pet connection

We made it to Oregon after nine hours of driving (including about three potty stops). Went through everything except a sandstorm — bright sun, rain, sleet and snow, mostly rain, buckets of rain. Fortunately, I’m here with three dogs who don’t mind getting wet, and I have plenty of foul-weather gear. And the Honda Element I’ve got for the trip doesn’t seem to much mind which element it’s rolling though — it handled it all with no problem, a pleasure to handle.

Hotel living with dogs is always interesting. Heather slept through everything — she always has, but at 11 she’s a very sound sleeper — but McKenzie nudged me every time there was a noise in the hallway. Just trying to do her protective thing, I suppose. Made for a long night of not much sleep.

At home I have a dog door, so their early-morning outing is on their own time. No such luck at the hotel, where Heather let me know she needed to go out at 5 a.m. Took them all out, as long as I was up and dressed. Problem is, I couldn’t do the clean-up in the dark. No problem: I found everything after dawn, and dutifully cleaned it all up.

How does anyone travel without crates? Everyone setttled into one for a post-breakfast nap while I trotted down the hall to the breakfast buffet. A crate-trained dog is a wonderful thing. No worries and lots of options.

Honestly, I could use a nap this afternoon, but I could nap at home. So I’m off into the rain to visit with friends old and new …. and talk dogs. Christie’s post about the elected official dumping the pregnant dog reminds me — once again — how important it is to take a break and hang out with people who truly love their animals. It’s the only cure for compassion fatigue.

Update: Heather was second in her veterans class last night. Much more importantly …. she was enjoying herself, in full proud old herself mode. As befitting a Queen.