6 Weeks

Make that 7.

Stumpy and I stayed with friends, in South Carolina, for 7 weeks.

You may remember Stumpy's BFF, Baxter. from previous visits back home.

Baxter moved south, last year. We totally enjoyed  our time with Baxter and his family while we waited for it to warm up, in New England.

 

It was great fun for the dogs, and for us, to watch them go at it, all day, every day.

Both inside

 

and outside.

 

The fun never stops.

 

There were lots of walks

There were endless games of tug

  

car rides

 

stare- downs

 

 

wrestling

 

and dancing

 

There were lizards to hunt,

 

squirrels to chase

OOPS! Sorry dogs! False alarm!

  

sunbathing,

 

 

and laps to test

 

We met Baxter's kuzzinz, Cocoa and Chaos

 (I don't know which one is which} 

  

had an occasional obedience class

Can you see the anticipation of a reward?

for a job well done?

 

There was peanut butter

 

 and of course, waiting.

  

 In between all the activity, They rest,

 

for about 10 seconds

We're headed north, now. Looking forward to seeing my family in just a few days !

Many, Many thanks to Baxter and his family for putting up with us for soooooooooo long! It's not just any friend that will allow you to mooch-dock in their back yard for a couple of months! I hope you are looking forward to the next time we visit as much as Stumpy and I!

Stumpy contemplates the long trip ahead

 

But knows she'll be welcome to return, anytime.

 

 

Mystery ride

Baxter's Dad is doing the chauffeuring, today.

 

Baxter and Stumpy shared the window

 

Stumpy volunteers to drive 

 

She swears she can do it!

 

The BEACH! We're at the beach! We made it to the Atlantic! FINALLY!

Of course, there was swimming

 and we played ball

 

Baxter mostly watched. He's not a fan of the water.

 

But Stumpy ran

 

and swam

 

and played ball

until she could barely move.

 

She crashed, on the way home, with Baxter standing guard over her 

 

OK, really, Stumpy was in Baxter's way. He couldn't co-pilot, from there.

So he moved Stumpy out of the way. Then he crashed, too

 

 

Stumpy learns to swim

Stumpy has loved the water since her first introduction. Even when we aren't playing she would stay in the water, just walking around, for hours.

However, she had always had a bit of trouble staying afloat.



She walked across the bottom of the lake and "bobs" pushing herself off the bottom when she was over her head, flailing wildly with her front paws. The fact that she couldn't swim never stopped her from going out into the water, over her head. I always stayed close, in case she got into trouble.



We spent some time at Cuzzin Baxter's house who happened to have a pool.



Baxter's dad took a few minutes to give both Baxter and Stumpy a swimming lesson. Baxter, being a Shar Pei cross, abhors water, except to drink out of a bowl.



The lesson was not wasted on Stumpy, though. She became a power swimmer in no time at all; swimming the length of the pool, harassing all of us to come swimming with her and in general showing off.



Of course she rested, occasionally, too.