Tag Archives: Dog

Ready For A Road Trip

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Who here is ready for a road trip? I know I am.

There’s something exhilarating about watching the sun wake the day while you venture out to see what the world has to offer. When the weather is nice, I like to open the windows and I always have good tunes to set the tone.

One of my favorite things about a good road trip is actually ditching the car to explore on foot. There’s nothing better than finding a nice downtown, parking the car, and taking a walk.

That’s how you see the things the car window cannot show you. It’s surprising how many historic plaques, flower boxes, alleyway murals, and nice patches of shade you’ll find when beating the pavement. Of course, this doesn’t include the smells and sounds you miss with the windows rolled up.

Ah, I just reread that last sentence. I suppose I should change it to say “with the windows closed” but I’m a young Gen Xer and car windows in my vocabulary will always be rolled. And I’m ok with that.

On pavement, you’re more apt to wander into a nice shop or to say hello to a stranger. You may even find yourself enticed by the aromas of a bakery or cafe so that you go in to sit a while.

A good road trip always includes a good road trip snack and lunch. That’s part of the fun. I don’t make the rules. That’s just how it works.

Some towns reveal many secrets on these walks. Brick sidewalks and pocket parks, chalk drawings and cats in shop windows are some favorite things to discover.

I like to take pictures of things I see both to have a record of the journey and because it changes the way I perceive the world. Looking, not for the best picture, but the most honest one is my technique these days.

Depending on how far you go, a road trip could be just for the day or for many days. It could cost you some lunch and some gallons of gas or it could be an all out Thelma and Louise adventure. Just don’t end it the way they did!

By the way, I’ve been to Canyonlands National Park in Utah where they shot that movie. Now THAT was an epic road trip. If you ever get a chance, Utah is a wonderful road tripping state.

But there are things to explore all across this great nation. So exit the interstate and look for the interesting.

These little towns, city neighborhoods, and rural roads through forests and farmland are the beating heart of this country. It’s where life happens. So take the drive but remember the journey is the destination. Slow down to enjoy it. Slow down and make the journey fun.

PS- The dog pictured isn’t mine but I spotted him in a car parked next to me recently and he seemed like a good (if not judgmental) boy waiting to feel the wind in his ears.

Someone’s Watching

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Sometimes the tiniest thing can make our day. That was certainly the case this week when I felt eyes on me at the gas station. It was clear someone was watching me but it took a minute to identity their hiding place.

He was keeping a low profile but didn’t miss a thing!

Happy Friday, friends!

The Value Of Being Along For The Ride

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Yesterday was mainly spent in meetings and in the car going to meetings. Nothing went according to plan which really seems to be the theme of late.

My frustration has been mounting because it seems that my good planning is so frequently disrupted by things beyond my control. If I were a toddler, my parents would be making me take a nap right now.

At one point last night I found myself behind a pickup truck. It was just your average run-of-the-mill pickup with a little rust on the tailgate and a fellow driving at his own pace. What made that truck special was the dog riding in the bed.

I’m a cat person so my understanding of dogs is that there are big ones with sharp teeth and little ones with sharp teeth and an attitude. I can pick out obvious breeds like German Shepherd, Husky and Marmaduke but that’s about all.

This dog was of medium size and black with the prettiest big ‘ole smile you’ve ever seen. His expressions were of pure joy. He paced the bed of the truck, barking at motorcycles when we stopped at traffic lights and wagging his tail like your Aunt Thelma shooing away flies at a 4th of July picnic anytime we picked up speed.

This dog was one very happy pup.

It got me to thinking about living in the moment and accepting that you’re sometimes just along for the ride.

This dog was happy no matter what. We have to stop? Yay! We get to go now? Woohoo! He was happy simply being out in the sunshine with his ears flapping in the wind. He wasn’t in charge of where he went or how soon they got there but the journey was grand fun.

As humans, we often get so caught up in the trip that we forget to enjoy the journey.

Read that again.

We get so caught up in the daily grind of life that we forget to enjoy the experience of being alive.

It seems like we can do better than this.

So the next time things aren’t going your way, take a moment to ask yourself if being uptight and upset is really the best way to enjoy your life’s journey.

Spoiler alert: The correct answer to that question is no.

Goodbye And Farewell, Fritz

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When we adopt a pet, we know we will likely outlive them. We know that adorable kitten or rambunctious puppy will someday grow old but it’s best to just enjoy the fun of watching them grow up.

My parents were forced to have their dog put down yesterday. I affectionately called Fritz my brother, a joke that wasn’t so far off since my parents treated him like a child and he was certain he was a person too.  Fritz was a good boy who lived a fabulous, pampered and somewhat spoiled life. We all should be so lucky to have a life like his. 

He learned at a young age how to milk extra treats out of my folks and how to get laughs at a party by “singing” along with my mother playing the piano. He followed my mother around the house and loved nothing more than sitting next to my dad with his paw touching dad’s arm. He wanted to always know where they were and he was happiest when they all were in the same room. Life was perfect if he had me there with them too. 

He looked at both my parents with unbridled joy and admiration.

Fritz was a tiny guy when we brought him home. He was a birthday gift for my dad and a surprise at that. My mother and I found a woman advertising German Shepherd pups back in 2011. He was the runt with an injured tail who was the first to greet us out of a large litter running around the yard. I still liken the owner to Cruella de Vil because she was kind of mean to this poor little pup and I felt he needed rescuing. 

On that night, we never envisioned the day that his poor, arthritic body could no longer hold itself up. But that day came and his condition was so dire there was no doubt that the time had come. Anything less than mercy would be cruel.

I’ll never understand people who say a pet is just an animal. They clearly have never opened their home or their heart to an animal to the degree that a pet can become family. 

And I pity those people. 

I also pity my parents right now. Their house is quiet and still strewn with reminders of their best big boy. Despite all the love and affection, the treats and his favorite iced oatmeal cookies, all the toys and the ear scratches, there was no way to save him. 

And let me tell you something. If love could have saved him, our Fritz would have lived forever. 

I hate goodbyes so I’ll just say see ya later to my little brother from another mother. He will be missed more than he could ever know.

Black On Black

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He sat as still as a statue. At first, he was so still that I might not have noticed if not for his pink tongue.

Don’t worry. It was a hot day but the windows were down, the back hatch was open and the owner was right there with him. I’m not a dog person but it was fun to see this almost invisible big boy just hanging out and people watching from his perch.

Happiness Is…..

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Happiness is a dog with his ears flapping in the wind.

Last night I got behind a pickup truck on my drive home. At first I was annoyed because they were driving a good ten mph below the speed limit.

Then I noticed something.

They had the windows rolled down and, in the back seat, there was a dog, a Collie. This was the happiest dog I have ever seen.

He would stick his head out one window and tip his face forward. Then he would scamper to the other window to bark at something along the street or to tip his head to feel the wind in his ears.

This dog was living his very best life.

I spent yesterday sprinting from one thing to the next. I was tired, my sinuses hurt and I was stressed by the reality of my life. Vacation is so close I can taste it and too close for comfort because there’s a lot to be done before I can leave.

It was not a fun day.

Yet, here’s this dog enjoying the simple art of capturing the wind in his face. We should all aspire to enjoy these small and happy moments.

It was cooler yesterday and it was just 77 degrees by evening. So I rolled down the windows, turned up the seventies light rock and tried to appreciate the ride.

This ride we’re on, this ride we call Life, is a short one. Anyone who tells you differently is likely selling something. It’s too short to not seek the satisfaction and joy and peace and all the good things we wish for but never seem to actually have.

Hold onto the small moments. Whatever they may be. Sometimes the small things are better than the big ones anyway. If only we could all be as happy as a dog with an open window!