Trick or Treat

what do you think--Growl?

help me choose my costume: shall i play it tough or cuddly?

or no growl, just mismatched eyes...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

my costume was supplied by the girls at Petsmart. they gave me my first report card and wrote "she was wonderful."  they even wanted to adopt me. so even though i don't think much of them dressing my like a girl, the fact that they were crazy about me forced me to tolerate the bows. at least they have pumpkins on them. also, i smell like a candle shop. i'm not going to let it get me down. there's probably a pile of something around here i can roll in by midnight....

we stay in this awesome National Park, called Hot Springs, and everybody keeps talking about "the baths..."    apparently the water here is magical, especially when delivered through fantastic buildings built in 1910, with marble tiles and benches, beautiful stained glass windows and skylights, and numerous sculptures and fountains.  plus, as my peeps reviewed their experience they talked about togas and steam and needle showers. Petsmart was probably better...
 

leaving Branson, going south

ok, Rahhhn. i'm ready.  anywhere at all

the joys of the open road...

 Branson for almost a week, and though the State Park had great walking trails and a nice lake to look at (Table Rock), we were waking up to 30 degree mornings.  south, please.  i don't like that pink sweater they make me wear.

fall color

 it's what they call "hills and hollers"














nice Arkansas scenery...

 no hill for a climber

river of rock?

and the happiest captain Rahhhn

lots of oooh's and ahhh's from the human gallery

ok, i get it, it's a beautiful state...

quaint...

they call it "the natural state..." for good reason and wouldn't you think my peeps would wash the windows?

time out. enough scenery already!

 so after a few hours, i said Hours, of swaying and rotating and lumbering along, listening to all that raving about Scenery... i couldn't take anymore.  no dogs, no scents to track, just "fall color" whatever that is...
but at last we stopped.  i was ready, standing by the step, willing to wear whatever contraption they decide will tame me, and please, Higher Power, let me feel the earth under my feet.

landing at last, at Hot Springs National Park camp ground. Now we're talking! 

no fish, just my reflection.

meeting Rangers is always nice. this lady was cute and had a lovely accent,
and she liked me quite a lot, but time to go.

at last. solid ground. other dogs nearby (there is a law that peeps traveling in coaches or fifth wheelers must have a dog--preferably a lap dog). i can pull them up the hill across the creek. it's a sheer rock face, but only .8 miles.  i can do it.  i've been practicing.  if they would lose a little weight i could pull them up that wonderful trail. i'm a rock solid 12 pounds. i pull as hard as i can, and with a good wind i can bring them across the road before they weigh me down.

Home Sweet Home, they've opened the basement doors so they are serious!

see my red dog house at the rear?  see me?  Rahhhn parked me near a fire ant colony and oops he received the brunt of the placement.  yikes. two bites on his right hand. this happened once before (in Florida) and it's notsogood. he seems to be allergic to fire ants. of course, isn't everybody?  those suckers are ruthless. a little benadryl and time out and he'll probably be fine.  at least we're on solid ground and we live in a beautiful park, and we'll just see what happens next...

branson, usa

my peeps' brothers reunited in this mecca of Patriotism and Christianity, and count me in.  we stayed at a camp on the wrong side of the tracks, but we hiked the State Park trails every day, so we're happy. my peeps kept disappearing and going to the condo instead. well, who wouldn't?

Card Playing Suspended for a jam session.  Look at these beautiful women and two brothers!

a great conversation, and Ned checks his watch because "Noah" may be starting soom...

"Noah" was apparently a fantastic production, and i've been hearing about the inside of an ark for too many days.  'leeen wants to build an ark.  rahhhn says not yet.  

there was a rumor of something called an Addibaby, but i was never allowed to see for myself.  i had to stay home. no dogs allowed on the right side of the tracks. Addibaby was apparently extremely entertaining, cute, animated, alert, brilliant...unending list of favorable attributes...

Grandpa Attaboy (awesome provider of condo accommodations) and Addibaby 

as these brothers left, 'leeeen gleeeened steaks, spaghetti, all kind of wonderful fruit, grapes, melons, persimmons, peaches, and we're in hog heaven (they eat everything).

Providers of sweet 'taters, persimmons, watermelons, muskmellons, peaches,  satsumas, and Jam!

mostly my peeps were gone to be with four brothers, four sisters-in-law, three nieces (one great one), but when they came back to the camp i wagged my way along Table Rock Lake and there was never a dull moment.  grasshoppers, birds, gnats, you name it, i chased it. 'leeen has happy tears in her eyes, and it's fairly cold (freeze warning) so we need to go south.  in a good way...

sooo long since my last entry

thanks for checking to see if i'm alive. yes, friends, i am. i am always the happiest dog in the USA.

we rolled down the mountains, crossed the plains and parked in illinois. i hung out with Lilly and Kevin, Pariah and Patchy.

aren't Lilly's new glasses cool?  i want glasses. red ones.

new raincoat?  pleeeeze.  the kids don't have to wear raincoats...

i loaned Patchy my raincoat. she needs my raincoat. she's a hairless senior poodle who shivers all the time. my peeps  think we should take her with us. but then Kevin would miss her...

before i had time to rest up, we drove to North Carolina so i could love and amuse Ava and meet someone (finally) smaller than my self.

Ava liked my dog kennel

uh oh. she seems to have a plan...

naptime in my kennel? it's ok. i share...

she's so cute. she can walk me anytime!

so, here comes this little bitty caninette, Olivia.  two pounder.  makes me look like , well...sorta big like my peeps!

no sooner do i turn my back than she takes off with my skunk!!! named Flower, of course.

we sadly left the East Coast allinoneday and no sooner did we arrive illinois than they tell me we're leaving again. these people of mine can't seem to stay in one place. they are always in a hurry!