Whew! I am pooped! What a busy past few days. What have I been doing you ask? Well, here is what happened:
On the day that humans call Friday (and some number like 10/05) my human called Rachel did not get up and leave us like normal to go to that place that smells like alcohol and other animals. Instead she stayed home and slept late (I really had to pee when she finally got up). Then she put a lot of her take-off fur stuff (she calls them clothes) into a bag. Then she loaded Zen (that is my alpha dog he is a very big male that looks kinda like me just lighter -- he has a curly tail and standup ears too) and one of the crates into the moving thing (she calls it a car) and left. When she returned he was not with her nor was the crate which made me a little worried but not too much. Then she loaded her stuff and my food and food bowl into the car with some other stuff. Guin (my housemate who has been really bossy with me lately -- she has a straight tail and floppy ears my human calls her a Lab whatever that is) was put into her crate and then HOORAY I got to get into the car. We left the home territory and headed off. I got to stick my head out because it was cool outside and my human had the glass blocker of the outside smells (called a window or some such word) down. We went to the place where my human hunts and brings home all kinds of food. And then we went to a place where she got gas (I thought that was what scraps were for -- at least I get gas from them -- but apparently humans need to get it from a stand up thingie with snake-looking thing coming out of it). While she went into pay for the gas I found a box of treats and since I knew they were for me I ripped the box open and started eating them. How was I to know my human had gotten them for some OTHER dogs and not me? She was a little upset but said, "Well I was the stupid one leaving them alone with you."
And then we started moving again -- weeeeeeee I love to stick my head outside and let the wind blow in my nose with all kinds of smells. We kept moving and kept moving and I thought Just Great this smells like when we go see the loud humans (who my human calls her brothers and who have some very mean kitties who hit me when I try to chase them) so I got bored and laid down. But we got to a certain point and started moving a different way which seemed vaguely familiar but nothing definite I could remember. We stopped at a place where I got to walk around and sniff and go potty. Then I got back in the car while my human said she was going to go potty but she went inside and we ALL know that you NEVER potty inside. She even bypassed lots of great trees and bushes along the way. So I am not sure what she really did but whatever it was didn't take long and she let me back out of the car for another walk. She called the place a rest area but as all were walking and moving around I think she was a little mistaken -- not much resting going on there. Anyway, we started moving again and after leaving the place with all the loud moving things (called the interstate whatever that is), I got to stick my head outside again which was fun. We kept moving and the more we moved the more and more I smelled things I started remembering like fishies and salt and lots of water. I saw lots of water too as we went over it (don't ask me how I can never go over water without getting wet but these car thingies seem to be able to).
Finally, we got "there" wherever that is (I think the name was Fripp or something like that) and we went to a house with a nice yard and lots of woods around. There were two dogs inside that I kind of remembered from a long time ago (I think it was when I got to play with all the dogs that looked like Guin just in different colors). These were the dogs the treats were for -- hope they aren't mad I ate some! Whew they weren't -- and they were nice to me! My human got all the stuff out of her car and took it inside the house and then tried to make me get back in the car. I was like I JUST GOT OUT but she insisted so being the good girl I am I got back in. And boy was I glad I did. We moved and ended up and a place that I definitely remember with lots of water that chases you and flying animals and little crawly animals and lots of wonderful sniffing to do. Since the place was empty except for us, I didn't have to wear my neck cloth or have the thing on it that attached me to my human. And so I got to run and run and run and run and run some more. The water chased me for a while and then I chased it and then I chased some birds and then I sniffed some smells and then I chased some more. My human kept trying to get me to hold still so she could do the flashy box thing (something about good pictures) but MY GOODNESS I had just held still for an eternity in the car and now I can run and she still wants me to hold still especially when the water and the birds needed to be chased. IS SHE CRAZY???? I tried I really did but I can only do so much. Finally she seemed to realize that she was being a little crazy and put the flashy box away and let me play. We stayed there until the light ball went out of the sky and then went back to the house with the nice dogs that we were at earlier. We went in and I got my food and we just rested (I was very tired after all that running). Then someone came in and being a good Akita I barked at her but my human said it was okay and so I ran up to meet her. Her name was Peggy and she was the human of the nice dogs that lived there (their names were Bree-Bree and Katherine or maybe Kay? I heard both. And they had really pretty neck cloths on I was jealous because I don't have any like theirs). We all visited for a while and then went to sleep.
The next morning my human woke up very early -- the light ball had not even started to come up yet -- which is very strange for her. I though maybe she was sick but she just stumbled around (she is not too coordinated when she first wakes up) and got dressed and then we headed back out to the car. Remembering our last trip I eagerly jumped right in and off we went. When we got there she told me that if I was good and listened I could stay free and not wear my neck cloth and its attachment. I kissed her to say sure I will listen and be good but I am just a puppy so I won't be perfect. She said well at least you are honest. And off we went to the chasing water again. This time I did all the chasing -- no water was going to scare me. When we got close to the water there were some people there I remembered -- the lady that cuddled with me before for a long time (she says I am too big to cuddle now **sigh**) and her mate who is very nice -- as well as some dogs I also kind of remembered. They both looked like Guin but one was black and one was yellow. The yellow one just wanted to chase the tennis ball -- I ran after him but he wouldn't play with me. The black one was a typical boy -- silly and a pest. At first I had to show him I was not afraid and then we chased each other for a while. But alas they had to leave too soon after we got there (something about my human oversleeping and running late -- what is new about that? Don't they know her?). After they left we walked along the water for a long time. I chased lots and lots of flying animals and lots and lots of moving water with white stuff that makes you sneeze when you sniff it. Luckily mom forgot the flashy box so I got to keep playing and running. I was very good and the only time I didn't listen to my human was when I met two children (they are so interesting and I want to kiss them SO badly) and when I met a little young puppy that my human called a Basset Hound (I think that means short with long ears). She and I played together for a long time while my human and hers talked. Then I had to go with my human to the end of the beach (the puppy followed us which was fine with me and my human and hers too I think). We stopped for my human to rest for a while and then headed back dropping the puppy off with its human on the way.
Then I saw a HUGE dog that looked something like Zen without the curly tail. My human called it a Dane -- I just thought he was very handsome. His humans don't like him to meet other dogs (how sad :-(!) so I never got to flirt with him. I think he would have made a great playbuddy! We walked and walked some more I met some very nice people who said it was okay I say hi to them and to their dogs. A few even gave me food which I loved but my human said that will just make me go up to more people. I cannot win for losing sometimes. I mean sheesh give me some credit I know who has food and who doesn't! I chased one pack of flying animals almost out of my human's sight which made her whistle to tell me to come back and I did! Wasn't I a good girl?? I then met a very nice man (who I think I remember rubbing meat on his body and trying to get dogs to jump on him -- not very smart huh? But nice) he had two dogs which like all these Guin-lookalike dogs only seem interested in a silly ball. What is up with them?? We stayed with them for a while and then we went back to the car. I wouldn't go too close to it because I did not want to leave but my human only got some water for me and her out and a cloth for her to lie on. We went back to the beach and the water had moved in (trying to get me I think but HA-HA I can run faster and further) so that there was only land for a short distance on either side of us. My human spread the cloth out and laid down and told me I could go play. But I wasn't comfortable doing that -- she needed protecting so I laid down beside her and only got up to get a drink every now and then even when people and dogs walked all around us. Well, that is until the little flying animal (my human called it a sandpiper -- I didn't see any sand on it but who knows??) started teasing me and I HAD to go chase it. It would fly all around me and when I stopped it landed not but two jumps in front of me. So I had to try and get it! I ran after it for a long time. The water started going away (the Mighty Akita triumphs again-- it must have seen my chasing the flying animal and got scared -- another foe scared and intimidated GWA HA HA . . . ) and my human got up and said it was time to go. I was really, really tired by now so I agreed.
We headed back to the car and went back to the house where we rested for a while. Then we went over to the snuggle lady's house (I think my human called her Carole) where I had to let that black male that pestered me at the beach know that I was not going to be bossed around -- I even barked a lot which made my human tell hush (and just how was I supposed to be quiet and tell this boy off???). The yellow male was fine and the big black male that I hadn't met before was like Zen so I knew I had to respect him. But the young male did start to grow on me and we ended up starting to play a little when my human stuck me in a crate and left me to go have some food (how rude you say? I agree!) Boy was I glad when she came back. We left the snuggle lady's house and went back to the other house where we slept. Once there I finally got to eat my food and then went to sleep (I was exhausted!).
Well, the next morning my human got up even earlier and the other human, Peggy, did too which according to her two dogs was even more unusual that my human getting up that early. The humans got on lots of clothes (it felt great to me but I have on a thick fur coat) and we all, human and canine, headed to the chasing water again. The snuggle lady and her dogs were there again as well as the meat rubbing man and his two dogs. Several passing dogs also stopped by. This time I ran and chased that pesky black male all over the beach. We had lots and lots of fun. Bree-bree (who looks a lot like Guin) was all happy and trotting around -- I think that is unusual for her my human said that she is getting older but is doing and looking great for her age even better than the last time we say her. Katherine helped me chase the black male ( I think his name was Devvie or Devon) but I took a little personally and got a little grumpy with her. My human had to get on to me -- how embarrassing! But we got back to playing very quickly. And then it happened -- a HUGE pack of flying animals flew very close over my head and I HAD to run after them. I ran just as fast as I could and almost caught one but alas even my lightening speed was not fast enough. I sadly made my way back to the group and we all played for a while (my human had her silly flashy box going but thank goodness never asked me to be still). And then everyone started to leave until it was just me and my human again. We walked some and I chased a few more flying animals but never got as close. I found a huge ball of smelly weeds (my human calls them see-weeds but they can't see cuz they don't have any eyes -- I am not too sure about her sometimes) to chase and attack and roll on! We didn't stay as long as before.
When we got back to the house my human changed clothes and we and the other human and Katherine went outside. We got on this thing that has seats like a couch but moves. It is all open and the breeze and smells are wonderful. Shhhhh . . . I was a little scared at first but it was so much fun I started liking it a lot. We moved on it and then it stopped and we got off. We went up some stairs and walked a little ways until we found the snuggle lady. We sat down and then I saw the craziest thing. Humans out on hard ground hitting those silly balls that the Labs like to chase so much but they were hitting them back and forth and back and forth and back . . . I got dizzy just watching it. And how stupid are these humans? They never got the ball anywhere without returning it. They never chewed on the ball. They just ran around and yelled alot. I am just thankful that the dogs I met that seemed obsessed with these balls were not there -- they'd truly go crazy! We stayed there a long time where I got to meet some children and also some humans. The humans ate some food which I managed to beg so prettily for and get some (katherine did too but her human is not as big of a sucker as mine). Then we left that place and went back to the chasing water for a while and then went and sat down and listened to a man howl. I thought about joining in but he wasn't howling right and so I just laid down and rested. We stayed for a little while and then left and went back to the house. My human got all her stuff together and put it in the car. Then I finally saw the kitty I had been smelling all weekend -- his name is Nittany -- but who never came around. He went upstairs and my human told me to NOT go upstairs and I didn't -- aren't you proud of me? I am -- it was very, very hard not to chase him. Finally I had to get in the car and we left. We came back the same way we went and I was too tired most of the way to keep my head outside and slept instead. We stopped once at the rest (?) area again and then again for gas (I think my human just needs to bring some scraps next time and I can get her some gas!). Finally we got back to the home territory and my human unloaded her stuff, dropped me off, and went to get Zen. I am not sure where she went but she came back with him (which I was very glad for I missed him!) and my crate (which she had taken for him since it falls down and becomes small). I ran and ran all over the back yard very happy to be back. I had a great time but I am glad to be home with my packmates!
Inori
P.S. My human want me to add that I was a very, very good girl and went off-leash all the time except for the ball hitting place and the howling man place. I was a little grumbly with Katherine a couple of times but the rest of the time I was excellent. And I also learned that I am NOT a Shepherd/Husky mix (whatever that is) as my human told many people that asked her that. I am an Akita (but I already knew that!). Lots of people told me that I was very pretty and graceful (my human says to not let it go to my head but I was very pleased with the compliment). My human was most pleased that I behaved so nicely even when the child grabbed my fur (he was only playing -- Zen grabs me harder than that all the time!) and that so many people were impressed with my manners. I try very hard to make her proud of me! Whew I am very tired now and need to go to sleep! Good night everyone! Thanx for letting me share about my weekend! And thanx to Katherine and Bree-Bree for sharing their house with me and to all of the snuggle lady's dogs especially the black pesky one who played with me! And my human says thanx to the other humans for letting us come and that you can click here to see pictures from the trip.