A five day journey: dogs and their people

I used to make a regular travelling loop throughout Western Canada.  My immediate family, all choosing to flee our home town about 5 years ago, have settled all over the country and (now) the world.  I am a definite home body and being married has made me more inclined to stay home because I have someone I like hanging out there already.  Of course, this means I do not see my siblings nearly as often as I would like. If I had unlimited money I am sure I would go visit them all all the time, but I do not. At least that is what The Guy keeps telling me.

This weekend, I was able to head on a quick trip to get some much needed family time.  You would think I would have remembered to take pictures of said family while I was out and about.  You would be wrong. I came home with 17 pictures. All of dogs.  While this is not uncommon for me (in fact, each major trip I take has an entire album of dog pics) I am starting to realize I have a definite problem.

Road trip! 

My name is MayB and I'm a dogoholic.

Today, I will only be able to show you pictures of the dogs who live with everyone I saw.  Meh, people aren't that cute anyway.

Montel and I hopped into my Jeep and hit the open road.  We stopped and spent the night with my good friend NewHeart (aka Cheryl) and her dog, Stella. Stella is about the only dog I did not get a picture of because she and Monty decided they DID NOT LIKE EACH OTHER, so we spent most of our time trying to keep them from brawling.  Only after I walked them the next morning did they realize they could be in the same space amicably.

Friday, I drove another 1.5 hours to see Grandma.  She lives at a place for old people which is good because she's 93.  She spent the entire time telling me she thought my sister was coming and seeming all too disappointed, but that is a story for later.

I took Grandma out for lunch and then we went to my uncle's home where Grandma's dog, Vicki, has lived since Grandma moved.  Vicki thinks Grandma is AWESOME and all others come second. Here is the story of how Grandma and Vicki got together.

Vicki is worried about why you are watching her.

Once I had thoroughly worn out Grandma, Monty and I headed out to my brother's home another 4 hours off. It's been over a year since I have seen either him or his wife and I wish we hadn't waited that long.  They live the closest to me (a mere 8.5 hours away) so you would think it wouldn't be quite so tough.

My favourite thing about seeing them (apart from actually seeing them) is the dog park that exists in their home town. I make them take me there as often as possible when I visit. Sometimes I let them take the dogs too. It is a 3 mile expanse of trees and river and paths that make me salivate with jealousy over our large half-fenced-in field that floods for most of the year.

Macie and Porter get ready to run.
Porter stands like a person.

We walked all the paths, let the dogs play in the river in as many spots as they could find, and visited with other owners also out taking advantage of the beautiful park. Like my SiL said "No one is angry at the dog park!"  It's true.  Even my normally grouchy and anti-social mutt extraordinaire was frolicking.

Monty had a dang good time. 

After 4 fun filled days away, Monty and I loaded our tired behinds into the Jeep and headed home. Another 10 hours later (we stopped once more to visit my cousin and her boys midway,) we stumbled across the threshold to our little home and fell asleep immediately. 

You can always tell the best vacations because you need a holiday after you return.