My Turn
There are few things in life better than squirrels. I dealt with lots of them at our last campground. Sneaky buggers really … acting all pretentious as I walk toward them. It seems they don’t care about you one moment and then, if you get close, they take off like the sky is falling. Just delightful. And those flittering tails… they seriously make my whiskers tingle. I sometimes dream that squirrels can’t climb. But I’m getting off on a tangent before I even get started. Squirrels will do that.
My name is Kaia and I’ve been with Team Hinty for the past five years. An edict from management came through a while back and said if I didn’t start pulling my weight around here the snack wagon might start making more infrequent appearances. My understanding is that a few critters got past me and entered our home. Management had the audacity to think that I should somehow scare them from entering or get rid of the critters once they do. Well, I don’t see why creepy crawlers should be my department. They’re very much beneath me. The edict had to come from Treat Lady as she seems to be in charge of the bug removal. I don’t want to paint her as the heavy but she does seem to pull a lot of weight in the decision-making department. When I decide it’s time for a treat she occasionally balks. She’ll cave eventually but she’s no pushover. Sometimes I have to take a hands-on approach, grab her hand, and let her scratch under my collar while looking up at her with my “soft eyes”. Turns her to putty every time.
The other guy, the Chauffeur, is in charge of the leash and a jingly set of keys and he’s worth keeping an eye on. Oh the adventures we have! Most days we do a morning patrol of whatever campground we’re at. Most of the time it is pretty uneventful but that doesn’t mean you can let your guard down. Those pesky rabbits and squirrels seem to want to take over if you don’t move them along. And there was one stop in Texas where the deer wandered around willy-nilly amongst the campers. It was downright deplorable and I was in heaven! Those guys seemed to have pretty good hearing as they’d be staring at me already every time I spotted them. I think it must have been the chauffeur’s cloddy footsteps. He just doesn’t get “the mission.”
In addition to Texas, I’ve been to 17 other states and they’ve all been pretty cool. It feels like we’ve been traveling as long as I can remember and the Chauffeur and Treat Lady think they’ve turned it into some sort of game. The Chauffeur will open my door for me and it’s the same sing-songy question, “Guess what state you’re in now?” He drives pretty good but I sometimes wonder about there being a density issue with his head. Maybe he thinks I’m sleeping but there’s a massive sign along the highway each time we enter a new state. I humor him and we play the game. I move on.
Lest I come across ungrateful or snooty, I must say they give me all the love and attention I deserve. Our chosen mode of travel is in a really big truck. Not only does the Chauffeur open the door for me but I make him lift me into the back. That little bit is just for me. The truck isn’t the smoothest ride they could have provided but I have my traveling throne room so I’ll bide my time for something less bouncy. The entire back seat has a thick foam pad covered with a puffy blanket and Treat Lady put a second bed in the back. She didn’t think I should have to ruff it ... and she was right. Unless we go get groceries, they are pretty good about not cluttering my area with stuff so I can stretch out any way I please. Treat Lady is good about remembering to turn on my fan too so I have a gentle breeze throughout my ride. It is good to be a princess.
One of my main responsibilities is making sure Treat Lady is taken care of. Let’s be straight about this … every single morning she fills my food bowl and freshens the water bowl. She even carries a little water bowl when we go on adventures so I stay hydrated. She is VERY important. Most days have been sunny and pleasant but I distinctly remember a few times when it got windy enough to shake the trailer or a storm brought with it lightning and thunder. When things got hairy, I could only assume that Treat Lady would be a little scared. To reassure her when the trailer starts swaying, I jump up on her lap in the recliner. Let me be clear, I have my own spot on the couch, well, let’s be honest, I have the whole couch and don’t make a habit of cramming myself in a small space. There really isn’t room for both of us but I wanted to help hold her down. I’m so thoughtful. If a storm happens at night, I’ll break protocol and jump up on the bed and lay across her sleeping legs. It’s what you do for the team, right?
We do take a lot of side trips between the big travel days and frequently we will stop at big fenced in areas where other dogs have brought their humans. Might I just say, it’s quite a melting pot. A lot of the time they’ll have one side for big and the other side for small dogs. I really wish they would put all the immature guys over on one side so the rest of us could have a more relaxing time and just visit or compare notes. Seriously, it sometimes feels like the zoomy zone! It never fails, a couple of us will be just hanging out and in tears some youngster with a “look at me” attitude. And then there’s the “ball” crowd … don’t get me started. The Chauffeur and Treat Lady like it when other humans are in The leashless lounge and they seem to talk and talk and talk. I don’t mind when other humans talk to them however more often than not other dogs want to check them out to see if they are worthy. It is my duty to run interference and make sure they don’t get too close. The worst is when the Chauffeur uses that high pitched voice and encourages the interactions by petting or scratching the ears of a complete stranger. I’ll hear is happy voice in the distance say, “Hey there little buddy,” and my head will come up to scrutinize the situation in my decision to intervene. It’s embarrassing, really. I glare at him letting him know my displeasure with such childish talk however he hasn’t picked up on the clues yet. Still, the three of us leave together and I assume my role as princess.
Oh goodness, I need to go. They are waking up and I must look like I was peacefully sleeping in my bed so I can be “awakened” by the Chauffeur for my morning stroll. Until next time my dear readers.
Being tied to a hitching post on our adventure to Pioneer Town in California made us all laugh.
