The Big Wedding from a Dog's Perspective

By now you have read about my adventures in Coer d'Alene, Idaho and the tedious road trip. While it was interesting to see the lake, I wasn't interested in wading or swimming. It was hot, over 100 degrees, and I just don't understand what all the fuss was about.

So here's how THE WEDDING was for me, a mere dog:

When we arrived, I asked to go at least see where the wedding was to take place, so we did. We drove into a beautiful resort and down a winding road past golf courses and parked in front of a HUGE event center right on the lake. I saw some people and asked to go have a peek. So we did. IT WAS THE WEDDING REHEARSAL.

They weren't doing much of anything. Just standing there.

I wasn't allowed at that either, despite there being some lush green lawn to roll on. But I got to see the people, including some of MY family. I saw them standing overlooking the lake. They weren't eating, playing games or doing much of anything. All of a sudden I wasn't all that interested in going to the wedding. It looked BORING!

So the next day, I spent most of my time checking out dog parks and taking walks along the beautiful lake. I also, mentally, got ready for the fun I was going to have that evening when my owner was at the BORING wedding.

I had decided to watch movies and order pizza from Domino's (they deliver). I planned to have a triple meat pizza... yum!

So after she got all dressed up and took me for my last walk of the evening, she told me I was staying in the room and had better NOT BARK EVEN ONCE! Well, I was going to be so busy that I really didn't think I needed to bark.

This is the way my owner left me. Don't I look innocent?

As soon as she closed the door, I jumped up on the triple sheeted cushy human bed and reached for the phone. I ordered the pizza. Then I turned on the TV. She had left it on the QVC shopping channel. I tried to switch it to the Pay Per View section so I could order movies but it just wouldn't work... DRAT!

The pizza came and I paid with my owner's credit card. (I have memorized the number). It was delicious!

So I was watching QVC when I figured out I COULD ORDER THINGS BY PHONE! I dialed their 800 number and ordered:

A Sleep Number Adjustable Bed (my dog bed is getting old, anyway)

Some Steaks from Kansas City Steak Company

Wen Pet Shampoo for Dogs

That kept me pretty busy. I'll bet my owner will be surprised when everything is delivered!

By then I was tired. I fluffed up the pillows on my owner's bed, made a coonie nest and went to sleep.

Then I heard the key in the door. She was back! I'm glad I hid the pizza box! I jumped off the bed and stretched, innocently, so she would think I had been sleeping on my travel bed on the floor all evening. She was happy to see me (and thankful I had been so well-behaved)  and brought me some prime rib pieces from the Wedding. PRIME RIB! NOBODY TOLD ME THERE WOULD BE FOOD AT THE WEDDING. Drat!

But I had a pretty good time. Even if I didn't get to go, I wish Cristina and Jace Best Wishes for a long and happy married life.

Love, Cinnamon 

Day #2 at Lake Coeur d'Alene - Dog Park and Blue Green Algae

Here's the new dog park.
It was sandy but at least there was shade!

Well Day #2 at the lake was much better than Day #1. I got up bright and early (dawn, actually) and asked to go outside. It was cool and beautiful. I could smell the moisture in the air. We walked through the quiet neighborhood.

Here's the historic Blackwell House.

Later we got ready for an adventure. We went to the downtown dog park which was brand new. It was shady there and I got to trot around all by myself. We played with sticks and I felt so much better now that it was cooler.

An older couple came and put their dog in the dog park and went over to the tennis courts and played tennis. I thought that was ILLEGAL!

After that we had a SURPRISE! We drove up to this beautiful Victorian home and walked into the back yard. And guess who came out of the house? It was UNCLE TOM, my favorite guy! I was so excited to see him. Some of our family was staying there. I heard there were 16 people in that huge house! I think they were having fun.

We visited for a little while and then went back to the cool motel for some breakfast. This was a great day so far!

Here's the house they were building. I think I'd like to live there!

Then later that morning we got in the car and took a drive on the east side of Lake Coeur D'Alene. It was nice out there... more woodsy and pretty.

I saw a house I might like to have. It had a lake view and was being built up in the woods on top of a bluff. I could picture myself looking out at the lake from one of the windows. Dream on...

The walk was cool and shady when we started out.

So then we stopped at the Centennial Trail and took a little lakeside walk. There were huge motor boats on the lake. It seemed like all the access to the lake was by private dock. There weren't any places for me to go down to a beach and get a drink. It was getting hot again and I was getting THIRSTY!

So then we came to a real beach by a yacht club (or at least I thought it was). But OH NO! There were signs all over saying PRIVATE BEACH - ABSOLUTELY NO DOGS ALLOWED!

Fortunately we saw a sheriff's deputy going down to the marina. We asked her if I might go to the lake for a drink of water. She petted me and said it would be ok if we were quick. (we were). I felt much better after the drink. Then we talked to her. She said to watch where we went because over at Fernan Lake there is BLUE-GREEN ALGAE. A dog went in and died immediately. It is something for dogs to be aware of. Maybe that's why I really didn't want to go swimming in the lake. We told the sheriff's deputy thank you and walked on back to the car.

I was happy to get back to the motel for a cool rest. The wedding was to take place that evening and my owner was making sure I got plenty of exercise before the wedding. (Not because I was invited, mind you... but because I was going to stay in the motel room all by myself for the evening).

Love, Cinnamon the tired Coonie

Experiencing Coer d'Alene Idaho: Day #1 is not so good

It was a long trip... Through the Columbia River Gorge and on through Washington. There were lots of golden fields. I saw a big truck carrying onions and one carrying corn... Nothing for dogs unfortunately.

We got to visit some rest stops and each time we stopped it got HOTTER! I really don't like the heat.

I thought it might get cooler as we approached Spokane and the pine trees but it stayed HOT!

I was glad to arrive in Coer d'Alene and double glad that the motel was air conditioned. It was 105 degrees out! I cooled off and thought I might want to go explore. We followed my map to the dog park. Although I was excited to get off the leash the park was like the Sahara desert! It was sandy and hot. I visited with a family sitting in the shade with their dogs and then asked to leave. That visit didn't last long!

Here's the dog park I tried on my first day... like the Sahara Desert!

So we went back to the hotel and cooled off.

Oh Gosh I was so hot I just spread out on the motel floor and crashed!

After dinner we went out again, it was a bit cooler. We tried the downtown dog park. It was sandy too but at least it was shady. After that we walked down to the lake. I opted out of wading because it looked deep. Some people were jumping in and swimming. So I just ate grass.

I had no interest in getting into the lake!

Idaho has lots of pine trees. Other than that, I am not sure I like it all that much. Why did we come?

Love, Cinnamon, the hot dog

Traveling to Idaho for my First Visit

I've never been to Idaho before. I never even drove through Idaho when I came to Washington from New Mexico! So I have no idea what it's like there. I hear they have potatoes, lots of them. I don't like potatoes and I am not sure they are good for dogs anyway. 

Here's Cristina and Jace. They are getting married on Friday.
I won't see the ceremony or have dinner at the reception.
I am a DOG!

So why, during a hot summer week, am I going to Idaho? Well, my Country Cousins are having a wedding. Cristina and Jace are getting married. It's at a big lake named Coeur d'Alene. And that's in Idaho. They are nice to us dogs... except they didn't invite us to the wedding or the reception. 

That's humans for you.... so inconsiderate of our feelings. Oh well.

It's a huge lake. I hope to go wading

But I do get to go and stay in a motel. So I'm packing. So far I have the La Quinta Hotel brochure (they always take dogs and don't charge extra), a map of the local dog parks, my food, my travel bed (uncomfortable as it is), my harness and leash and my bowls. Oh yes, I'm going to select just one special toy to take so I feel at home there.

Which toy should I take?

So what are my hopes for Idaho? I want to go to a beach and dip my paws in the lake. I love to wade. I don't know if I can swim but I'm not risking it. It might be too hot for a hike so I'll just sniff around one of the local dog parks.

And, when my owner is at the wedding, I'm going to watch MOVIES! I might start with "Hotel for Dogs." That sounds appropriate. And, I'll get some dog biscuits to snack on. 

Hopefully I will have fun in Idaho and I'll report back in a couple of days.

Love, Travelin' Cinnamon