Killing Time in Montana

The whole family seems to be killing time near Glacier National Park. We are in a large meadow surrounded by a lot of snow capped mountains. All this means nothing to me. What I find interesting is all the smells around here that are new to me. There are elk around here, though I haven't seen a one. They leave fresh poop every night and unless there is a Poop Fairy running around up here it's the elk. And, nobody picks up after them. Jodie and I are not ALLOWED to be walked in the play area because they fear we may leave something behind. Then the elk come in and go wherever they want.

I've put in a few more pictures to show you our living arrangements while we're on the road



This is Jodie's "cave". I like this spot too because it's so cozy, but Jodie is the one who has it most often and this is where she sleeps. If I stick my head under there she growls at me. Very unladylike.



This is the other "dog" bed and sits behind the passenger seat. Sometimes I'm here if I'm not standing watch at the dashboard. Sometimes Jodie stays here if I happen to grab the cave.



Now this is where I really sleep, but this shows only the corner. The problem with the picture is that I'm so short. I can stand on my rear legs, but then I can't balance to take the picture, so the picture from this angle will have to do.

Jodie and I don't mind the weather too much, but several days of rain tends to put the folks in a funk. Mom seems to do OK, but Dad paces back and forth and mutters a lot. Personally, I don't know why we are staying here so long without doing anything. How about you, Jodie?

What do you mean?

Don't you think it's odd that we are here so long?

You have no concept about what's going on. Don't you remember all the problems with seeing out the front yesterday? Don't you remember all the cold and snow?

Yes, but....

But nothing. We are not sitting here for nothing. There is a part for the motorhome that is due in, and when the motorhome is ready we'll head off to Canada. Besides, there may be some activity in the works tomorrow.

Such as?

I heard them talking about a drive through Glacier National Park. If we go, and I hope we do, we should see more snow and actually get to play in it. We may see some new animals, such as bears and mountain goats. We may even see some of those elk who mess up our campground every night. What in the world are you doing now?

I'm practicing my sad face. I'll stay near the door and look sad and they'll have to take me.

What a winner!

A Day Out for a Change!

Due to circumstances beyond our control (mine and Jodie's) we spent an extra day in Billings, Montana. We're in a KOA campground that is just loaded with other dogs.

It's just that all the dogs are on leashes and are soon hustled away from us or any other dog.

Yes, that's true, but we went for a ride in the Jeep and stopped at a large open area where we got to play fetch. By that I mean that I got to play fetch while Jodie just ran back and forth with a tennis ball in her mouth. I ran and ran, probably too much as I panted all the way back to the campground.

Coco has no concept of pacing herself. The ball is thrown and she gets it and brings it back, when it is immediately thrown again. The folks got me to drop the ball and I fetched it. Then they threw it again and I got it, but I loft it in the grass a ways from the folk. I don't want them to think I'm a pushover for fetching. Once or twice to make them feel good is fine, but more than that is not my idea of fun.

The folks keep mentioning "snow", and wondering how the "dogs" are going to like it when we get to Glacier National Park. WHO CARES!!! Do they think I look like a St. Bernard?

I'm sure they don't think we're St. Bernards, but Labrador is in our heritage and that is a big snow area, too.

Whatever you say, Coco, but I'm a lie in the shade and take a dip in the pool type of girl.

Riding and riding and riding and

I guess we've had a rough couple of days. A lot of riding and when we got out for a walk, the wind would almost blow us off our feet. It was also very hot, with the temperature on the 90s all day. I was fine. If you know anything about me you know what a laid back dog a I am normally. Hot, cold, bumpy, smooth, it makes no mind I can sleep. My head on a pillow, hanging off the bed, on a brick, makes no mind, I can sleep. Jodie is a little different and I get a bit concerned about her. She pants and pants all day and doesn't seem to like the ride at all.

What's to like??? Thump.thump, sway, sway, thump, sway.

I feel the same things you do, I just let the rhythm lull me to dreamland.

Dreamland, my tail!!!!! It's not soothing you dope, it's jarring. At least it is to a dog of my tender senses.

I think you just do that to get attention. It certainly seems that Mom or Dad is constantly petting you to calm you down. Yesterday they even set you up on the couch to make it easier on you.

And you still think I'm being stupid?

Spending the Day in the Motorhome

Jodie and I are spending the day in the motorhome while the folks are touring St. Louis. It's OK with me as I can always use a little extra sack time. Besides I can get a little of my blog done. I was talking about some pictures that I took while we were on the road.




This is a picture of Mom driving. She seems to do a good job and there are no complaints. I could prove this with another picture (Dad sleeping on the other chair with his mouth open) but THAT picture didn't make it past the censor. Hrumph! I also got this picture of Jodie in her normal riding position.



The next picture is one someone took

of me.



Coco thinks that the folks can't drive unless she is on lookout. She stares out the window for HOURS, until her head gets so tired that she has to rest it on the dashboard. The folks keep a towel there because she tends to DROOL on the maps and travel books if they didn't.

One thing I've noticed in the last few days is the quality of the grass in the areas we are allowed to........take care of business. I shouldn't say that it's so much better than Florida grass, but it really is. It is so soft and when there's clover mixed in it smells so nice. The grass is nicer than some expensive carpets that I've had accidents on.

I guess that's about all from St. Louis. We expect to be on the road early tomorrow and Coco and I will report from some point further west.

We'regetting no computer time!

It seems that Coco and I are going to be short changed on the computer access on this trip. We'll only be able to squeeze in a cou0le of lines.

Yeah, and no pictures. I got a few nice pictures yesterday and some will be put on our blog. Unfortunately the censor has already said "no" to some of the pictures. My best picture was while Mom was driving and Dad was asleep in the chair. He had the chair tilted way back and was asleep. I got a neat picture of him snoring with his mouth wide open. I'm telling you about it, bit I don't think you'll ever see it.

OK, Bye for now.

Loading the important cargo.

I was hanging around close to Dad yesterday afternoon while Jodie was snoozing inside the house. At first he wasn't accomplishing very much, but by staying close, I'd get a scratch now and then. I became much more interested when I saw him load a BIG bag of our food into the camper. THEN.....the BIGGEST box of dog biscuits. I tried to control myself, but I almost got my head caught when he closed the compartment door. I wandered back into the garage where the canned dog food is stored and tried to get him to load the cans too, but he didn't see me. No problem, I've got my eye on them and him and I'll make sure the cans are loaded aboard. I love the dry dog food, and being a Lab, I never have enough, but when they mix some of the moist meat in........HEAVEN!!!

I thought that Jodie would have something to add, but she's out like a light.

It's enough to make a dog cry!

Y'all know how much Coco and I enjoy the water. We are water dogs and water is a very important part of our lives.

Yup! and the three pictures below show what we mean.




Jodie and I go swimming almost every day. It is nice anytime, even in the winter when the water is cold. We are not deterred!

OK, I'm not quite as nuts about the water as Coco, but I do enjoy a swim, and now that it is so hot, a dip in the pool is a real treat. Now take a look at what the pool looks like today!



See all that plastic??? It's what's keeping us from a nice swim. Now, who in the world covers a pool in the summer? Just when the water is the warmest of the year, that old fa....I mean our Dad has chosen to keep the pool from us.

Both of the folks are making numerous trips to the motorhome and I know that we are due to leave for a northern destination soon, but is that any reason to take the pool away so soon. I AM NOT going to run around outside in this heat. I'll go out only when I have to and then I will vegetate inside in a spot where I can feel the cool air from the air conditioning. I will NOT play fetch. I will NOT play tug,and I will NOT eat green eggs and ham.....oops, I don't know where that came from.

Sorry folks, I think Jodie is getting a bit overwhelmed at the loss of the pool. We will keep you posted.

What a way to begin a new blog!

Coco and I were reveling in the Mother's Day Card that Mom got from Talulah, one of the pups. She is more than six months old and is a REAL beauty. I mean she's ALL Labrador Retriever! Mom thought it was great and sent it along to Molly, Talulah's real mom.

Yup, that's when we realized that we didn't get Mom a card for Mother's Day. Then we got a new picture of Molly, looking as good as ever. That only made us feel worse. Nothing has been said to us, but I really feel like I'm in the dog house. Get it??? Dog house....... oh, never mind.

A New Beginning

Hello Folks, Coco and I have a new blog address that is more readily associated with us two adorable labs.

You might also notice the new picture. It was taken on the beach in Key West last October. That's about as far south as we've been in the water. Our northern most swim was from a beach in Labrador a few years ago. Our western most swim was Washington, but we also swam in San Diego.