Day Ninety Six 2013

EVER LOVIN’ SATURDAY!  lunch at mickey d’s and fun at dogapalooza in dogwood park

On our way to McDonald’s for some lunch. Riding in the backseat~grandson Knox, grandson Elijah, and Elijah’s good buddy Anthony.

Mickey D’s Lunch Bunch~from left~daughter Kelly and grandson Knox, granddaughter Shelby,daughter Holly, grandson Elijah, friend Anthony, and Grandpa/Pa/hubby Neil.

After lunch, we went to the 4th annual Dogapalooza at Dogwood Park~an event where citizens and their pets can enjoy a fun day together. Dogapalooza consists of various animal demonstrations, an off-leash play area, an agility course, vendors, activities for owners and dogs, educational areas and a Kid's Dog Show. There is also a silent auction with all proceeds going to benefit the Cookeville Putnam County Animal Shelter.

Holly, Shelby and Elijah brought their dog, Charlie, a Miniature Pinscher, to join in the fun. Shelby entered him in the Kid’s Dog Show in the ‘prettiest dog’ category.

Meet and greet~doggy style. Charlie checks out a potential friend [or enemy~ya never know] Looks like a Pit Bull doggy.

Group shot at the Dogwood Park fountain [thanks, Neil, for taking the picture this time].

Shelby encouraged Knox to have some fun in the water.

The fountain in Dogwood Park is one of the best things that has ever happened to our town. Knox, Kelly and Shelby agreed that the water was on the chilly side today, even though the day was in the warm and wonderful seventies.

Elijah did not fear getting wet. He was having too much fun to notice  that the water was cold.

My beautiful granddaughter Shelby~didn’t have to get wet to have fun.

Knox would run into the water and then run back to his mommy, laughing.

More fun than pint sized human beings should be allowed to have.

You wet!

The special guest at this year’s Dogapalooza was University of Tennessee mascot Bluetick Hound ‘Smokey’ [#10].

‘Smokey’ was happy to have his picture made with the kids.

Knox had the best time with this balloon.

Here’s Shelby walking Charlie across the stage in the Kid’s Dog Show competition for ‘prettiest dog’.

Sad to say, Charlie did not win, but that’s OK. I’m sure he enjoyed strutting his stuff with all the other dogs. He was very well behaved the whole time and got to spend a few hours on a beautiful Saturday in the park with his own kind. What a fun day with my peeps!

Day Fifty One 2012

I can file this one under There's Something You Don't See Every Day. Hubby Neil and I sat down to eat lunch at Wendy's today, and these two dogs are laying there, basking in the sunshine coming through the window. Big black dog and little brown dog. I've seen service animals in restaurants before (we saw a couple of wolves in Red Lobster once that were trained to alert their owner when he was about to have a seizure). But these guys were obviously pets and companions to a young man who looked like he was carrying all his worldly possessions on his back. Although these two dogs kept eyeing my lunch, they were more well-behaved than most children I've seen. When their owner was done with his lunch, he strapped on his backpack and led his obedient buddies back out on the highway by their leashes. I hope they have safe travels.   

Day Thirty Five

Random Restaurant Shots

Last week Neil and I ate lunch at McDonald's on South Jefferson and a man came in with this big German Shepherd. The dog had on a vest that said Service Dog. They must be regulars there because everyone behind the counter knew them. The man got his lunch and sat down in the booth right next to ours. When he went to get his coffee, I took a picture of his dog. You just don't see a German Shepherd in McDonald's every day.

The kids were out of school Monday for a snow day. I promised Elijah a vanilla milk shake at Arby's after lunch. He wanted to go inside to drink the shake so that's what we did. Shelby got a chocolate shake, and they were so thick, we had to eat them with the straws. Plus they were on the dollar menu. Not too shabby.

This afternoon before daughter Kelly and son in law Kerry headed back to Murfreesboro, we stopped at the Cafe Dolce on the square in our little town. I didn't want coffee so I ended up with hot cocoa (that's what it said on the menu which has such small print you can't read it), but it was this dark chocolate that was thick and creamy and totally delicious and so rich I couldn't drink it all. Kelly and Kerry wanted to sample it--that's what the tiny coffee cup was for. When the guy set the little cup on the counter, I thought it was my hot cocoa. Duh

While we drank our coffee/chai/hot cocoa, a man stopped outside and tied his two dogs to the pole and came inside for something to drink. The wind was really cold today and we felt kind of sorry for the dogs out there. The yellow dog was shivering, but they waited patiently while their master had his coffee inside the warm cafe. Maybe I should have shared my hot cocoa with them.