Sunday, September 29, 2013

Getting Ready for our Trip out West

We have one week before we leave and I have a lot to pack. I am not sure how long we will be gone so I am planning for a possible extended trip.

I know I want to bring as many Christmas gifts as possible so I don't have to think about mailing them on time. And I usually shop all year so now I just have to find - and wrap them.

To start, I wrote a list of what I need for Seymour and Zooey. Their crate and blanket is already in the camper but still the list is long:

1. Zooey's rabies tag - since she is too small to wear a collar, I haven't figured out how to attach it to her, and now I can't remember where I put it!
2. Both dogs health records - just in case I need to board them.
3. Allergy meds - just in case.
4. Heartworm meds - they will be due to take them when we are gone, most likely. And since they only take their meds if they are mixed with vanilla ice cream, I will also need to bring 2 small bowls.
5. Food - I don't want to have to find their favorite food in an emergency so I will bring a few cans and some dry food.
6. Treats - I have started making them beef and chicken jerky since there have been problems with the store bought kind, especially those made in China. I will also bring their dried chicken treats that I often use to reward them for allowing me to cut their nails. Spoiled?
7. Nail clippers and scissors - emergency grooming. After our trip to Italy, I realized how important nail clippers are!
8. Wipes - to keep them clean between baths. I doubt if they will get a bath on this trip, which will make them very happy.
9. Ear meds - Zooey especially seems to have problems with her ears. She will let me massage her ear as much as I want when I put her meds in.
10. Sling and purse - having 2 dogs, it is easier to carry them if one is in the sling. The purse is for emergency stealth occasions. On a former trip, my camper broke down and I had to stay in a "no dogs allowed" hotel. That doggy purse was a life saver. Not sure I could do the same with 2 dogs, but hopefully I won't need to.
11. Extra poop bags - obvious reason.
12. Bowls and a folding bowl to attach to leash.
13. Brush - mostly for Zooey
14. lint roller - mostly for Seymour. He does love being rolled and I love seeing the loose hair on the roller and not on my clothes.
15. Clothes - Zooey needs clothes that have the hook to attach her leash. Seymour has some halters that have the hooks, but he also gets cold easily so he needs some extra layers.
16. Chew bones - neither are into toys but periodically they like to gnaw on a bone or my fingers.
17. Toothpaste and tooth brushes - not their favorite activity to share with me, but if they sleep in my bed, they need to have semi- clean breath.

I think that is all they need, at least I hope so! I haven't even started my list, but we do still have a week.


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Friday, September 13, 2013

March Against Monsanto - May 25, 2013

This is a very late post but I wanted to share it. After reading lots of information I didn't like about our food and my dogs food, I decided to join in the March Against Monsanto in Austin, Texas.

The morning of the March, I woke up with bad allergy symptoms, it was raining and the meeting place to start the March was over an hour from my house. Zooey and Seymour weren't crazy about the rain, either. But I decided it was important enough to attend. I put Seymour in a bee costume because the bee population is decreasing - and he doesn't mind dressing up. Unfortunately, I don't have a good picture. But if you look closely, you can see a little bit of Seymour and his yellow bee costume in my arms in the picture someone took of us.



When we got to the starting point, I was excited to have found a parking place nearby. I found a ticket on my car when we got back, but that's another story. I put the dogs in their stroller and we joined the March. What a great feeling to be marching for a cause with families, friends and even other people with their pets. I had tears, not just rain in my eyes! Seymour wasn't impressed because if you have read my blog you would know that he hates live music, which includes marching bands. So, that is why he was tightly held by me throughout the parade while I pushed Zooey in the stroller.

During the march my phone rang and it was my daughter. I said "Sorry, I can't talk right now, I'm in the middle of a protest march". How often can a mother say that to her daughter?

When we marched to the Capitol I decided not to stay for the festivities. If my dogs could clap, they would have. Here is a picture of Seymour and Zooey in their stroller - which was the only doggie stroller in the March. My dogs will do just about anything to be with me and I was happy to have my best friends there for this important experience.



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Location:Austin, Texas

Getting Used To Traveling With 2 Dogs

I am very behind in my posting but we plan to do more camping soon. A few months ago my neighbor Mary went camping with me, Seymour and Zooey in my new old 1997 Roadtrek. I was excited to see that I had two sleeping areas in the van. There is the back bed and then the front passenger set and the seat behind it also makes into a bed. It's actually very comfortable.




We headed off for a 2 day trip to Guadalupe River State Park. Luckily we arrived early enough to pick a camping spot beside the restrooms. I still haven't tried to set up the toilet in the camper. The dogs eagerly road in their crate and just as eagerly wanted to check out the smells around our camper when we got there.

I have to say that it is so nice having all dogs on leashes and not worrying about a dog running loose and heading toward your dogs! My neighborhood has a number of dog owners who don't seem to care about the safety of their dogs or the leash laws.

Back to the camping trip. It was very hot and when we started taking walks, neither dog wanted to walk very far. So Mary and I ended up carrying them most of the way. I wished I had brought the harnesses I bought that you wet and put in the frig before you put them on the dogs. They probably wished I had brought them, also!

Both Seymour and Zooey chose to sleep in the bed with Mary instead of sleeping in their crates beside me. So much for my best friends.

I am finding it easier to take both dogs with me for travel and shopping. They have become inseparable pals.

This camping trip was a good, short test for us. We are planning another short camping trip soon and then a longer cross country trip in October.

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