Meet the Family

Dear Cubby,

What a week you've had!  Your longest flight yet took us across the country to our Edwards-Hill family reunion.  Charlotte was our first stop, then on to Tri-Cities airport in Tennessee.  The reunion was in Virginia, and we even made it into Kentucky for an hour or so.  So you picked up four new states!

You had two playmates at Cousin Jim's house where we stayed ... DJ the Mini Schnauzer and Fluffy the Maltese.  You took to them like they had been your best friends all your life, and the three of you got along famously!  Why didn't I remember to get pictures of the three of you?  Near the back door stood a wide-open bag of kibble, like one big giant feeder, and I watched in total amazement as you flat ignored it after only one "leave it".  I had in mind to keep you on leash the whole trip so you wouldn't be tempted to get into the other dogs' dishes, but that wasn't necessary ... you had no interest in them.  The only time I was a little disappointed was your first experience with lightning bugs.  For two years I looked forward to you chasing and snapping and romping with these fascinating little blinkers and you couldn't have cared less about them.

Wilderness Road State Park, where we had our reunion, must be famous for their Civil War re-enactments because I've been there for several of them, complete with cannons so loud they rattled the ground!  They startled you, but my "never mind" settled you right down and it was no big deal.  My family sure did like you!  We really did have a great time, didn't we?  You were so patient and stayed right next to me the whole day, and never made a play for any of the picnic food, even what was dropped.  You knew you'd get your own special picnic treats!

On Monday, we went to a local hospital to look in on family there too and, after you cheered up our precious aunt who was a patient there, you curled up and laid still while we visited.  "I know the drill; wake me up when you're done."

Monday night you attended your second concert, as Kytchyn Sync performed at the Crooked Road General Store.  They were awesome!  And once again, you slept through the whole thing, so quiet that the hostess of the concert, Marla, asked the audience, "Has anyone taken this dog's pulse recently?"  After the concert, we got the ultimate compliment when we overheard someone say, "I didn't even know there was a dog in here."

Everywhere we went, you were perfect!  You even did stairs and curbs correctly (mostly) and I just couldn't have been prouder of you.

The instant we stepped into the terminal at Sky Harbor, you knew exactly where we were and, boy, that tail started whipping!  And when you spied Daddy, all of a sudden you weren't so perfect anymore.  You dang near knocked him down!  You were so happy!  Goodness sakes, Cubby, we were only gone six days!

Were you ever happy to be home!  Even before visiting your food dish, you headed for the back door to "go outside and play ball".  You sure didn't forget what your favorite thing in all the world was, did you?

Thanks for your help this week, Cubbs.  You were awesome!  I love you so much.

Photo Descriptions:  Cubby resting at a picnic table, Baby Paisley summoning up enough courage to pet Cubby, and Wendy and Cubby visiting our dear aunt and uncle in the hospital with Cousin Jane.