Hi there.
Before it becomes lost in the sands of time (and in my messy email files), like my email travelogue about my 2015 trip to New Orleans, I decided to past a "flashback" look at another trip in 2015...to Maui. This is the "prequel"
Oh my stars. What an ordeal.
My mom was heading back to Washington state, where she now lives. She was taking the family dog, Firebaugh, to finally go and live with her.
Mom had just had a knee replacement surgery a few weeks before and I had had surgery on my knee less than a week before. (We were like two peas in a pod that trip--mother and son gimps. UGH!)
There are no longer any flights out of Fresno that will take Firebaugh (although she used to be able to go). That left going to a larger airport. Since I am going to Hawaii from Oakland, I suggested she also leave from Oakland. I could drive her and just hang out until my trip on Wednesday morning. Okay.
Firebaugh does not travel well. She hates the car and a three hour ride loomed just getting to the Bay Area. ..then she'd have the flight to Seattle and another long drive to the island after that. So, before leaving on Saturday, we took her to the vet to get her some meds to relax a bit for the long trip.
The vet gave us something, I don't know what. He said that based on her weight, we should give her four tablets--but just to be sure, we should try it out before we go. He suggested starting with three pills (instead of the recommended four) just to see how she does. Those three pills knocked the poor ol' dog out for 22 hours!
We couldn't do that to her again, so on Saturday--after we had rented the car and loaded it up with our luggage and her crate, Firebaugh had 1/2 of a pill---and off we went.
Firebaugh wasn't anywhere near to being knocked out (or calm) when we finally headed out about 2:15. She had her head between the two front seats, was panting a mile a minute and drooling, drooling, drooling all over. UGH! Mom had tried to "dog proof" the rental as best as possible,. She had some (new) sheets laid out so Firebaugh wouldn't get hair on the folded down seat. Towels were spread between the seats to catch drool and t-shirts covered the chair backs of the two front seats. Pretty good planning--but not good enough...
About 30-45 minutes out of town, it was evident the sedative was kicking in somewhat, but Baugh was trying to fight it. She occasionally would zonk out--but only for a moment or two. She fought the pill and stayed awake almost the whole trip. But during one of those brief moments when she was crashed out, the car was suddenly flooded with stink-o-rama! UGH! I looked around. There were no cows anywhere to be seen. I knew it wasn't me. Mom? No, it was so bad, I don't think even if Mom had accidentally let loose it would be that awful. That left one other culprit--the dog. Oh man. It was bad and I said something.
"I think Baugh pooped."
"I think she farted, but I don't think she pooped," Mom said.
"No, I think she pooped."
We debated stopping at the rest stop that was just beyond my back roads short cut (through the town of Firebaugh actually...which is how the dog got her name. I found her one Christmas Eve as a puppy while coming home from the Bay Area. Someone had thrown her out of a car, I saw her rolling in the road and went back to save her---not realizing she'd grow up to be a giant monster dog--a Great Pyrenees!), but Firebaugh seemed like she might sleep--so onward we went.
Sleep she didn't and we considered stopping at Santa Nella, but decided against that as well. It was only when the rest stop just outside of Westley was coming up (just before the 580 splits off from the 5) that we decided to stop. Mom said something about not thinking Firebaugh had pooped because she couldn't smell anything any more and if she had pooped, she'd still be able to smell it. But the thing was, however faintly, I still COULD smell it. We stopped at the rest stop and investigated.
She had pooped alright--and it was messy. I got her out of the car and got her over to the grassy area to hang out while mom tried her best to clean up the mess. Oh man. Mom improvised and re-arranged the towels and the remaining sheet somehow and I got our drugged dog back over to the car and in.
This time she did not try to lay with her head between us. She was in on her side, looking out the rear passenger window (and drooling all over it). Off we went again, with only about an hour to go before our destination that evening -- San Leandro.
Once at my friend Erich's house, we got Firebaugh out and into the back yard. She calmed down a lot, drank some water, and finally felt safe enough to sleep. We got the car cleaned up somewhat and our luggage in. After a cocktail and some chat at the house, Mom and Erich and I headed out to dinner in Alameda, leaving Firebaugh snoozing away in the back yard. Once we got into the car though, it was evident that there HAD been leakage through the sheets Firebaugh had been sitting on down into the fibers of the carpet of the back of the seat cargo area. The car reeked of stinky dog poop! EEK!
We made it to Alameda (with the windows down) and found a place to park. I really wanted to take Mom to Forbidden Island (tiki bar), but we had such a late start, there really wasn't time. As it was, all of the eateries on Park Street (the main drag of Alameda) were already packed. We ended up at the Mexican place which was just okay. I really wanted mom to have a fun evening before she left--but it just didn't happen.
On the way back to the car we did pick up cleaning supplies though, including 409 and Fabreeze!
Once back at Erich's place, we found Firebaugh still snoozing away. She had moved though and was now crushing some baby plants that Erich had been trying to grow. Swell... We started putting the dog crate together (it's the biggest size they make and Baugh Baugh barely fits in it). We had these long screw things (with flat heads--no slit for a screw driver) but the nut things would not work. It was time for a late night dash to Home Depot to get some wing nuts. We got the wing nuts and some other screws (which turned out to be too short and too narrow and dropped through the holes in the crate. UGH! Luckily the wing nuts worked on the funky pre-existing screws and we got it together.
The next morning (alarm went off at 6:30), we loaded up and got the dog. We decided to try 1 1/2 pills for the pre-flight, flight and trip via car to the island once they had arrived. Off we went to the airport.
The airport was another comedy of errors. Mom was hoping to find a porter to help her. There were none to be found. We had a dolly to ride the dog crate into the airport, but mom insisted we try to use one of those luggage cart things--which would only fit the crate sideways on it's very narrow and pointed rack space. We got Firebaugh into the crate, but backwards. She wouldn't/couldn't turn around and wouldn't back into it. Her butt end was in the front by the door and her head was in the back---but we had no choice. Poor baby. Mom wheeled her in, left her somewhere and came back for the rest of her luggage. After a quick hug goodbye, she dashed inside. I was left to go and clean up the car (despite our best efforts there was dog hair everywhere---and it still stank of dog poop).
Mom had tried to scrub the cargo area rug with 409 and Fabreeze the night before. I repeated it and Fabreezed and crossed my fingers. I drove to the car rental return area with windows down. When I arrived, I put the rear two windows up (who drives with all of the windows down?), but left the front windows open all of the way. After a quick once over by the car guy, I was given the final receipt and that was it. THANK GOODNESS. As I was leaving the car, I happened to look in the center console and found a winning slot machine ticket for $28! Wow! Of course, I would have to go to the airport in Las Vegas (where it's from) to cash it in...and there's only 120 days left before it expires! Ha! Oh well...
Anyway, Mom and Firebaugh arrived safely and Firebaugh is acclimating to her new home (she's been there before---but it's been years since she was last there).
I was uber broke (I always live paycheck to paycheck and disability had not kicked in from my surgery), BUT I was leaving for Hawaii on Wednesday morning (less than 36 hours from the time Mom and Firebaugh left). Aside from cash, I realize the only thing I had forgotten was my prescribed ATIVAN for the flight to help keep ME calm. NOT that it had worked for me before (New Orleans)---but it was all I had. Oh my stars! What would I do for that 5 hour flight to (and from) Hawaii? Eeek! I'm already panicked. I just hoped I wouldn't poop myself the way Baugh did. Zowie!
Stay tuned to see what happened...
CHEERS!
Before it becomes lost in the sands of time (and in my messy email files), like my email travelogue about my 2015 trip to New Orleans, I decided to past a "flashback" look at another trip in 2015...to Maui. This is the "prequel"
Oh my stars. What an ordeal.
My mom was heading back to Washington state, where she now lives. She was taking the family dog, Firebaugh, to finally go and live with her.
There are no longer any flights out of Fresno that will take Firebaugh (although she used to be able to go). That left going to a larger airport. Since I am going to Hawaii from Oakland, I suggested she also leave from Oakland. I could drive her and just hang out until my trip on Wednesday morning. Okay.
Firebaugh does not travel well. She hates the car and a three hour ride loomed just getting to the Bay Area. ..then she'd have the flight to Seattle and another long drive to the island after that. So, before leaving on Saturday, we took her to the vet to get her some meds to relax a bit for the long trip.
The vet gave us something, I don't know what. He said that based on her weight, we should give her four tablets--but just to be sure, we should try it out before we go. He suggested starting with three pills (instead of the recommended four) just to see how she does. Those three pills knocked the poor ol' dog out for 22 hours!
We couldn't do that to her again, so on Saturday--after we had rented the car and loaded it up with our luggage and her crate, Firebaugh had 1/2 of a pill---and off we went.
Firebaugh wasn't anywhere near to being knocked out (or calm) when we finally headed out about 2:15. She had her head between the two front seats, was panting a mile a minute and drooling, drooling, drooling all over. UGH! Mom had tried to "dog proof" the rental as best as possible,. She had some (new) sheets laid out so Firebaugh wouldn't get hair on the folded down seat. Towels were spread between the seats to catch drool and t-shirts covered the chair backs of the two front seats. Pretty good planning--but not good enough...
About 30-45 minutes out of town, it was evident the sedative was kicking in somewhat, but Baugh was trying to fight it. She occasionally would zonk out--but only for a moment or two. She fought the pill and stayed awake almost the whole trip. But during one of those brief moments when she was crashed out, the car was suddenly flooded with stink-o-rama! UGH! I looked around. There were no cows anywhere to be seen. I knew it wasn't me. Mom? No, it was so bad, I don't think even if Mom had accidentally let loose it would be that awful. That left one other culprit--the dog. Oh man. It was bad and I said something.
"I think Baugh pooped."
"I think she farted, but I don't think she pooped," Mom said.
"No, I think she pooped."
We debated stopping at the rest stop that was just beyond my back roads short cut (through the town of Firebaugh actually...which is how the dog got her name. I found her one Christmas Eve as a puppy while coming home from the Bay Area. Someone had thrown her out of a car, I saw her rolling in the road and went back to save her---not realizing she'd grow up to be a giant monster dog--a Great Pyrenees!), but Firebaugh seemed like she might sleep--so onward we went.
Sleep she didn't and we considered stopping at Santa Nella, but decided against that as well. It was only when the rest stop just outside of Westley was coming up (just before the 580 splits off from the 5) that we decided to stop. Mom said something about not thinking Firebaugh had pooped because she couldn't smell anything any more and if she had pooped, she'd still be able to smell it. But the thing was, however faintly, I still COULD smell it. We stopped at the rest stop and investigated.
She had pooped alright--and it was messy. I got her out of the car and got her over to the grassy area to hang out while mom tried her best to clean up the mess. Oh man. Mom improvised and re-arranged the towels and the remaining sheet somehow and I got our drugged dog back over to the car and in.
This time she did not try to lay with her head between us. She was in on her side, looking out the rear passenger window (and drooling all over it). Off we went again, with only about an hour to go before our destination that evening -- San Leandro.
Once at my friend Erich's house, we got Firebaugh out and into the back yard. She calmed down a lot, drank some water, and finally felt safe enough to sleep. We got the car cleaned up somewhat and our luggage in. After a cocktail and some chat at the house, Mom and Erich and I headed out to dinner in Alameda, leaving Firebaugh snoozing away in the back yard. Once we got into the car though, it was evident that there HAD been leakage through the sheets Firebaugh had been sitting on down into the fibers of the carpet of the back of the seat cargo area. The car reeked of stinky dog poop! EEK!
We made it to Alameda (with the windows down) and found a place to park. I really wanted to take Mom to Forbidden Island (tiki bar), but we had such a late start, there really wasn't time. As it was, all of the eateries on Park Street (the main drag of Alameda) were already packed. We ended up at the Mexican place which was just okay. I really wanted mom to have a fun evening before she left--but it just didn't happen.
Once back at Erich's place, we found Firebaugh still snoozing away. She had moved though and was now crushing some baby plants that Erich had been trying to grow. Swell... We started putting the dog crate together (it's the biggest size they make and Baugh Baugh barely fits in it). We had these long screw things (with flat heads--no slit for a screw driver) but the nut things would not work. It was time for a late night dash to Home Depot to get some wing nuts. We got the wing nuts and some other screws (which turned out to be too short and too narrow and dropped through the holes in the crate. UGH! Luckily the wing nuts worked on the funky pre-existing screws and we got it together.
The next morning (alarm went off at 6:30), we loaded up and got the dog. We decided to try 1 1/2 pills for the pre-flight, flight and trip via car to the island once they had arrived. Off we went to the airport.
The airport was another comedy of errors. Mom was hoping to find a porter to help her. There were none to be found. We had a dolly to ride the dog crate into the airport, but mom insisted we try to use one of those luggage cart things--which would only fit the crate sideways on it's very narrow and pointed rack space. We got Firebaugh into the crate, but backwards. She wouldn't/couldn't turn around and wouldn't back into it. Her butt end was in the front by the door and her head was in the back---but we had no choice. Poor baby. Mom wheeled her in, left her somewhere and came back for the rest of her luggage. After a quick hug goodbye, she dashed inside. I was left to go and clean up the car (despite our best efforts there was dog hair everywhere---and it still stank of dog poop).
Mom had tried to scrub the cargo area rug with 409 and Fabreeze the night before. I repeated it and Fabreezed and crossed my fingers. I drove to the car rental return area with windows down. When I arrived, I put the rear two windows up (who drives with all of the windows down?), but left the front windows open all of the way. After a quick once over by the car guy, I was given the final receipt and that was it. THANK GOODNESS. As I was leaving the car, I happened to look in the center console and found a winning slot machine ticket for $28! Wow! Of course, I would have to go to the airport in Las Vegas (where it's from) to cash it in...and there's only 120 days left before it expires! Ha! Oh well...
Anyway, Mom and Firebaugh arrived safely and Firebaugh is acclimating to her new home (she's been there before---but it's been years since she was last there).
I was uber broke (I always live paycheck to paycheck and disability had not kicked in from my surgery), BUT I was leaving for Hawaii on Wednesday morning (less than 36 hours from the time Mom and Firebaugh left). Aside from cash, I realize the only thing I had forgotten was my prescribed ATIVAN for the flight to help keep ME calm. NOT that it had worked for me before (New Orleans)---but it was all I had. Oh my stars! What would I do for that 5 hour flight to (and from) Hawaii? Eeek! I'm already panicked. I just hoped I wouldn't poop myself the way Baugh did. Zowie!
Stay tuned to see what happened...
CHEERS!
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