday Actions for a More Sustainable, Humane, and Compassionate Planet. Details on the book giveaway at the end. Scroll down.

It's that time of year again. I cannot believe that Clover will be 4 years old this weekend. How is that even possible? It's kind of freaking me out how time is flying. We have so much more to do, so many more adventures to have. From the (literally) thousands of photos I took of her in the last year, I selected about 75 of them for this year's birthday tribute video. I like the final photo to be something really special, but I haven't (yet) taken the perfect 04 photo of her yet this week, so we'll stick with a photo of her sprinting so fast that all 4 feet are off the ground. She does fly. Happy birthday, baby girl. Here's to many more!

The veterinary costs detailed inside the latest Nationwide Purdue Veterinary Price Index show interesting drops and increases in what people pay for veterinary care for their pets -- particularly in the immediate aftermath of The Great Recession as well as in the most recent couple of years. My general sense is that my experience overall has been different as a Dog Mom in Colorado, where the recession wasn't particularly bad, with costs going up and up. However, one point about veterinary costs at primary care / general veterinary hospitals versus at specialty veterinary hospitals rings true. Eerily true.

It took several weeks into an online dog training class that I'm taking with Clover for me to gain some insights into why I sometimes fail in my training efforts with her. That doesn't mean the answers and solutions will be easy, but I see things more clearly now. Eureka moments in dog training just ahead.