{"id":42633,"date":"2022-12-24T08:10:50","date_gmt":"2022-12-24T15:10:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=42633"},"modified":"2024-01-02T20:45:28","modified_gmt":"2024-01-03T03:45:28","slug":"lupes-12th-birthday-12-14-22","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=42633","title":{"rendered":"Lupe’s 12th Birthday (12-14-22)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Morning<\/em> – Laying next to the heat register, Lupe calmly stared out the window.\u00a0 The world was newly white.\u00a0 Several inches of snow had fallen overnight, but it wasn’t snowing now.\u00a0 The American Dingo watched as a gusty N wind piled the frigid new snow into drifts.\u00a0 Nothing else moved.<\/p>\n

Although SPHP had cheerily wished Lupe a very happy birthday several times already, it seemed clear that this was actually destined to be a dull day.\u00a0 When your birthday is in mid-December, and your heart’s desire is to explore, sometimes it just works out that way.<\/p>\n

Knowing this dreary weather was coming, SPHP had at least taken Loop on a pre-birthday Black Hills expedition to Thrall Mountain<\/span><\/a> (5,091 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 Fun, but that had been days ago now, and wasn’t the same as getting to go on your real birthday!\u00a0 Minutes dragged on.\u00a0 Hours crept by.\u00a0 Nothing changed.\u00a0 A sad boredom set in.\u00a0 By mid-afternoon, the Carolina Dog was snoozing peacefully at her usual spot in the hall.<\/p>\n

Evening –<\/em> It wasn’t until the sun had already been down more than 2.5 hours and the night was pitch black that there was finally some action.\u00a0 A cold, dark ride in the RAV4, and suddenly the party animal, all decked out in party hat and birthday girl ribbon, was bursting into Grandma’s apartment all excited to see her!<\/p>\n

With Grandma and SPHP the only attendees at Lupe’s birthday festivities this year, the party quickly got underway.\u00a0 The American Dingo enjoyed a Busy Rib Hide to start off with, while Grandma and SPHP feasted on TV dinners.\u00a0 For dessert, there was chocolate ice cream for everyone.\u00a0 Lupe had 3 bowls!<\/p>\n

\"\"
12th birthday festivities kicked off with a Busy Rib Hide<\/strong>. Very tasty!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A temporary lull occurred while SPHP helped Grandma unscramble a check book mystery, but that didn’t take too long.\u00a0 Soon Lupe was asked to occupy the seat of honor up on Grandma’s white couch.\u00a0 SPHP then brought out presents and stacked them all around her.\u00a0 The situation was certainly looking promising!<\/p>\n

\"\"
The birthday girl on the comfy white couch of honor.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Birthday presents are a joy!\u00a0 As usual, though, they came with a catch.\u00a0 Lupe was clearly worried when SPHP brought out a birthday cake, and placed it next to her.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Lupe’s 12th Birthday cake<\/strong>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
The dreaded birthday cake makes its appearance.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The trial by fire was about to begin.\u00a0 With 12 candles this year, the blaze atop the cake was more fearsome than ever!<\/p>\n

\"\"
The trial by fire begins!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Having been through this ordeal before, the Carolina Dog didn’t flinch or flee, stoically enduring while Grandma and SPHP sang “Happy Birthday” all the way through, with special emphasis on “and many more”!<\/p>\n

Lupe didn’t want to blow out the candles herself, so SPHP did it for her.\u00a0 What the American Dingo wished for, she refused to say.\u00a0 Evidently she didn’t want to hurt the chances of her birthday wish really coming true.<\/p>\n

Although the American Dingo had successfully passed the trial by fire, Lupe still didn’t get her presents.\u00a0 Instead, cake was served.\u00a0 Everyone had some, even the sweet-toothed Dingo had a few bites.<\/p>\n

At last the time for presents had arrived!\u00a0 Loopster hopped back up onto the white couch.\u00a0 Grandma was assigned the task of opening presents for her.\u00a0 The very first present was one Lupe was sure to like, a big 12 pack bag of Purina Busy Rib Hides.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Grandma opens the first present.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
Loop with her Purina Busy Rib Hides<\/strong>, a perennial favorite!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As Grandma kept opening presents, SPHP continued stacking them one by one around Lupe on the white couch.\u00a0 Authority Hip & Joint Support Chicken Formula Jerky Sticks were next, followed by 4 colorful, knobby plastic squeaker balls.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Authority Hip & Joint Support Chicken Formula Jerky Sticks<\/strong> were the 2nd present Grandma opened.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
4 colorful knobby plastic squeaker balls<\/strong> came next.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Grandma wasn’t done yet!\u00a0 Lupe got a pack of 6″ Ol’ Roy rawhide chews, followed by a huge bag of Full Moon Natural Essentials Savory Sticks – free range beef recipe, and glycerin free.<\/p>\n

\"\"
A 16 pack of Ol’ Roy rawhide chews<\/strong> gets added to the mix.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hey, look at this, Loopster!\u00a0 Says here that these Full Moon savory sticks are “human grade”.\u00a0 I can have some, too!<\/em><\/p>\n

A sparkle came to Lupe’s eyes.\u00a0 The American Dingo started to grin.<\/p>\n

Maybe if you’re very good, SPHP, I might let you have one now and then.\u00a0 Read a little farther, though.\u00a0 It actually says “human grade dog treats”.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"
Starting to grin as Full Moon Natural Essentials Savory Sticks<\/strong> (free range beef recipe) joins the pile of birthday loot.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Only one more present left.\u00a0 Although it had become a tradition in recent years, it was still a doozy.\u00a0 Grandma unwrapped a T-bone steak!<\/p>\n

\"\"
Lupe’s now traditional birthday T-bone steak<\/strong>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Last year, when Lupe turned 11, SPHP had filled Grandma’s apartment with smoke while broiling her T-bone, setting off alarms and a general panic in the senior living center.\u00a0 A repeat performance was definitely not on the agenda.<\/p>\n

Sorry, Looper, but you’re going to have to wait until we get home.\u00a0 I’ll broil your T-bone for you there.\u00a0 Tonight, I promise.<\/em><\/p>\n

Oh, I wouldn’t mind tearing into it raw right here and now, SPHP!<\/em><\/p>\n

Heh, I don’t doubt that, but let’s just wait.\u00a0 A bloody carpet might not be a good thing here, either.\u00a0 It’ll be better broiled, anyway.\u00a0 You’ll see.<\/em><\/p>\n

Lupe sat up among all her presents, smiling happily.\u00a0 Her 12th birthday may have started out mighty slowly, but look at all this loot!\u00a0 Suddenly, turning 12 did feel like a grand, memorable event.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Happy Lupe with all her fabulous 12th birthday loot.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
Party on!<\/em> Lupe at 12.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Presents all unwrapped, Lupe and SPHP played together on the carpet, enjoying some brand new knobby squeaker ball fun.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Brand new squeaker ball<\/strong> time!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It had been a small party, but another great one!\u00a0 Before leaving, Lupe sat with Grandma on the white couch.\u00a0 Grandma got a kiss for kindly hosting Lupe’s birthday party again this year.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Together with Grandma on the white couch.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
Grandma gets a kiss.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

8:49 PM<\/em> – Snowflakes swirled on the breeze when Lupe left Grandma’s to head home.\u00a0 Along the way, SPHP spotted a magnificent Christmas tree, pulling over to let Lupe out of the RAV4 to see it.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Leaving Grandma’s.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
By the spectacular Christmas tree.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Oh, SPHP!\u00a0 Do you remember the Most Beautiful Christmas tree we always used to visit on the way to the cul-de-sac back when Grandma used to live in the country?\u00a0 Seems like such a long time since we’ve seen it now.\u00a0 This incredible tree reminds me of it.<\/em><\/p>\n

Yes, of course, I do, Loop.\u00a0 This tree is even much bigger and brighter, but nothing will ever surpass the Most Beautiful Christmas tree for us, will it?\u00a0 Wonder if it still gets decorated every year?<\/em><\/p>\n

Do you suppose we’ll ever see the Most Beautiful Christmas tree again, SPHP?\u00a0 I miss going to the cul-de-sac.<\/em><\/p>\n

Yeah, me too, Looper, but I don’t know.\u00a0 We could go there sometime, it’s not all that far away, but times change, the years roll by.\u00a0 What once was, is no more.\u00a0 The important thing is that we stay together no matter what.<\/em><\/p>\n

9:34 PM, at home –<\/em> Smoke poured out of the oven.\u00a0 Grease in the broiler pan was on fire!<\/p>\n

Eh, not such a big deal.\u00a0 Nowhere near as bad as last year’s fire drill episode.\u00a0 Lupe’s T-bone was actually looking pretty good.\u00a0 Maybe SPHP was getting a little better at broiling?<\/p>\n

\"\"
The tasty T-bone.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe was waiting at her favorite spot in the hall when SPHP delivered her T-bone on a plate.\u00a0 The Carolina Dog eagerly devoured bite-sized pieces as SPHP sliced them off with a steak knife.<\/p>\n

\"\"
The late evening T-bone feast<\/strong> gets presented in the hallway.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This is so delicious, SPHP!\u00a0 We ought to have T-bone steak every night!<\/em><\/p>\n

Hah!\u00a0 If only, Looper!\u00a0 Anyway, glad you’re enjoying this one.\u00a0 Happy 12th birthday!\u00a0 Love you so much!<\/em><\/p>\n

Lupe’s late night meal got even better.\u00a0 SPHP sliced most of the meat into bite-sized pieces for her, but plenty of juicy steak was still clinging to the T-bone when SPHP let Loopster just have the rest.\u00a0 For a quite while on this cold December night, satisfying munching and crunching sounds came from the hallway corridor.<\/p>\n

As usual, the crunching didn’t end until Lupe had finished processing very nearly 100% of her T-bone.<\/p>\n

\"\"
The T-bone remnant.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hard to believe it.\u00a0 Lupe was 12 years old!\u00a0 Another birthday to cherish and remember had come and gone for SPHP’s best friend ever in the whole wide world.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Dear Lupe at 12, December 14, 2022<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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

Lupe’s 11th Birthday (12-14-21)<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Lupe’s 13th Birthday & Crooks Tower (12-14-23)<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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

Morning – Laying next to the heat register, Lupe calmly stared out the window.\u00a0 The world was newly white.\u00a0 Several inches of snow had fallen overnight, but it wasn’t snowing now.\u00a0 The American Dingo watched as a gusty N wind piled the frigid new snow into drifts.\u00a0 Nothing else moved. Although SPHP had cheerily wished … Continue reading Lupe’s 12th Birthday (12-14-22)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":42613,"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":[1599,105,106,1206,104],"class_list":["post-42633","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dingo-tales","tag-12th-birthday","tag-american-dingo","tag-carolina-dog","tag-grandma","tag-lupe"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventuresoflupe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/IMG_6964-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\/42633","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=42633"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42633\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":49698,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42633\/revisions\/49698"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/42613"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=42633"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=42633"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=42633"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}