Yip, Yip, Yp'silanti!

Susan and her back-up crew

Hurrah! Nothing like spending a day with friends one hasn't seen since in a decade or so. We started the day with yummy breakfast omelets prepared by Le Chef, Jamin. Then Susan led her faithful pack of dogs - Jet & Flash -  and friends - Ila and 'moi' - on a little tour of her neighborhood.

Susan & Jamin have lived in their neighborhood for more than 20 years. They love it so much, after setting their sites on a house to better accommodate themselves they chose a one only a few blocks away. The search for a new house in the same neighborhood took them 3 years. Their new house sure looks like it was worth the wait. It has lots of room for all & a huge back yard. Early in the day, after my shower, I happily 'spied' on Susan down in her yard, working with her dog Jet, who works for food and a little pat.

The neighborhood walk was fun. Susan showed us the local homes and stories attached to them, and even showed us their old house. Later, after lunch Susan took us for a little drive around Yipsilanti and nearby Ann Arbor.

Love this historic Ypsilanti house - looks like the Bates Motel house from Psycho, doesn't it?

Yipsilanti Water Tower

A local historic spot of Freudian implications is the Ypsilanti Tower, seen above. As you can read on the sign, the construction of the tower began in the 19th century but its use only ended in 1975. Sounds like the town got sufficient bang for its bucks.

 

Popular Ann Arbor Museum

Downtown Ann Arbor

There was loads to see in the Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor and I'm sure I've forgotten most of it, but not how much fun it was to sink into the passenger seat and just enjoy the commentary.  I'm nearly certain in a former life, I would have been the spaniel with my head out the window and tongue lolling.

After our tour, the day's activities weren't over yet. We all enjoyed a delish & nutrish dinner (again, complements to Jamin), pooches and humans bundled into cars and braving the Michigan rains, went to watch Susan & Jet at agility training.

I have always wished there were agility classes back when I had my whippet, Chiquilla. Therefore it was wonderful to actually attend, albeit as a spectator, a real class. The class participants, ignoring the non-furry kind, were an ensie, and remarkably fearless chihuahua, a Jack Russel Terrier (or as Jamin put it, 'Jack Russel Terrorist'), an Aussie shepherd, a black Lab. Oh, and I won't forget Jet's brother 'Dash' who with his owner, who coincidentally is also named Susan, was also in the class. I got lots of photos, but here is a video of one of Susan & Jet's runs, which is worth a thousand still photos.


Doggie class aside, I was so impresssed with Susan & Jamin's care of their dogs. Flash is 14 years old now and pretty mellow, but Jet impressed me as being quite a handful. Yet, both Jamin & especially Susan, showed endless patience in providing their girl with a great home & an interesting doggie life. If I had that kind of patience, diligence & skill, I could train a cobra to balance a mouse on its nose. 

Although our visit was just one day, I totally enjoyed being with ever gracious hosts, Susan and Jamin.  I hope to visit them again within a year or two. Here's a day dream: I would love to visit in the Spring & haul Susan north with me to view courting Kirkland's Warblers. Been meaning to do that for the past two decades. Here's to that little dream coming true!

Jamin, Jet, Flash and Susan posing for me in front of their fireplace