cape life.

Here we are, a full month after our last post. Where does the time go?! Claire and I took a little road trip from Nashville to Cape Cod last weekend and we'll be here for the next month. Whenever I'm here, I feel like I can just exhale. I can't think of any other way to put it, so... that's that.

Can I just say that it is a VERY long drive from Tennessee to Massachusetts? It was quite eventful, too, as the air conditioner in my car broke halfway through the extremely large state of Virginia. If it hadn't been a sunny 90*F day, I would have tried to ride it out until we got here, but because it was just so hot, I had to stop and get it repaired. Thankfully it was an easy fix and we were able to get back on the road after three hours or so -- and I have to give Firestone a huge shout-out (the one in Nowheresville, VA) for being so awesome and letting Claire hang out in the lobby. They even gave her treats and water while we waited. Talk about service!

We finally made it to Harrisburg PA where we stayed in a hotel for the night. Claire got her own queen-sized bed, which she was quite excited about, as you can see by the blur of her wagging tail in this picture:

 

We made it to the Cape the next day without any hiccups, and I cannot emphasize enough how glad we both were to get out of the car. I actually have no recollection of what we did that night because my mind was blank from driving for so long. The one thing that I did not anticipate was how rough the drive would be on my body. My fibromyalgia flared up like mad and after a full week, I'm finally feeling better. Note to self for the next time: break up the drive into three days, not two.

 

The next morning, Claire and I woke up early and took a long walk on the beach. It was her first time there, and y'all, I can't wait to post the video of her reaction. But that will have to wait until I get back to Nashville, so hang tight in the meantime. At first she was afraid of the waves, but by the end of our walk, she was running straight into them. She tried to drink the water like she does when I take her to the river in Nashville, but the salt from the ocean made her sneeze. Puppy sneezes are the cutest! But she didn't try to drink it again, which was a safe bet. And hey, this is a picture that I took of the sunrise that morning. Can you tell that it was the perfect day?

 

 

 

 

Later that day, one of my besties came to visit and it was AMAZING to see her. It had been a year since we'd seen each other, and I fully intend for us to visit a lot over the next month!! We went out to lunch to catch up and then spent the afternoon hanging out on the beach. Claire was so tired after her morning romp in the waves, so I didn't feel bad leaving her for a few hours. She needed the rest!

 

 

I know some of y'all are connected with us on our Facebook page, but for those of you who aren't, you need to know that part of my mother's preparation for our arrival included putting sheets all over the furniture to "protect" them from Claire's fur. Clearly, we never had dogs growing up. Anyway, Claire's new favorite lookout is the window behind the sheeted couch, which gives her a good view of one side of our neighborhood (and, more importantly, of the squirrels and rabbits), so she's been spending a lot of time here. Again, please note the happy tail.

 

 

Interestingly enough, my mom forgot to cover one chair in the house, which has become a great place for naps. Claire is smart enough to curl up here when my mom isn't home. I don't have the heart to tell her to get off, especially when she's as cute as she is. Who wants to disturb a comfortable dog, anyway? Not me. That's just mean!

 

 

 

Of course, I still have to work during the week (though I'm so thankful that I can work remotely!), but Claire and I have settled into a routine that seems to be working well. My "office" is in a room that I only go into while I'm working - I thought that would help Claire understand that I can't play when we're there. We get up in the morning and go for a long walk, eat breakfast, and do a little training, and then I get the work day started. Claire hangs out with me and naps until lunch, alternating between the floor, the couch, and this cozy little pallet that I've set up for her next to my desk.

 

 

 

I've got an hour break for lunch, so after grabbing some food, Claire and I spend some time playing frisbee, going running, and doing more training. After she's gotten out some energy, she's ready to lounge around while I finish up the second half of the work day. At night, we've been heading to the beach after most of the tourists have left, and we'll go for another long walk/run so I can unwind and Claire can get back outside for a bit. Then it's time for dinner and playtime (she likes to play tug with her stuffed animals, and four of them have already succombed to her destruction), and then we hang out with my mom and her boyfriend before calling it a night.

 

 

The other night we went for a walk at the Harbor instead of at the beach - mainly because I was feeling nostalgic for a place where my friends and I hung out a lot when we were in high school. There were a couple other dogs around and Claire did really well by not reacting to them. I was so proud of her! Anyway, while we were walking on the docks, Claire saw ducks for the first time EVER and was absolutely fascinated by them. She didn't cry or whine or bark, she just sat there transfixed. Birds in the water? Who would've thought!

 

So, now you know what we've been up to and where we've been lately! I'll be posting again next weekend, for sure. And of course I'll share more pictures too. Hope you all are well and have been enjoying your summer!

 

a letter to nature.

Dear birds, squirrels, rabbits, and other small creatures:

       Thank you for putting up with Claire's constant harassment. I would like to think that she would stop chasing you if she could, but she has a high prey drive. Therefore, I imagine that it's kind of like an addiction. But I've decided that she needs to give back, somehow, to make up for her behavior. That is why we have moved our brushing sessions outside. Three times per week, you will find a lovely collection of fur next to the porch. Please take as much as you'd like to make your home cozy. I don't know where she gets all of her fur since she gets brushed so often, but all that matters is that you reap the benefits. It's the least she can do since she gives you minor heart attacks every time she sees one of you. It is my hope that you will accept her donation as an apology.

Love,

Lauren

PS: Here is a picture of today's collection. That's a size 7.5 furball. She shed that much during Tuesdays brushing and she will shed that much by Saturday. True story. So there's plenty to go around.

if my car wasn't already enough of a mess...

It started with the drool. I should've known right then and there what was in store - especially since Claire is NOT a drooler. Even had I missed that clue, I should have picked up on the fact that right when she got into the car, she laid down immediately. And had I missed THAT sign, I should have noticed that she was more tired than usual after being at Bark-O-Lounge all day with her friends. But some days, hell freezes over, and the planets stop their orbit around the sun, and pigs fly - all at once - and I miss every single clue that I'd normally be attuned to. Today was one of those days.

By the time I realized what was happening, it was too late: she was already hurling ALL over the backseat of my car. Poor girl and that upset tummy of hers... When we got home, she didn't even scan the yard for squirrels or rabbits, she just went straight to the door. And as soon as I let her inside, she put herself right to bed - on the couch. She didn't even walk the extra ten steps to our bed. She just curled up in the closest comfy spot.

Hopefully this is just a bug that will run its course quickly, but she has her annual physical at the vet's on Saturday as it is. That's a nice coincidence, I suppose. Though my prayer is that after a good night's sleep, she'll wake up feeling better in the morning...

oh, the (adorable) irony.

Claire's curious nature is so endearing to me, but I've got to keep an eye on her at all times. It doesn't take much for her curiosity to bloom into mischievousness, and it only takes a split second for her to find something to get into that she should be leaving alone. It's been so hot lately that we haven't been able to spend much time together outside, which has been making her a bit restless. Restlessness - in Claire - means trouble. I attempted to brave the heat for a mere five minutes last week so that I could take her for a little stroll around the yard [I was sweating within ten seconds of stepping outside, by the way]. She stopped by the porch and started sniffing around, which I didn't think much of, at first. But then she started nosing aside some dead grass... and I heard a squeak. When I saw something rustle in the grass, I instantly took Claire into the house so that I could take a closer look without her prey drive gearing up and getting out of control. When I moved aside the grass, I found these little munchkins:

Baby bunnies!!

I have to confess that my first thought was "What ARE you?!" Can you tell that I didn't grow up around animals?! I'm not proud to admit that at first I thought they were baby mice. Obviously, I quickly scratched that because of the lack of a long tail. Then I guessed that they might be baby moles. But then I remembered that Claire had scared off a rabbit from the same spot earlier this morning [that was the ah-ha! moment]. I've checked on Claire's bunnies over the past few days, and they're doing really well - they have finally opened their eyes and now they have more fur! We had a terrible rainstorm last night, however, and I stayed awake worrying that their burrow would collapse, and now I'm afraid to go check on them again because my heart would break if they didn't survive [maybe this is why my mom never allowed us to have any pets].

For those of you who have followed the blog for awhile and/or followed me on Twitter, I'm sure you've seen my posts/tweets about Claire's rabbit obsession. I completely realize that it's absurd to be so concerned about these little bunnies when they'll eventually grow up to torment Claire, in turn tormenting me when she freaks out at spotting them through the kitchen window. But they're just so cute and tiny right now! I can't help it! Ugh. I am such a girl.

   

silly wabbits.

We've reached a compromise, Claire and I. I did tell you about the rabbit situation, didn't I? Well, as a refresher, Claire's new obsession is with rabbits. Coincidentally, we have a large family of them living either under the back deck or under the front porch. Claire goes crazy when she sees them, and the first thing she does in the morning is this:

Now, she isn't just looking out the window admiring the beautiful weather. No, she is on the lookout for rabbits. Shortly after this picture was taken, she spotted one and began scratching at the window and whining - much like she used to do for the squirrels, who she now couldn't care less about. Okay, that's a lie. She still cares, but her obsession infatuation has definitely turned to bunnies. And she throws a horrible temper tantrum when I don't let her run after them while I get ready for work. I mean, I'm sorry, but I need to get ready and I can't supervise her running around in my un-fenced backyard!

So here is our compromise. She is no longer allowed to throw fits, and if she does, she gets a time out. But to satisfy her rabbit craving, she gets to "go get 'em" after our morning walks - meaning, I let her off the leash and she gets to chase the bunnies around the yard until they ultimately seek shelter in whatever place they hide in. And then when I call for her, she listens to me and comes inside, all zoomed out.

I do have to say, however, that this morning, she was chasing one rabbit while another one was chasing her. And she was barking while she was running. It was awfully cute! :)