Random Things From My Dad - #13

Lots of catch up on the "Random Things" posts!  While I've been busy with life and such, my dad has not slowed down in his random gift giving....

Last week I had the pleasure (?) of going on an overnight camping trip with 40 plus 5th graders (yikes!).  Picture a camp sight straight out of the 1950's and that's where we were.

I think we should call it "flashback camp".... how many memories does this conjure for you?

With the cinder block cabins, an activity center with ping pong and Foosball tables, a cafeteria and a lake (well... I think it was really a pond, but they called it a lake)... it was "camp" in all it's glorious mayhem.  The weather was not terribly cooperative either (below 50 and raining!), so the outdoor activities were wrought with mismatched layering of an odd assortment of clothes, rain ponchos and plenty of coffee (adults only, of course).  Anyhow, I digress.  This is not about the camping trip, but about my dad, right?

We left on Thursday morning and came back Friday afternoon.  Not only did I have to make arrangements for my 7 year old son for Thursday afternoon and evening, I had to do something with my dogs.  In steps my mom and dad.  Our dog Lucky is quite the escape artist, so we triple checked the yard this time and made sure to block any possible "exits".   The second dog, Coco, is much more manageable as she has learned that "home" is really the best place to be and she's not all that interested in venturing off.  Even if a gate is left open, she will remain in her yard.  She KNOWS who feeds her :)  But again, I digress.

Lucky is a Lhaso Apso and needs regular grooming.  I'm ashamed to admit that I let a bit too much time go by between groomings and he was sorely in need of one at the time of this camp out.  I tried to get him into our regular groomer, but they were booked into the next week.  I hated to bring this overgrown, shaggy dog to my parents' house, but I really didn't have a choice.

Okay... it's not the best photo, but who really wants to take a picture of their dog that desperately needs to be groomed?  Anyhow, this is Lucky... yes... that blond pile of hair on the bed is actually a dog.  The black nose gives him away.

A face only a mother could love?  I don't think so... even with all his glorious shagginess, how can you not love that face?  Kind of reminds me of Chewbacca from Star Wars!

So... our overnight camping trip came to an end (I know it was just one night, but I swear all the moms were packing their stuff up, lightening speed and loading those cars faster than anything I've seen in a while!  It may have been one night, but I swear time slowed to a crawl and it seemed like about 5 days).

We drove the hour and half or so back to school just in time for school to let out.  We picked up my son and headed home.  The kids were really anxious to see the dogs, so we went and picked up the dogs from my parents' first thing.  And what did we find when we got there?  A new dog??? No... but it sure seemed like it!

My dad actually found a place that could groom Lucky that same day and had him bathed, groomed, and looking quite handsome upon our return. 

Let me just add that my dogs aren't the greatest on a leash... we have a really large backyard, so actually "walking" them really isn't necessary.  I shudder to think of the chaos that ensued when my dad, first put the leash on Lucky (he gets so excited he's hard to contain), loaded him in the car.... drove with this hyper, crazy whining dog in the car to the dog groomers (which he had never been to and I'm sure he had to get very specific directions to)... got him out of the car and into the groomers.  And THEN he had to do it all over again on the return trip.  I never, ever, ever would have asked my dad to take my dog to the groomers.  It never occurred to me that he would take it upon himself to do it.

So there you have it... another unique, yet random, gift from my dad.