{"id":25167,"date":"2019-12-30T08:10:45","date_gmt":"2019-12-30T15:10:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=25167"},"modified":"2020-12-20T09:47:31","modified_gmt":"2020-12-20T16:47:31","slug":"lupes-9th-birthday-12-14-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=25167","title":{"rendered":"Lupe’s 9th Birthday (12-14-19)"},"content":{"rendered":"

What?\u00a0 Another birthday?\u00a0 SPHP said it was true!\u00a0 It had been so long since Lupe’s last birthday, she had almost forgotten about them.\u00a0 The American Dingo was excited!\u00a0 Eager to see what sort of birthday this would be, she rushed outside.\u00a0 The morning was frosty, gray, and cold.\u00a0 Not too surprising when your birthday comes in practically the middle of December.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Morning patrol in the back yard. A quiet, almost foggy, gray day.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Well, no matter.\u00a0 Snow and a little crisp air wouldn’t interfere with a few attempts to catch the good old flying disc!\u00a0 As usual, the main obstacle to success was SPHP’s poor aim, but Lupe was often fast and agile enough to make up for it.\u00a0 No doubt about it, she was still SPHP’s star receiver!<\/p>\n

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Returning with the flying disc after another successful catch.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The initial shock and excitement of having a birthday died down as the day shot by without much else happening.\u00a0 Shortly after dark, though, it was time to go!\u00a0 Lupe has celebrated her birthday with an evening party at Grandma’s house every since year since she turned 1.\u00a0 This year wasn’t going to be any different!<\/p>\n

On the way there, SPHP stopped by Storybook Island<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0 Lupe couldn’t go in, but she could see thousands and thousands of beautiful Christmas lights, and hear the festive music.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Just outside Storybook Island in Rapid City. The whole place, only a tiny fraction of which is seen here, was all lit up for the Christmas Lights of Night celebration!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
It would be even better, if they would let me in!<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At Grandma’s house, Lupe couldn’t wait to burst in the door and race up the stairs to tell Grandma the fabulous news about her birthday being this very day!\u00a0 Grandma was so glad to see Lupe, and congratulated her on being 9 years old!<\/p>\n

\"\"
Oh, Grandma! Can you believe it? I’m 9 years old! Isn’t that great?<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe’s birthday parties have always been small, but this one was going to be one of the smallest.\u00a0 Grandma and SPHP were the only guests.\u00a0 Lupe happily posed with Grandma to commemorate the grand occasion.<\/p>\n

\"\"
With Grandma, who has been hostess for all of Lupe’s birthday parties.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

SPHP had brought a pizza to share with Grandma.\u00a0 Lupe wasn’t offered any, but kept a watchful eye while the pizza dwindled, because she knew what would come next.\u00a0 That’s right!\u00a0 A trip to the cul-de-sac with SPHP!<\/p>\n

\"\"
A trip to the cul-de-sac is the greatest thing! Usually there are deer, sometimes wild turkeys or bunnies!<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When enough of the pizza had vanished, Lupe and SPHP headed out.\u00a0 It had been cold and gray all day.\u00a0 Now it was snowing and foggy.\u00a0 That didn’t diminish Lupe’s enthusiasm in the least.\u00a0 There were Christmas lights to see along the way.<\/p>\n

\"\"
By a splendid little Christmas tree on the way to the cul-de-sac.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
In the nighttime winter wonderland!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Every year the “Most Beautiful Christmas Tree” had always been close to the cul-de-sac, but it wasn’t there this time!\u00a0 A huge disappointment!\u00a0 Actually, the big tree was still there, but for the first time ever on Lupe’s birthday, it stood dark and forlorn as snow drifted down upon it.\u00a0 Oh, unhappy change!\u00a0 It was hard to believe it wasn’t as it had always been!<\/p>\n

To tell the truth, lots of strange things had been happening at Grandma’s house over the past year, too.\u00a0 Rooms full of furniture were suddenly empty.\u00a0 New carpet, paint, and various projects tackled inside and out.\u00a0 Grandma’s house had hardly ever changed until Lupe turned 8.\u00a0 Now the Carolina Dog didn’t know what to expect from one visit to the next.<\/p>\n

Upon getting back from the cul-de-sac, Lupe decided she’d better take a look at the latest project.\u00a0 Down in the basement, a new wall was being put up.\u00a0 Sure enough, more progress had been made on it in just the past day or two.\u00a0 The wall was looking great, all ready for tape and texture.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Inspecting the new basement wall, the most recent project in progress at Grandma’s house.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The scary part of Lupe’s birthday celebration had been delayed as long as possible.\u00a0 Returning upstairs to join Grandma, Lupe watched as SPHP brought out the cake and presents.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Lupe’s birthday cake featured 3 snow-capped mountains and 9 candles.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
Look at all this! A little courage, and I’m going to be a rich Dingo moments from now!<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Cake and presents were fine and dandy, but their appearance meant the dreaded trial by fire was about to begin!\u00a0 Every year the trial got worse.\u00a0 SPHP lit 9 candles.\u00a0 The flaming cake was a terrible sight to behold!\u00a0 Lupe had to muster all the courage she could to remain sitting next to the raging inferno all the way through Grandma and SPHP singing “Happy Birthday!” to her.<\/p>\n

\"\"
The dreaded trial by fire begins!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
Please hurry! Get to the end of the singing!<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When the song was over, SPHP blew out the candles so Lupe’s birthday wishes would come true.\u00a0 Simply by blowing out those sinister candles, one wish had undoubtedly already been granted.\u00a0 In an instant, the solemn mood changed to one of joy!\u00a0 Presents!\u00a0 Lupe had 4 of them.\u00a0 She sniffed each one before SPHP opened them for her.<\/p>\n

A big package of Good”n”Fun treats!\u00a0 3 Kong SqueakAir balls!\u00a0 A 12 pack of Purina Busy Rib Hides!\u00a0 They were all great favorites, but that final 4th present was divine!\u00a0 Ah, that one Lupe sniffed with the most intense interest of all.\u00a0 Something scrumptious was in there!<\/p>\n

Oh, yeah!\u00a0 A T-bone steak!\u00a0 Weren’t Grandma and SPHP sorry now that they had stuffed themselves with that lousy pizza?\u00a0 You can bet they were!\u00a0 The birthday Dingo was going to be the only one living high on the cow tonight!<\/p>\n

\"\"
Told you I was going to be rich!<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
Will I have to pay luxury tax? I’d rather not.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
I’m eating this piece of evidence tonight!<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe tried to have patience while SPHP broiled her T-bone steak for her.\u00a0 She would have preferred to have dispensed with the broiling process entirely, but had to admit it came out all nice and brown on the outside, and red and juicy on the inside.\u00a0 SPHP cut off the biggest, tenderest parts of the T-bone meat and served them to the lucky birthday girl.<\/p>\n

While Lupe made short work of it, SPHP wrapped the actual T-bone, still with a considerable amount of meat and gristle clinging to it, in a plastic bag.\u00a0 Lupe’s best ever midnight snack when she got home!<\/p>\n

Cake!\u00a0 Ice cream!\u00a0 Grandma and SPHP both had some.\u00a0 Although Lupe could have had some, too, the luscious T-bone seemed to suffice for her.<\/p>\n

So the party ended, with nearly all of Lupe’s birthday traditions from 9 years in a row once again full-filled.\u00a0 After thanking and saying good-bye to Grandma, SPHP and the birthday Dingo headed out the door.<\/p>\n

The night was still, dark, and cold.\u00a0 No longer snowing, just fog.\u00a0 Would Lupe like to go to the cul-de-sac again?\u00a0 The question was unexpected, but the American Dingo was eager to make a second trip.<\/p>\n

Near the cul-de-sac was a surprise.\u00a0 The Most Beautiful Christmas Tree was back!\u00a0 Not in all its former glory, but it was there.\u00a0 Only the bottom half was gaily decorated with lights, the top half remained in the gloom of night.\u00a0 Lupe went on to the cul-de-sac, but passed by the tree again a few minutes later on the way back.\u00a0 SPHP stopped to let her admire it.<\/p>\n

\"\"
The Most Beautiful Christmas Tree had returned!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
By the festive colored lights once more.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Time to go.\u00a0 During the silent march back to Grandma’s house where the G6 waited to take Lupe home, SPHP couldn’t dispel the notion that the Most Beautiful Christmas Tree had made one last valiant and successful effort to say good-bye to Lupe tonight.<\/p>\n

For it was good-bye.\u00a0 Early in 2020, the Year of Perfect Vision, everything was going to change.\u00a0 Grandma was getting too old and weary to keep up with the demands of living alone.\u00a0 Her big house with the sprawling yard full of deers and wild turkeys by the red rock canyon which Lupe had so enjoyed visiting hundreds of times was going to be for sale!<\/p>\n

Oh, Lupe would see it all again, quite a few times before that happened.\u00a0 One day soon, though, Grandma would be gone to a place where Lupe couldn’t visit her anymore.\u00a0 Then all of Grandma’s old treasures would disappear, more projects would get completed, the for sale sign would go up.\u00a0 Long before Lupe’s next birthday, the special home where Grandma had lived for decades would be someone else’s to enjoy.<\/p>\n

9 birthdays at Grandma’s house.\u00a0 This was the last.\u00a0 Sniffing along the edge of the canyon, watching the squirrels and deer, all these countless trips to the cul-de-sac would be history before long, too.\u00a0 Unless some special effort was made, Lupe would never see the Most Beautiful Christmas Tree on her birthday again.<\/p>\n

SPHP spoke none of this.\u00a0 At home, a scrumptious T-bone midnight snack awaited.\u00a0 No sense in making Lupe sad.\u00a0 Not on her Happy 9th Birthday!<\/p>\n

\"\"
With Grandma on Lupe’s 1st birthday. 12-14-11.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
By the Most Beautiful Christmas Tree, 12-14-19<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Links:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Lupe’s 8th Birthday (12-14-18)<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Double Digit Dingo! – Lupe’s 10th Birthday (12-14-20)<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Want more Lupe adventures?\u00a0\u00a0Choose\u00a0from\u00a0Lupe’s\u00a0Dingo Tales\u00a0Index<\/span><\/strong><\/a> or Master Adventure Index<\/span><\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0Or subscribe free\u00a0to\u00a0new Lupe Adventures<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What?\u00a0 Another birthday?\u00a0 SPHP said it was true!\u00a0 It had been so long since Lupe’s last birthday, she had almost forgotten about them.\u00a0 The American Dingo was excited!\u00a0 Eager to see what sort of birthday this would be, she rushed outside.\u00a0 The morning was frosty, gray, and cold.\u00a0 Not too surprising when your birthday comes … Continue reading Lupe’s 9th Birthday (12-14-19)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":25157,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[1204,105,744,106,1205,1206,104,1207],"class_list":["post-25167","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dingo-tales","tag-9th-birthday","tag-american-dingo","tag-birthday","tag-carolina-dog","tag-cul-de-sac","tag-grandma","tag-lupe","tag-most-beautiful-christmas-tree"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventuresoflupe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/IMG_6197-scaled.jpg?fit=1651%2C1238&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25167","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=25167"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25167\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30645,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25167\/revisions\/30645"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/25157"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=25167"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=25167"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=25167"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}