I'm in Heaven

July 25th

I'm in HEAVEN....or I would be if Momma and Dad would let me have my way.

You see, it all began when Dad saw his friend Bob who passed off the box that was delivered to his address.  Dad brought the box into our 5er and low and behold, what did I spy but a beautiful, yummy looking red box inside the big brown box. 

Oh my!  I knew right away that box was meant for me.

  "Hey", I said when Dad FINALLY opened that red box for me and I wrapped my lips around that delicate morsel he passed to me. 

Oh, what a delightful flavor when I bit into that yummy treat.  "Don't stop there Dad.  I need MORE!!"  Dad read the box and it said 'filled with bone marrow'.  Now I'm not sure what that is, but I can tell you first hand that it sure is tasty.  Yep,  it's a bit of heaven for sure but I wanted to gorge myself in more than just a couple of morsels.  I think I could actually handle the WHOLE box because I have just discovered my newest favorite treat. "Just let me have the whole box ....please."

The gals at the Factory Service Center for our rig made my day special!!  I think they were really trying to make Dad's day special with some screws....but he wasn't grinning as much as I was!!

I'm Chloe

  

Summer Camp

July 23, 2018
Still in St. Johnsville, NY

I got a report card today.  Of course it was a GREAT report because I charmed all the two legged gals at Summer Camp.  "Chloe had a great day today! Super happy and loved playtime. Very sweet girl! A pleasure to have at camp!  My friend  Heidi told me all about Summer Camp and went with me today.  We had so much fun that Heidi had a 'fit' (barked and pulled) to let her parents know she wasn't ready to leave all her friends at doggy day care.  Needless to say, she left anyway.  Summer camp is about 40 minutes away so I enjoyed a nice nap on the way home and had dreams of my new friends I made.

I'm not sure who had more fun...me or my parents.  Momma and Dad enjoyed lunch and a movie...Equalizer 2..with Heidi's parents Bob and Kathy.  They even went to a great store, Running's, and stocked up on my food and dog treats. 

Now granted, summer camp was fun but last Saturday was super as well, as we went to Heidi's house. And I got DIRTY!!

She has LOADS of room to run and the greatest pool to cool off in.

 






Heidi was super about sharing her pool with me.

 I think I might have over done it a bit Saturday running as fast as the wind. I spend most of Sunday in my bed.   
Momma said we are staying here until after August 1st when I get to have another new experience, although she said I will probably sleep through this experience and won't remember much of it at all.  Then she told me that I'll have to stay 'quiet' and rest for a few days.  Me???  Rest???  Well, after a day like today or Saturday maybe.  

Enjoying my time in upstate NY...
I'm Chloe

Number 10

July 15, 2018
St. Johnsville, NY

Bong, Bong, Briiing, Whistle, Bam..........
It's a celebration...of sorts.  I have spent the night in 10 different states and I'm not even 7 months old. 🐾🎆🎇🎈🎉🎊🎺🎷 Now we could  crank that number higher we included all the states I have 'dumped a load' in, as we have spent daytime hours in Michigan at that marvelous Bark Park, and I also took a potty break in Pennsylvania. 

Everyone is smiling and sleeping comfortably...well, to tell the truth, I took my bed with me so I was ALWAYS sleeping good.  Anyway, Momma and Dad are happy to be sleeping in their own bed once again...after they put air back in their sleep number bed.  The mattress was pretty deflated when we got our rig back on Friday afternoon.  

The techs replaced the wall on the door side and rebuilt the bedroom floor.  And....they also left a dog in the bedroom.  

Now that I'm a BIG girl...38 pounds and getting more mature every day.....I'm allowed in EVERY room in the 5er.  Low and behold, I zipped up the stairs to explore the bedroom and there is was.  A black and white Aussie that looked like my twin.  It even moved every time I did.  I tried to get her to play but she didn't respond right.  She just mirrored my moves.😜  I have to admit, she sure was pretty.😊

After spending Friday night in Ohio at one of the RV sites with 50 amp on the turnpike at the service center (wouldn't it be nice if all the states had RV sites with electric at their rest stops), we traveled Saturday heading further east.  Momma and Dad kept swapping seats behind the wheel and the next thing I knew, we were in NY. 

I think they had planned to stop along the way but....the weather was good.  The traffic was light.  It was just a good travel day.

Momma said I have an appointment with my friend Heidi's vet so she can meet me.  And if I'm real nice, I may be invited back to meet her scalpel...whatever that is.  Something about spaying.

I'm Chloe

On the water

July 8, 2018
Shipshewana, Indiana

I got to go to the dog park in Sturgis, MI again this morning and it was my lucky day.  There were 3 playmates there for me.  They wanted to play with Dad too.  The big brown guy kept jumping on Dad so that by the time we left, Dad had to come back to the shoebox and change his dirty shorts.  Even I don't make that kind of mess on Dad!!  He looked like he had been walked on with all the big dirty paw prints.  Yep, the guy had muddy feet!!

Maybe Dad should have changed into long pants.  As of tonight, Dad belongs to the red knee tribe.  It all happened on Webster Lake this afternoon when Ted, Colleen, Momma and Dad rode on the Dixie Sternwheeler. 

It is a 1929 boat that fortunately has had some repairs and improvements since the original days when it was a grocery store on the water as well as a blacksmith shop that stopped at different landings on its water route.  
The gang decided to enjoy the lovely weather and great views on the top deck.

  If it had been last week when the temperatures were about10 degrees warmer, I think they would have been riding on the bottom deck...out of the sunshine.

On one of the islands on Lake Webster, there is a 'tree house' built

for a gentleman who has a fear of heights. If you look closely at the picture, you can probably make out the tree growing out of the center of the house that is built on the ground in amongst the trees.



Needless to say, they enjoyed their day on the water and the dinner afterwords in Syracuse, Indiana at Sleepy Owl Restaurant.  It was recommended by the boat captain when they asked for advice on where to eat.  Would you believe they finished off the meal with a 50 cent dessert?  It was a hot fudge sundae.

 

 Now don't get too excited, it only took a few bites to empty the dish, but it was just the right size after enjoying a delightful meal.  And did I mention it was only 50 cents?  Now that is a rare find in this day and age!!

Well, tomorrow we'll see if the technicians are on schedule with our rig work.  The target completion date is the end of the day on Monday.  Dad is REALLY getting a bad case of separation anxiety.  He's missing his 5er!!  Never fear, I'll keep him distracted....


I'm Chloe

Southern Raised

July 4 - 7, 2018
Shipshewana, Indiana

Momma said I should get the word out.  If you ever get the chance to hear Southern Raised, don't pass it up.  Southern Raised is made up of 4 musically talented siblings ages 21 - 31, three girls and one boy...who is the 'baby' of the family/group. 

They are classically trained but play with an Ozark influence.  They remind me of The Kempters.  They entertain with their own arrangements on their banjo, guitar, fiddle, bass and mandolin with great audience rapport.  Yep, standing ovation for sure!!  Now I didn't get the opportunity to go but I could really tell that Momma and Dad enjoyed the afternoon performance at the Shipshewana Event Center.

I did get to enjoy the fireworks.  We could see them right from our motel window without even leaving our room.   Everyone wondered if I was frightened by the noise they make, but Dad said not to worry so I didn't give it another thought.  

While we were at the dog park, Momma found out from another dog owner that there is a dog self wash in town

so.... I have my shiny, white coat once again.  It was an interesting place.  There were at least a dozen dogs that greeted me when we entered the large room.  Those dogs were at 'day care'.  They all came over to say 'Hi' but I really didn't get to sniff them too long as I was there for a tubby so we waded through the crowd to the back area where the tubs are.

Momma said it was a good thing I got my tubby so I could make a good first impression as Ted and Colleen were coming to stay in a Bed and Breakfast and eat donuts from Rise N Roll Bakery. 

They have the lightest, best donuts ever so I'm told.  If they are that good, it would seem that they would be okay for dogs to enjoy as well.  I can tell you first hand that there are tons of people in and out of the bakery and all of them are either licking their fingers, carrying boxes of donuts or doing both.  You see, they have some nice outside tables and chairs on the patio that I can sit at while Dad enjoys his free coffee and ice cream filled caramel cinnamon delight.....and we have been quite often as Dad LOVES their donuts.   I do get a few pats, but Momma said I would get lots more if I would just keep from jumping on the greeters.  I just get so excited......I kind of forget myself.

Sadly, today I was left to guard our motel room while everyone headed for White Pigeon, Michigan Days.  They had a bunch of classic cars and a kids pedal tractor pull.  The classes were broken into girls and boys and by age levels:  3-4; 5-6; 7-8.  It was impressive to see the girls in the 7-8 pedal/pull the sled with 345 pounds loaded on it. 

They began each class with a low weight so everyone made it to the full pull line and then they kept adding weight so some only got to pedal/pull twice while those that kept making it to the full pull line got to compete again as more weight was added.  They even had medals that they awarded and everyone who participate received a token for free ice cream.  Lots of smiles and memories made today.

They are talking about a Sternwheel Boat Tour on Webster Lake, Indiana tomorrow so I guess that means they will be letting me play until I'm ready to collapse and take a nap in my crate.  I do enjoy my playtime.  I can run faster than the wind.....

I'm Chloe

Life in a Shoebox

July 1 - 3 2018
Indiana

We packed up our possessions and have moved into our newest location for the next 8 or more nights.  We no longer are enjoying the roominess of a house and have settled into a shoebox....that's Dad's term for our motel room at Der Ruhe Blatz Motel in Shipshewana, Indiana while our 5er is undergoing the second week of scheduled repairs. 

With luck, if they stay on schedule, we will have our rig back at the end of the day on Monday, July 9th.....but when have you ever heard of things going as planned?  It takes a while to install a wall.

In the meantime, we spend as much time as possible somewhere other than the shoebox.  

We have been making visits to the dog park in Sturgis, Mi just north of us where I have found some new playmates to romp with.  







I have to admit, it does wear me out so I don't mind staying in my crate while Momma and Dad go find some people entertainment.




There is a new arena in Shipshewana..the MEC Center...that has added to the  list of available activities.  One day they attended the Draft Horse Event. 

The owners must have spent hours grooming the horses before they were hooked up to the wagons.  There were teams of four and then just single horses pulling smaller carriages. 

They also attended the Legend of the Horse show with 'trick' riders standing on horses and hanging off the sides of horses.

They even saw two horses running together as the riders built a pyramid while standing on the horses backs. In between acts, they had a clever clown who had everyone laughing. 

One day, we all loaded up in the truck and drove to Fremont.  Can you believe that the goal was to secure a case of

pickles.  Not just any pickles...Sechler's Pickles. They are made in St. Joe, Indiana and there is an outlet store in Fremont that has all the pickle varieties available for sale.

We took a scenic route to Fremont and enjoyed the countryside and all the 'neat', well manicured lawns and healthy gardens.  There is a saying that the corn should be knee hi by the 4th of July.  Well, these family gardens had TALL corn stalks with tassels on the top for the 4th of July.  I guess you could say Amish have green thumbs. 

On the way home, we took another route and came upon a yard/antique sale.

  I was hoping to bring home a new playmate

but no such luck.  I think Dad was worried that my tooth might accidentally poke a hole and the air would just whoosh out.  Then all I would be left with would be a pink blanket to crawl under.  

I'm Chloe