Bouv on Wheels Sunday 2-20-10

Sometimes you just have to run away from it all...  

Gigi has been sighing heavily for days, whining more than usual, clinging more than usual.  You haven't lived until you have had a bouv in your lap for 3 hours a night, eating popcorn with all noses following lllleft, rrrrright, llllleft as we ALL watch the Olympic downhill skiing or the uuuuuuup, downnnnnnnn, uuuuuuuuup, downnnnn of that half pipe snowboard thingie.

So this morning she declared an agenda by walking up to the car and sitting down.  Not moving til we go somewhere.  Nope.  That's now 121 lbs of definite nope.

It isn't a problem to get her into the car at home - we can put the ramp from the porch to the back of the Subaru wagon.  Someday I'll get the hatch fixed.  And the post on the porch, too.  But for now, the door still closes and the post is still in the upright position... 

The ramp down from the car to the ground is doable, even though it is a bit steep.  But the ramp up from  ground to car is too steep. 

I think the problem is more a traction issue than anything else, but it is too risky so our outings are somewhat limited.  If we want to get out of the car to walk on flat land (we have none of our own) we have to make sure we back up to a good high curb... like the one at the vet's.  I'm sure the staff is wondering why we keep arriving and leaving without coming in the building.  "What on earth is she doing?  Did she forget something?  How bad can her memory be??? She doesn't look that witless..."   But they can't complain; their portico posts are still standing and we don't stay for long.

Then it's off to visit a friend - a real friend.  The kind that comes out to the car despite the winter chill and gives "tailgate hugs" and feeds you carrots one at a time with lots of kisses in between bites.  Gigi's tail/stump  wags vigorously and she is utterly devoted to her friends.  Until the distractions take over.

Good thing she was in the car, because had she been on the ground we'd have been setting our own ice-slalom records...

First there's the traffic.  We don't have cars at our house.  Come to think of it, she's never really had a chance to just sit and watch traffic go by.  And then there were the people, coming and going from neighboring houses - very normal for most, but not a scene Gigi gets to experience.  Our neighbors are only sounds - cows, sheep, and occasional voices, all hidden behind acres of trees.  But the squirrels...now those we have plenty of and they all need chasing!  And someone mentioned cats, and they always need licking. 

It was, by people and dog standards, a great outing.  Gigi came home happy and thirsty, with a much lighter step and promptly put herself to bed for a looooooong Olympic nap.