Wondering

[David Tilston]

As a single dad with a 3 year old boy, and twin 9 month old girls. The fact that she even smiled at me was kinda amazing, to me. I met her at a clock and jewelry kiosk after the till at the local Real Canadian Super Store. I went shopping every Saturday, because the twin stroller that I used couldn't hold many groceries in the basket under the seats of the stroller. The guy that owned the store would make all the cuckoo clocks dance for my kids while I chatted up the pretty girl behind the counter. Eventually I worked up the courage to ask her if she was interested in drunk Lego. She said yes.

The three year old is now 20, and the twins turned 18 yesterday. But my wife also wanted kids, so we have an 11 year old girl and an 8 year old boy together. I will be raising kids, and cats for some time yet.

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by David Tilston

As a single dad with a 3 year old boy, and twin 9 month old girls. The fact that she even smiled at me was kinda amazing.

The three year old is now 20, and the twins turned 18 yesterday. But my wife also wanted kids, so we have an 11 year old girl and an 8 year old boy together. I will be raising kids, and cats for some time yet.

Congratulations to you David. Based upon the results it reads like she made a good choice. Relationships are compromises, your's seems to be working well.

Bless your family

[steve dunham]

If it came down to a choice between me or the dog having to leave, I am not sure which one my wife would choose and I am not going to ask. I don't want my feelings hurt!

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Having a pet is similar to having children, some do and some do not, and Norm you are a wanderer and a wonderer

Hi Jim,

Hope things are well in PA, our home in NH is definitely buried. Ginny's "wondering if we'll ever be wandering" home.

Do you have any rallies on your agenda for this year?

[David Schroeder]

Dog license, Marriage license, same price.

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by David Schroeder

Dog license, Marriage license, same price.

I assume you meant the same initial price, the same entrance fee but once in ??????

[Harvey]

I have 2 Mt Feist squirrel dogs (hunters) but they are not pets or house dogs. They're 'working dogs' & live in a kennel out back. Our sons & grandkids attend to them when we're out on a trip. Back in the mid 1990s when I was driving part time transporting railroad crews. my wife decided she'd like to have a small house dog for companionship while I was 'out on a run' for the railroad. We found (& acquired) a year old miniature pinscher. Smartest dog I ever saw. He had his own bed & blanket & would 'cover' himself with his blanket before going to sleep. He was also a great watch dog, & very protective of us & 'his' place. In spring 1998 we took a month long trip to New England & back through the Great Lakes, stopping at Sturgis, SD just before the motorcycle rally, towing an 18' 'stickie' trailer, & took Gator with us. He was a perfect gentleman, never caused any trouble or 'messed up' anything. Still, it was the worst trip we've ever made. Since our children are 'grown & gone' we've been accustomed to going & coming as the mood strikes us, & not having to worry about anyone else. With Gator along we had to consider him every time we left the camper, & make arrangements for his comfort/safety when he didn't go with us in the truck. He was great company & we met folks that we probably wouldn't have except for him but, it was a new, & worrisome experience for us & one we didn't/don't care to repeat. Gator is gone now, a victim of heartworms & other ailments at 6yrs old (obviously vet care & faithful use of preventatives did not work ) & tho we miss him we no longer have pets. Apparently some people are 'pet folks' & some ain't; we ain't!

[floyd]

Originally Posted by honda03842

Jon, I know what you mean. I met a women yesterday who's considering having her dogs listed as service dogs so she can go anywhere with them.

It sort of like getting a medical need permit for marijuana in CA. Anyone can get one.

I particularly notice dogs in the west being pushed around in store carriages. I was truly surprised, but that's the west coast.

A "seeing eye dog" is one thing, but committing a fraud just to burden others in restaurants and other pet restricted areas is quite another.
I notice that many motels have designated smoke free rooms but often allow pets without designation. This can cause medical emergencies for those with pet related allergies who are not forewarned.
I know of a child who was subjected to this exposure and her weekend trip to Six Flags was ruined for her entire family.
Having no "pet free" rooms, the motel's only solution was to offer over the counter antihistamines.
Having your eyes swell shut is a much more verifiable medical condition than is a pet dependency.

[rbryan]

The wife and I have had 'Coco' now since she was a pup in 2007. She's by far the sweetest dog we've ever kept, and we're looking forward to many camping adventures with her. I haven't analyzed any of the 'reasons' for owning a pet, except I think it's a noble thing for humans to give love and affection to animals. I know she's enriched our lives, and that is reason enough.

[Cathy P.]

We have been camping with dogs since the 1980's. We full-timed twice with one dog. We have camped with dogs, a cat and currently we have a guinea pig that goes camping with us. The guinea pig, Sparky, is going to be 5 years old in June. Yellow Dog has been with us 3 years and she is older but we don't know how old, guessing about 10 or 11 years old. Rinnie has been with us since a pup, a mixed breed of chow, shepherd, etc. and will be 10 years old in May.

We have vacationed, camped and relocated with dogs, cats, guinea pigs and fish over the years. I think a lot of people just don't realize that people like myself operate on "automatic" as we have the adult son with DS and some people say "I couldn't do that." Well, they probably could. All of these needs that I have to address are just automatic and I'm not thinking about what I could be doing if I didn't have the responsibility. Sometimes choices made in the past can limit choices in the future but such is life.

As with everything in life, you decide if the price exceeds the value or that is way that I "weigh" everything.

We have never had a complaint about any of our pets. Our current dogs both came from animal control facilities and both were running out of time which makes it a lot easier to not say that I am sorry I brought them home. Are there days when I would like to wave a wand and have them disappear? For sure!

We "share" our dogs when we are camping with those that no longer keep pets but miss them and with those children who are begging mom and dad for a dog.

I love big dogs. It is a big part of who I am. I do keep saying when these two dogs pass on that I won't get another mostly because of being 60 years old and seeing what happens when older owners can no longer care for the dogs. Maybe another senior or 2 as there are breeds that I would just love to have.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by honda03842

Hi Jim,

Hope things are well in PA, our home in NH is definitely buried. Ginny's "wondering if we'll ever be wandering" home.

Do you have any rallies on your agenda for this year?

Going to Tennessee in April and Niagara Falls in September- both rallies listed here on FGRV forum and the big one in May/June to Escape's yearly event in Osoyoos, BC. May hold a small one in late fall in Virginia, we will see. It was -9 this am here.

[honda03842]

My sister-in-law works for Marriot. If you have a pet, it's $200 extra to rent a room to cover the extensive cleaning required to make it generally usable.

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Going to Tennessee in April and Niagara Falls in September- both rallies listed here on FGRV forum and the big one in May/June to Escape's yearly event in Osoyoos, BC. May hold a small one in late fall in Virginia, we will see. It was -9 this am here.

I was asked today if I was going to the April rally on our way home. Unfortunately not because we have an early trip to Newfoundland. The BC rally provides a lot of travel opportunities, I'm sure you;ll have a great time.

It reached 80 today in central Florida, almost perfect weather.

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by Cathy P.

We have vacationed, camped and relocated with dogs, cats, guinea pigs and fish over the years. I think a lot of people just don't realize that people like myself operate on "automatic" as we have the adult son with DS and some people say "I couldn't do that." Well, they probably could. All of these needs that I have to address are just automatic and I'm not thinking about what I could be doing if I didn't have the responsibility. Sometimes choices made in the past can limit choices in the future but such is life.

As with everything in life, you decide if the price exceeds the value or that is way that I "weigh" everything.

Cathy,

Good for you. Good people often do what needs to be done because they believe it's right. People can usually do more than they think.

Wishing you well.

[honda03842]

"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."

Robert,

I really got a kick out of your saying.

I think it might be more noble to help love people than pets though the results may not be as satisfactory. I slept in a shelter and cooked in a soup kitchen and found it easy to give an ear and a meal to those in need but extremely difficult to help them turn their lives in a better direction. Human solution is difficult, often impossible.

[rbryan]

Originally Posted by honda03842

"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."

Robert,

I really got a kick out of your saying.

I think it might be more noble to help love people than pets though the results may not be as satisfactory. I slept in a shelter and cooked in a soup kitchen and found it easy to give an ear and a meal to those in need but extremely difficult to help them turn their lives in a better direction. Human solution is difficult, often impossible.

Agreed that people should be a priority. Not a question of which is 'more noble' to me, just that treating animals with love and kindness is a good thing.

[honda03842]

Robert,

I knew you'd agree. I was trying to say people are harder, excluding your own children who were a piece of cake?!?!

[rbryan]

Originally Posted by honda03842

Robert,

I knew you'd agree. I was trying to say people are harder, excluding your own children who were a piece of cake?!?!

My Mom says I was a 'piece of cake', but I would never lie to my kids like that.

[steve dunham]

Kindness to animals seems to go hand in hand with kindness to people.

[Glenn Baglo]

Well, the vet called and wants to do a bunch of tests to determine if the dog has bladder cancer, and she wants to remove a cyst to determine if it may become cancerous.
I told her, this is a ten year old dog that was born a genetic disaster and I am not making the vet's next car payment. I'm not sending the dog for chemo.
Asked if the dog is in pain and she said no.
All done.