Millie’s Birthday on the Beach

January is not the ideal time to have a birthday when you’re a water-loving swimming dog.  Poor Millie has usually spent her birthdays trudging through the snow of Chicago. The one year she did get to spend it in a warmer place, was the year she had to endure cancer treatments and surgery in Arizona.  Not much fun at all!

So this year has finally been her reward!  Not only a birthday on the beach, but a couple months of daily walks, swims, and play with new friends too!

Her 9th birthday started with a nice long walk at sunrise this morning.  Happy, happy dog!

The view the other direction wasn’t too shabby either with the moon starting it’s descent over Mazatlan.

Next, it was time to say “hola” to a few of her beach buddies.  Her favorite is this little blonde Mexican puppy owned by a sweet lady who lives down at the far end of the beach.

Then it was time greet her other Lab friends owned by one of the fellow RVers.

Back home, after a nice big birthday breakfast, it was time for her daily morning siesta out on the patio.  A few days ago, the 2 black dogs next door, Buzz and Angel, taught Millie a new trick.  When the midday sun starts hitting your dog bed, rather than endure the hot, direct sun (as Millie had been doing), they retreat to the nice cool shade under their RV.

So Millie has now started doing that too.  Only problem is Millie’s RV doesn’t have quite as much headroom, so it’s a pretty tight squeeze!

It was time to open presents in the afternoon.  Yeah, a new rubber “camping ball” (a great toy for sand, dirt, or desert campsites when Frisbee playing is not ideal)

Here’s her full haul of birthday loot—some fetching balls and a bag of Blue Buffalo bones.

Oh course, the bones needed to be taste-tested right away.  Guess they’ll do just fine!

Much tastier than the fake hamburger squeaky toy she’d been gnawing on previously!

We took the new toys down to the beach for some playtime and they were plenty fun and all…but…just not quite as much fun as her beloved beach stick (that she’s been playing with daily since Suzanne found it for her last month).

That stick was the result of an exhaustive search one afternoon.  The first stick had been too big (yes, Millie can actually retrieve campfire logs!)

The next stick had been too long…

But the third stick Suzanne found, turned out to be just right, and it has now become her most prized possession here on the Isla!

So off we went with her beach stick for an afternoon swim!

For dinner, we headed down to one of the restaurants on the beach to watch the sunset.  Some young local girls at the next table came over to pet Millie and wished her a “feliz cumpleaños”!

The sunset was a delightful end to Millie’s perfect day!

Now, how on earth will I ever get this dog to leave the Isla?!!!