“I’d like to go Nelson,” Kate announced on a dog walk one day having never been there.
“Might be fun. There’s a writers festival there coming up,” I replied.
“Let’s take the dogs for sure. I enjoy myself so much more knowing Spike is having a good time too,” she added.
“I feel exactly the same way.”
Nattering our thoughts out loud at the same time, we batted around details and possible dates getting excited about the idea. Kate was such a good, comfortable friend, no pretense, no inhibitions between us.
And so that was the backdrop to a weekend getaway where my dog taught me how to really enjoy a holiday.
The date was set for a July weekend. With all our gear, Kate picked Buster and I up bright and early one Thursday morning. We planned to have a picnic at the half way point of the ten hour drive and each packed great pickins’ to share.
Pulling into a rest stop in Midway at a government site. It had a clean looking
outhouse for us girls, a matching picnic table and a babbling brook to water the dogs, so we spread out our picnic fixings.
“I brought nachos,” I announced.
“I have cherries.”
Pulling into a rest stop in Midway at a government site. It had a clean looking outhouse for us girls, a matching picnic table and a babbling brook to water the dogs, so we spread out our picnic fixings.
“I brought nachos,” I announced.
“I have cherries.”
The dogs roared over the river rocks, slapping through shallow water as we lunched. We arrived in Nelson at suppertime and checked into our pre-booked hotel Buster and Spike had grown up together and were five now – more mellow but still happily young enough to still rumble together.
“You will be charged an additional night’s stay for any noise complaints we get regarding the dogs,” the hotel clerk was obliged to tell us.
“That’s fine.“ We eagerly unloaded amazed at what two women and two dogs need for three days. Once settled in, we headed for the dog park Google said was close by. And it was beautiful – a well groomed narrow gravel road that ran between the Nelson airstrip and the lake. A chain link fence provided safety from the landing strip on the left and on the right there were mini peninsulas’ every 100 feet or so that jetted off the main artery for water access. A beach and bench at every one.
The dogs ran and swam, frolicking with each other while inviting other canines to join in, of which there were plenty. We stood chatting with other owners learning more about Nelson. Once the dogs were tired and tucked back in the hotel, we splurged with a lovely steak dinner for ourselves. All were bushed by 8 pm.
Buster liked sleeping on Kate’s bed, just because. And Spike was on my bed. Our dogs were interchangeable that way.
The dogs were calm but ever alert to our rustling bags as we wound down for the evening. I turned down the lights off and hunkered into a movie.
“I brought ear plugs for you,” Kate said, “apparently I snore like crazy, especially if I’m tired. Like tonight.”
“No worries. You haven’t heard Buster,” we giggled.
Finally comfortable in our own way it was quiet and dark, pitch black except for the blue glow of the TV, just how a hotel movie should be. Kate’s assessment of herself was correct. She was out like a light, sawing old growth cedars by the second commercial. I turned up the volume a notch.
By now, Buster too was starting to weeze a little on the exhale, her snore. I gave her a Gravol to help konk her out because when she gets over exhausted, she’s too anxious to sleep. She was on the far side of Kate and I really didn’t know my beagle had nestled her way under the blankets, and head on the passenger’s pillow. I laughed at the site when I noticed but went back to my movie. A little while later Buster got a louder, the Gravol was kicking in.
Kate was still at it herself and it was fast becoming a snore fest. Kate snoring on the inhale and Buster picking it up on the exhale. Kate flat out on her back, arms overhead, face slightly turned away from me – out cold. Buster on the other side, covers neatly folded back at the shoulders, head and snout on the pillow facing Kate, keeping in perfect time with each breath. It was the best audio-visual I’d ever experienced. I don’t know who was unconscious more and between them they must’ve logged enough timber for a full round house!
Next morning, Kate exclaimed, ”Boy, did I ever sleep good”.
Buster smiled over at her as if to say ‘You took the words right out of my mouth.’