Rufus's
Road Trip 10-8-2009My trip started off uneventful, stuck in a crate while
Mom #2 drove for 14 hours, not straight through of course, but seemed like it. We
stopped at a Holiday Inn near Cleveland OH on the way to a place called Blue Bell
PA, they do not take us dogs, so we went across the parking lot to a place called
Motel 6.
No one told us that there were security issues from one end of the
parking lot to the other!
Our door said when we shut it "Please lock and
deadbolt your door for your own safety", we should have just slept in the
car in the Holiday Inn Parking lot!
We did not sleep a lot, we kept waiting
for the riff raff to bother us and we let everyone know what we would do to them
if they tried! We got to our destination the next day with no trouble, we
all fell asleep on the couch once we arrived, takes a lot of naps to get places,
makes you tired. Mom #1 arrived, was I happy to see her! Of course it was
hard to decide who to go to, so I spent the time running back and forth between
both moms, still can not decide who to go to.
On the first day of shows,
I guess it was a long trip from our hotel, someone kept mentioning that we had
to keep a look out for a HUGE pumpkin. We did see it and passed it once. I heard
that Sue and Pettie got to pass it 5 TIMES one year they went to these shows and
got lost, how lucky were they!!
On
the way back to the hotel my moms started out ok, they passed the pumpkin again
(YEAH) and the dead skunk in the middle of the road so they knew they were going
in the right direction. I thought the skunk smell was interesting, we don't have
skunks in Scotland, so to me the smell reminded me of really bad cheese with a
bit of Road Kill flavor added! Some say the odor is like bad eggs with garlic
and burnt rubber, I can not smell where that theory comes from. My moms did get
lost and one went into a gas station to get a map and directions. Ok, so the attendant
did not speak English so we had to ask a policemen for help. Policemen know everything.
Problem with this one was that he had never been out of his own town so he had
NO CLUE how to guide us back to the hotel. He kinda gave us directions, he was
really nice and we did get back, eventually…….
On Friday we did
not pass the pumpkin, Mom #2 took a different route, but got lost in the process.
She needs a GPS I think. Good Christmas present, will have to let her kids know.
She got lost on the last part of the route to the show, never did see that pumpkin
again, oh darn.
It was a hard day for me. After I won WD and Mikki won WB,
Mom #1 was in front of me with Paris and Mom#2 was in back of me with Mikki. I
was having a hard time whipping my head back and forth trying to figure out why
they were not paying attention to me. Poor Bill who was holding my lead said we
were not doing that again. I was not as bad as Paris who was getting quite frantic
that her mom was behind her and not in front of her or with her.
It must be
a girlie thing, but I know I was getting a bit worked up as well as I had moms
on both sides! Oh the decisions to make in life! Saturday morning I was
feeling my morning kibble and when I marked the tree and kicked the dirt to let
everyone know how tough I am, I guess some hit the nice white shinny car next
to the tree. Not sure why my moms were getting hysterical about it, it is just
a car. I wanted to go say hello to the guy sleeping in the hallway. I guess there
was a wedding the night before and he had a bit too much to drink and forgot what
room was his and so he got tired and decided to rest in the hallway. That is what
I would do if I were tired, not sure what all the fuss was about concerning him…….. Sunday
was fun, it was a really nice day and mom#2 got photos of me with mom#1 by a sign
that read 'Overseas Visitors', I am just visiting? How long does my Visa last?
I have yet to explore the block I live on in Wisconsin!
No one told me I was
here only temporarily! I am just perfecting my Scottish-American accent, the girls
are really turned on by it. They still ignore me, but they are just playing hard
to get. 
After
the show, we left to go back home, found a Red Roof Inn on the way back, we were
safe enough and slept good and was I happy to get home! Everyone was happy to
see me and I made sure that Bull knew I was back and in charge by marking all
the trees and bushes again.
I miss Mom #1, but I know that I will see her again
next year so in the meantime, I will have to find a way to go and explore the
block Mom #2 lives on. Now, how do I get past that HUGE fence?
Oh and
for those interested, I am now a UK/AM Champion, now what the heck does that mean
in the scheme of life? Maybe I am like Sean Connery now, international lover with
that sexy Scottish accent. Ahhhhhh, if only he were a dog, I would kick his behind
and then the girls would love me more!
Letters
from Scotland
by Paris Seaton-Stoddart Hi Mom, Bull and anybody
over there who remembers me!! Sorry to have taken so long to write but I
have to take my turn on the computer and there can be queue what with Paddy writing
to his grandkids and Diva and Ruby constantly surfing the web looking for bargain
cosmetics and nail polish..honestly they are SO old , don't know why they bother.
Anyway
back to the beginning...I was put on an aircraft at Chicago via Houston..no time
for sightseeing or going to the Duty Free..and arrived at London Heathrow on Good
Friday 1st April. Was taken to the Quarantine Centre by a handsome young man who
has appeared on TV a lot when they were doing filming about the airport..SHE seemed
quite impressed but thank God she didn't embarrass me by asking for his autograph!!
By the time my paperwork was checked over it was well into lunchtime and
pouring with rain...however I was put into a VERY posh Mercedes 4 x 4 (Mom I could
get used to this) and managed to see 2 other Aussies in the crate next to me.
They were introduced to me as Maggi, Diva's daughter and Ruby...Rufus' sister..more
of that later.
We set out..still raining..I had heard it rains a lot in Scotland
but this was England..and I freaked out as SHE started to drive ON THE WRONG SIDE
OF THE ROAD...well I thought that this was going to be a very short visit to the
UK and possibly a VERY messy end to my short life. Ruby calmed me down and explained
that in the UK they drive on the left..she also said that we were wrong by driving
on the right but didn't want to argue the minute I set foot in the place!! (They
have to be wrong!!) I think I dozed on the journey back to the hotel where we
were staying as Ruby and Maggi were going to a Show the next day.
That
night shared HER bed with Ruby and the next day went to the show..really don't
remember much about that as I was a bit jet lagged...they are 6 hours ahead of
you lot over here.After the show we went back to the hotel for an early night
and then set off up to Scotland on Easter Sunday..by the way no Easter Eggs for
us..... You know I thought Scotland was just up the road but it took us about
5 to 6 hours to get to Mill Valley. When we got there I was met by Alice (aged
16) her daughter Annie (13) and she still goes to the office every day I believe
and her daughter Meme..I have to say that after a good sniff all round they made
me very welcome. I also met Paddy, Rufus' father who winked at me (why Mom) and
of course my hero Rufus..he was pleased to see me and we talked about the old
times as you do. I seemed to meet a lot of Aussies that day but I know them all
now and we all rub along together..I feel most at home with Diva as we both sleep
on HER bed but she doesn't go in for girlie talk...that's more Ruby's style and
her mother Alli is a pain because she WILL insist on washing us both..I must have
the cleanest ears this side of the Atlantic.
Yes Mom I think I'll like
it here tho' I do miss you all ….sometimes.
Paris
Hi Mom,
I
hear you got my last blog at last..do you know SHE is not as good at the computer
as you..she should have got Ruby to send it..she's really good as she keeps in
touch with her son Barley in Australia.
Since I last wrote to you I feel
I must update you on how I am settling in here..I like it even though she has
sent Rufus away to stay with Auntie Rachel as he and his Dad were not getting
on too well especially as I decided to come into season...did that cause problems
but I had my best friend Ruby for company too. Oh Ruby was telling me she was
competing in the Top Scottish Show Dog in May just before the Ch. Show...she thinks
I might qualify for it next year,,,she had to choose a piece of music for it so
chose "Ruby,Ruby Ruby" by the Kaiser Chiefs..wonder what I'll go for..have
to think that over if I qualify.
In the evenings we all (at present
11 of us plus her ) sit in the big farmhouse kitchen and watch TV if we're not
sitting in the sunroom. She has a granite topped unit in the middle and I share
that with Diva and sometimes Trinny..have I mentioned Trinny...will tell you about
her shortly! We fall asleep and then I do my party piece of rolling over on to
my back and on to the floor....it gives her such a fright!!! I do it on her bed
too sometimes just to see if she's paying attention but get a row from Diva for
wakening her up!!
She has a big garden too so we play with a tennis
ball..you know I like that..but so does Maggi so I humor her and have taught her
to bring it back too...she has a big ride-on grasscutter and I like to walk up
and down beside her to keep her company but I have noticed that the rest of the
family sit on the steps outside the kennels watching me with those tolerant looks
on their faces as if they wanted to say.."what an idiot!!"
It
has been very hot here this summer and you didn't pack my sunscreen..however I'm
OK keeping in the shade as I don't want to get too tanned. Raining here today
at last so at least she's not moaning about having to water the plants...I help
with that too..so does Maggi when she's here but she's staying with Auntie Rachel
too for now. I saw the pics of those youngsters playing with the hose ….
Maggi and I would not be SO undignified..well perhaps a little!!
I mentioned
Trinny...well she is a Norwich and is such a pest..she buzzes round everybody
like a bee and gets us all riled up and then walks away with that self satisfied
look on her face I swear I will get her sometime...but you see she does cute and
everybody goes AHHHHH...and we all sit there trying to work out how to wipe that
smirk off her face..and I hear she is going to have puppies sometime when she
comes into season..well who would fancy her I ask you......she's short and fat
for goodness sake not elegant like us Aussies.
Last night..great excitement..new
series of CSI Miami started...well I started to watch but fell asleep..pity I
wanted to look for Uncle Craig and Auntie Anne but got bored with her and Diva
swooning over Horatio...he's got red hair for heaven's sake!! OK I know Rufus
has red hair but that's different ..he's younger and more..how can I say it...virile..
Must go as she wants to use this machine...don't know why she bothers..she's so
useless at it!!
Lots of love to you all
Paris McSeaton-Stoddart
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