It’s a comical set-up the things we do for our dogs.  You need to be prepared for anything possible.  You definitely need to invest in a first aid kit for dogs.  Yes, they do exist.  I also keep a copy of their dog tag numbers, as well as any other pertinent information, in the glove compartment of the car.  Let’s face it; if your dog does run away you will need those identification numbers fast.  Who has time to think about where they are?  And who would remember what they were?  I sure wouldn’t.  So that’s what I refer to as Step One.

Step Two…  Dog food, (Chase is on a special diet) Bowls, both Chase and Chelsea have two different eating bowls.  Ceramic for kibbles and glass for their wet food, and they do know the difference.  Chase has to have his bowl just so before he will eat.  I have found that when it’s too close to the entertainment center he will not eat but he will nudge the food with his snout.  Dogs are like people, individual.

Step Three…  Doggie toys, treats, bones, and plenty of plastic bags for those inevitable walks outside.  I never leave the house without a few baggies tucked into my pocket.  I keep them everywhere.  The front porch, the backyard, the car, and in my handbag.  Hey, you never know.

Step Four…  Water.  I carry at least two bottles per person.  Two for Chase and Chelsea as well.  I keep a small plastic cup or bowl in the car as well.  You don’t have to fill it up to the rim; they will let you know when they had their fill.  Both Chase and Chelsea love drinking from a cup.  Maybe it makes them feel human.  They also drink bottled water.  Poland Spring to be exact.  If you try to give Chase tap water he turns up his nose.  And believe me he knows the difference.  Chelsea won’t drink it either but she isn’t as fussy as Chase so if she didn’t have a choice she’d surrender.  Chase would be my hold out.

So, now we’re on our way.  We will make one or two stops on the way down.  I guess that depends on how hot it is and how the water consumption thing goes.

Well, our first stop is not even twenty miles away.  Not their fault but mine as I had waited for the last possible moment to pack which has Tom already shooting me the eye.  He wanted everything to be packed the night before and it makes sense but I was sort of hoping that if we procrastinated long enough I would have my package from the publisher, no such luck, so off we go.

Thank goodness the weather was holding out.  That is usually another story in itself.  We usually get the rain to follow us every step of the way.  I must say that this time, instead of following us down it had followed us back.  The drive down was a breeze, a few stops but we made good time.

My husband makes friends wherever we go.  He has that personality.  Life with Tom can never be considered boring.  Since we are both on the creative level it makes for a good fit.

Getting settled in is another project as you know you had packed everything but the kitchen sink and you would have taken that if you’d had the chance.  We were gone four days and I had over-packed.  This is not unusual for me because I had under-packed once and I can tell you that was not fun.  On the days you need to make a fashion purchase I can almost guarantee that you won’t find one thing that you’ll like.  Reason:  You’re under pressure and you have no choice so you’ll grab anything off the rack as long as it covers you.

The second day there and we’re somewhat unpacked, yeah right.  I didn’t bother.  Well we go to grab lunch and come back to spend some time with the Pups and take a nap, lol, but when we get inside the room we find Chelsea dancing around our feet smiling up a storm but no sign of Chase.  We try not to panic as he could not have gotten out, could he.  I take a few deep breaths before I get on all fours and begin searching under the beds.  Well, there he is huddled up in a corner shaking all over.  We coax him out and I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that a fly must have gotten in.  Chase is deathly afraid of flies.  We have not figured out why and the only logical conclusion that I have arrived at is that the buzzing must hurt his ears.  And if you seen his ears you would know exactly what I’m talking about.  They are the size of radar dishes and are bigger than his head.

Upon closer inspection I find the culprit has landed on the ceiling.  By this time I am grabbing a dish towel while telling Chase that I will take care of things.  By this time Tom has already sprawled out on one bed flipping through the TV stations while I am setting up for the kill.  I missed him the first time but got him the second.  Boy, I’m getting good at this.  I dump the towel in a plastic bag, pick up the dead fly that landed on the floor, squished him a little more in the paper towel, just to make sure he’s completely dead and washed my hands.  However, Chase doesn’t seem to believe that the fly is gone.  He’s still huddled up against Tom shaking like a leaf.  By this time I know that we have to pill him as he is shaking uncontrollably.  All of this drama over a fly.  Then I see Fly number two on the bathroom door.  By this time I’m more than just a little agitated.  I can’t stand flies either.  I walk over to the door and got him first shot.  In the midst of this Chelsea is just laying on the bed watching me act like a lunatic.  After pilling Chase and getting the second fly we are all right, for now.

The rest of our stay was uneventful.  That meant no more flies.  We had dinner out most nights and usually made it an early night. 

Friday night was fireworks and you guessed it, Chase dove for cover under the closest bed.  We pilled him immediately and let him stay where he felt secure until he felt good enough to come out on his own.  When I tell people about Chase and his many phobias they tend to shrug it off but I can tell you that I go above and beyond to make Chase’s world a little less frightening.  And Chelsea is the opposite.  If a fly were to land on her head she just shakes it off.  Fireworks, no problem.  She doesn’t like riding in the car but she will stay on the floor and sleep for most of the trip unless she needs to make a pit-stop.  That’s just the way it is. 

I did mention to Tom that maybe next year it will be just the two of us and that we could stay at one of those nice fluffy hotels with the heated pools right on the strip.  We would park the car and leave it as everything is right there.  He said it sounded like a great idea.  It did at the time.  That was when I was in the middle of hunting down a fly, when the fireworks were booming, and when I was thinking what a pain in the neck…  Then I looked over at Chase while he was lying up against Tom chewing his bone contently and of course I softened.  “Guess we’ll be coming here next year.”