first camping trip this season

If you're interested in the non-Tug camping details see our blog "thecoveredwagon."

Mama, Tug and I pulled the camper out to the site Friday afternoon and my sister beat us there (she was at work). He'd been sleeping that afternoon so Mama and I packed up and attached the camper without his supervision. We weren't taking a "full" trip so we hadn't been prepping for days- he had no clue what was coming. I went in to wake him up and asked "ride" which is a word he dearly loves. He was up and out to get dressed in no time. I walked him down and there's the truck with the camper attached- he did a double take and then ran towards the truck. Happy day!

Tug and I stayed long enough to eat dinner and enjoy the fire but we went home for the night. I was fairly tired and it was Halloween- I've seen too many slasher movies to be the chicks in the campground with a dog...

The next morning we got up and he lazed about in the chair while I cooked our dinner. He had a short nap in the crate in the late morning and I packed up while he slept. Then we went out to the site around noon. He couldn't believe his luck- Mama and my sister came back from a short trip to my sister's house right after we got there. PLUS, my aunt came to the park to see us and spent a good, long time with us chatting in the screen room. Much of the time with a very happy Tug in her lap!

He was so tired that night he just leapt into the crate when we got into the camper. He was annoyed we took so long to get settled as he wanted to sleep. In the morning he got to get into my sister's bunk with her and just loved on her- including licking. He and I stayed inside while they got breakfast ready as it was just too cold for him to be on the ground that early. He even had to have his coat on for the morning. Tug likes to supervise the tear down of the site but we needed him out from under our feet. He spent some of the morning in the bed of my pickup where he couldn't see enough of the action. We did give him a cushion, breakfast and water but he wasn't happy 'til he could see us all.

He was happy to sleep on the way home and sat in the chair with me for a little while...until Mama had his bath ready! He power napped the rest of the afternoon away. It's a dog's life, indeed.