SAMI BON AMI

 POST # 536

Time is winding down with my good friend, Sami, and soon we will have to say goodbye once again.  She certainly is a relaxed bonehead to be around, and it will be quite the contrast with my upcoming house sit, and an energetic Trixie to keep me on my toes.

According to the American Kennel Club,  a bonehead the size of Sami is approximately the equivalent of 88 years old, in human terms.  I doubt that there are too many humans at that ripe old age, who could do four walks each and every day.  But that's all in a day's life for Sami.  We should all be so lucky to have the same amount of energy at her age.  

So thank you Sami, for being a bon ami during my stay here.

The end of another successful walk.

A strange object showed up in the sky for the first time since my arrival.

 

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

A LESSON RE-LEARNED and SAMI

 POST # 535

THE WHITE ROCK IN WHITE ROCK

Returning to Canada earlier this week, I was contemplating an easy time with Customs and Immigration, when I arrived in Vancouver.  After all, the last couple of times that I interacted with these folks, it all went very smoothly, so I expected the same treatment this time around.  STUPID ME!!!

With the extensive amount of times in the past, when I have had trouble with them, I should have at least kept that in mind when I fronted up to Canadian Customs at the train station.  So I expected to just breeze right on through.  Wrong.  I had a bad feeling even before the agent began asking her numerous questions.  This feeling was brought on by the angry look upon her face.  And so it began.  After the questions, she wrote something on my arrival form and then she directed me to a second room.  Now what?  A second agent had me put all of my belongings on a table in front of her, and after directing me to "Stand two feet away from the counter,"  she proceeded to pull everything out of my two pieces of luggage.  While doing so, she also asked many, many questions.  And then at one point she found three items that caught her attention.  Three containers that had nothing except a variety of vitamin pills.  She took exception to the fact that one of the containers wasn't labelled, and so she was suspicious of what the pills actually were.  Somehow, I managed to talk my way out of this issue.  She then brought up something from two years ago when I was questioned at the border.  They know everything.  For the second time, I guess I gave her a sufficient enough answer, to let her move on with her interrogation, as she continued pawing her way through my luggage.  With her examination completed, while I remained two feet away from the counter, she was finally satisfied.  Then it was my turn to re-pack the mess that she had sprawled all over the place, and after a few minutes, I was finally on my way.  Of course, this too will all be on the record for the next time I show up.  My lesson for the day?  Don't ever again think that going through Customs and Immigration is going to be a breeze.  A lesson re-learned. 

Eventually I made my way to my current house sit location.  This is a return engagement with an old Border Collie named Sami.  She'll be fourteen this coming March, and she has certainly slowed down since my previous visit just last September.  I'm not exactly sure what her age is in human years, but she's old.  The perfect match for this ageing old fart.

We get out for multiple walks each day, but as I write these words, I am reluctant* to go outside as the rain is coming down hard at the moment.  For whatever reason, Sami won't do her business in their yard,  which forces us to go out the back gate each time.  That's certainly not an issue when the weather is fine, but right now it isn't one of those times.  Hopefully things will ease up as soon as I finish this post, and we can get our first of two afternoon walks in.

Ready to go.

A drink before we head back home.

Afternoon nap time.

I'll be here for a little while longer, and with any luck the weather will clear up soon, so that we can go for some longer walks around the neighbourhood.  I'm sure we could both use the exercise, and it's a much better use of my time, than sitting in front of a computer.  

*She talked me into it .  On this wettest of days, she decides to take the longest walk.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

PS.  As always on this date, I have pleasant memories of my dear old mom.  January 21st was her birthday.

JUST DORA-DOG

 POST # 534

Mary sent the above photo to me prior to my arrival this time around.  She included the words, "awaiting patiently."  

For the second time in as many months, The Thoughtful Wanderer once again finds himself short of words for today's blog post, so what better way to fill this post than with a selection of Dora-dog photos,  taken during my current visit.  So here we go.

At the dog park.

Hanging out, looking as cute as ever.

Relaxing after a busy day chasing squirrels.

I'll be leaving this coming Tuesday, but I've already planned for my next visit.  With any luck, all will go well, and in the not too distant future, I will once again have the pleasure of spending time with Mary and Dora-dog.  As long as those US Customs people keep being as nice as they have been of late, another visit shouldn't be a problem.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

JOURNEYING SOUTH ONCE AGAIN

 POST # 533

I couldn't think of a better way to kick off the year of 2023, then to hit the road once again, and head south of the border to spend time with my dear friend Mary and Dora-dog.

After leaving Duncan, I was driven to the ferry terminal in Nanaimo, and then I headed across to the mainland.  The ferry arrived just after noon, and after spending a few hours in Vancouver, it was time once again to board the Amtrak train to head south.  Of course, there is never a guarantee that I will successfully clear customs, but nowadays clearing US customs is a breeze.  They hardly ask any questions at all, and soon enough, I was on my way south.

I always find train travel a very relaxed way to go from place to place, and this Amtrak journey south is no exception.  Mary was waiting at the station and she even brought Dora-dog along for the ride this time.  Coming to the station is a mixed bag for Dora-dog.  She's happy to see her Canadian friend, but the noise that the train makes, certainly puts her on edge.  This will always remain a mystery to us as to why that is, however once the train has departed, she gets back to being a happy bonehead once again.

Yesterday, some old friends, Robert and Kim came by for a visit, and they brought along with them, Kim's new bonehead who goes by the name of Blue.  Blue and Dora-dog hit it off right from the get go, so we were all happy to see that take place.

After a few runs around the yard outside, it was time for them to come inside and spend time with the humans, and before too long, they were both comfortably settled on the carpet relaxing, and enjoying their afternoon.

So 2023 begins with this Canuck spending time south of the border in the USA.  As I may have mentioned previously on this blog, travelling anywhere could become more of a problem as time goes by, but for now, I will count my blessings, and be grateful for the fact that I am still able to travel.  I do wonder if this will still be possible by the end of the year, but I guess we'll find that out as time passes.  My passport expires on 23/12/23, so maybe that is a hint at things to come.  We'll see.

For now at least, I am happy to be able to travel south one more time, and if all goes well, I expect to do this again as the year goes by.  As long as I am able, and as long as the system holds together, then perhaps that will come to pass.  And of course, as long as the border agents continue to be as friendly as they have been lately, that will be one less travel hurdle to jump.

Wrapping things up for today, I have to conclude with one final photo of Dora-dog, (of course).  I have returned this time with a new lacrosse ball that replaces the yellow lacrosse ball that I lost last year, which Dora-dog liked to play with.  She likes the new ball just as much as the old one, and it's always wonderful to see her with a smile on her face, after enjoying another play session.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer