On Friday morning I ran errands, picking up new dog toys, chewies, my favorite Belgian ale and 6 pack of chocolate stout, then we hit the road at about 1 p.m. Traffic was blessedly light except for one spot on Hwy. 101 just outside of San Jose. Poppy slept or gnawed on a rawhide bone, occasionally nudged my elbow as if to say, "Hey, remember me? When are we gonna stop?"
I keep forgetting that Pops is still a baby. At 15 weeks she is possessed of all the charm puppies have - a tail that wags her whole body, a tongue that keeps on licking, and a huge desire to be with her person (I'm so lucky to be that person) but she displays a grace at times that is reminiscent of an older dog's personality. Can dogs have old souls?
We made one pit-stop in Morgan Hill and Poppy dove into the lush lawn outside the filling station. Apparently there's nothing like a roll in slightly overgrown grass to cool off a hot pup. Then it was back into the car for the last leg of our trip.
We arrived at K and T's around 4 p.m., both ready to stretch our legs after being confined to the car for several hours. K and T thought her adorable and were impressed that she had been so well-behaved on the trip down.
K and T's house is open and spacious - stunning high vaulted ceiling, huge floor-to-ceiling windows with a view to a rolling landscape studded with live oak trees and a beautiful stone fireplace in the living room. The dining room and living room floor were strewn with cat toys to keep Pepper and Tigger (new kittens) occupied and their humans amused. Pops was curious but didn't know what to make of all the cardboard boxes, stuffed mice and the almond shell Pepper is so fond of. And everything smelled new and different... so much to explore!
She ran around sniffing and poking her nose into boxes, down the hallway, and finally sat down for a photo among the cat toys. Then she was off again to check out the kitchen.
When it was time to check out her space for the week, she wasn't exactly thrilled. Being behind the enclosure meant no snuggling, no kisses, and no kittens. It wasn't until I gave her a peanut butter filled Kong that she mellowed out. To Poppy, a PBK means all is well with the world. After the Kong was emptied and a just a little bit of whimpering, she curled up on her carpet and took a nap.
For me, the world was alright, too. On vacation with my best sister, best brother-in-law and my best friend. Time to breathe...
