Bandit, my Aunt’s dog, got shaved while we were in Reno. And it made him so happy! Good grief, Buddy, how does a shave change your personality so drastically? He smiled and ran around like he’d been wound up nice and tight. It was fun. Some dogs, like Kent’s Tilli, love to lose the hair. They dance around and act like clowns. Happiness is a shave? Sometimes I guess it is. For these two it’s a definite mood lifter.
Before we left Reno, we pulled into a station to gas up. There was a van in front of us and we waited patiently for our turn. The sign on the back of the van told me that the occupants were mobile dog groomers. I took two SitStay water bottles to the driver and her groomer partner. “Hey, really! We get our stuff from SitStay! Thanks.” It’s a small, small world.
In the past four weeks I’ve been to wonderful places with no connection to the outside world. I often give advice to my friends to take a vacation from the news and current events during a regular work year and I do that too but this working vacation is far and away more than that. I’m loving the peace and quiet. My batteries are almost renewed and good thing…I’ll be going home to work full time. If you’re not signed up for the SitStay.com Newsletter or on our Facebook page, go sign up now so you don’t miss our big news coming up later this summer.
I talked to Kent yesterday. He says he might be getting a new dog…a foster yellow Lab. That would be four dogs for him again and I still have none. I dreamed about a Terv the other night so my future dog must be close at hand. I’m looking forward to that. Traveling with my grandson has taken the sting of Dancer’s passing last year out of my heart. I think the company we keep can heal our hearts and our minds of anything that hurts us. I try hard to live for the moment like the dogs do and make the most of all of it. The laughter and the scenery has been so very, very good for me. It’s a short life, we should all be so blessed to have friends, family, dogs and time to enjoy them all.
We camped at Lake Tahoe night before last. I visited with our neighboring campers and of course we talked about dogs.
The showers and bathrooms were in separate rooms at the campground. The women’s showers weren’t all working and the one that was was full so I went next door to the empty men’s showers. I bolted the door and took a hot shower. Now in the 30 minutes that I was waiting for the lady before me to get out of the one working shower, not one man came by. When I was under the water, every guy in the camp was knocking at the door. Pretty quick the guy who owns the place opened the bolt with a key. “Hello?” he called. “Ah…hello. The women’s showers aren’t working, I hope it’s okay that I came in here,” I replied. I could hear the great big grin in his voice. “Oh, yes. No problem,” he said. “I will go work on the other showers, you take your time.” A conversation with a strange man while I’m standing in my altogether under hot water wasn’t as weird as it seems now.
What a marvel that place is. I have a plan to return for a summer and swim around the island, learn to snorkel so I can see the sunken barge, and hang out and get brown. The Net connection at the campground was so slow that I couldn’t get any work done…I smiled happily, put my stuff away and went for another walk. I knew you’d understand. 
We’re in Oroville, California today visiting more of my family. Going through old photos with my Aunt is so much fun. She’s such a doll and has a lot of stories of the older members of my family…the ones I’ve never met. I never met my father’s father, he died long before I was born. My Aunt has the only photo of him that anyone knows about…we’re searching for it in all the albums and boxes. The photo is of my Grandfather posing with a boler hat and spats. He was a gambler by trade. That explains my risk taking personality…I’m one of the few risk takers in our entire family…must have gotten that from him. Love you, Grandpa, wherever you are.
We’ll be back on the road soon. Off to the northern reaches of California. I’ll blog whenever I can.
If you don’t get the SitStay.com Newsletter, you might not know that the Good Dog Discount has been started again. It’s a Tuesday discount. If you have any questions, send a note to help@sitstay.com and one of my beautiful hard working guys will help you get your Good Dog Discount!
Having a wonderful time. Wish you were here! – Darcie
Darcie,
If you are thinking about finding another dog companion; consider adopting a
greyhound from “Homes for Hounds” . My greyhound “Mr. Philby” and I have
worked together to train him to be a wonderful therarpy dog. We visit Alhseismer’s
units, visit sick or autistic children…even hospice patients if we are called for.
Aside from all this service; greyhounds are fine companions. They seem to bond
very closely to their owners. When I’m out with him ;he always draws questions
about the adoption process, and I have heard SO many comments about friends and
relatives that own and love their hounds , and usually have two or more! They seem
to be pretty adictive! lI wasn’t looking for a dog when Philby and I found each other
at a “Dogs for the Deaf” event. There were several greyhounds in a large pen -each
up for adoption. One look in Philby’s kind brown eyes and I was hooked! I found a
soulmate. You are not far from my country in Medford,OR. If you’d like to meet
this greyhound ambassador for yourself, just drop me an email.
Best wishes on your search for your next companion, Sue Roberts- Dalke