Cats in an RV

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Wanting and Having a Dog

It’s been two full days now that I’ve had Donna‘s dog Midnight with me. This dog is perfect for me and exemplifies all the reasons why I want a dog even though I am not a ‘dog person.’

Midnight in his turquoise sweater (warm enough for afternoons, he has a coat he wears at night)

I want a dog as a pal to do things with. The cats are great at home, but I love the idea of having a critter to take with me wherever I go, on hikes or in town running errands. I had this idea that if I had a dog in the house, I’d be more motivated to go out and get some exercise. What I have trouble with is getting my shoes on. Once I’m outside, I’ll gladly turn a dumpster run into a 5K walk. Since a dog has to go out regularly, there’s my motivation.

That’s the way it’s been since Midnight came here. We go out for a frolic first thing in the morning, then he comes out and putters with me during the day. I went down to the office for propane this morning and it was the most natural thing to invite Midnight to ride shotgun. He loves going for car rides! After dinner, sometime around nine, we head out for a loop around the park and then we do one more quick business trip before bed.

He is just so sweet and obedient. I can’t stand dogs that are in your face all the time and obnoxious. Midnight’s fun because you can spend time interacting with him instead of disciplining him.

I’m surprised by how well he has integrated into the household. There was no animosity to speak of on the part of the felines and they all respect each others’ turf. He’s not in the way and having a third body to take care of doesn’t feel like extra work at all. He’s not afraid of asking for what he needs, whether it’s fresh water or a cuddle, and he understands “Midnight, go lie down!” the odd time he’s underfoot (I have a small kitchen!).

In short, Midnight’s going to be a tough act to follow should I take the plunge and get a dog. There are some major things still holding me back, smoothly as this experiment is going, and IĀ  am actually more convinced now than ever that getting a dog is not a path I’m meant to follow.

1) Full-time commitment

Right now, Midnight’s fun because it’s not going to last and he isn’t interrupting any plans. A dog isn’t like a cat, you can’t leave it at home for a full day, much less a weekend.

2) Life span

I estimate that I have about ten years left with my two kitties. I will have by that point lived my whole adult life with pets and half of my life with Miss Bitha. I might want to try life without pets for a while, especially if I go forth with my plans to do Europe by RV one day. If I were to get a dog, it would have to be an older one whose lifespan fits within that window of time.

3) Cost

Dog ownership is a lot more costly than cat ownership. I don’t think I’m solvent enough to bring a third critter into this house.

I’m really grateful to have this week with Midnight and thankful to his parents for trusting me with their precious little one.

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Midnight Visitor

Ken and Donna’s family emergency had them requesting dog sitting services from me. So, I have added a sweet tiny miniature poodle to my menagerie for the next week or so. The cats and him do not seem to be too bothered by this unexpected family merger. He and I have had time to bond in the past weeks and he takes kindly to me, which will definitely help with the adjustment.

Soon as Donna left, Midnight wandered the rig a bit looking lost. I sat down at the computer and he requested lap time, which I am gladly giving him. It’s going to be quite the exercise, making sure everyone has equal quality time with me this week!

Tabitha has found Midnight’s ball and is having a blast with it. I suppose that is fair since he got her mom’s lap for the evening! šŸ˜€

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Trapping Cat Fur With Fleece Throws

Last time I was in Omak, I picked up a two-pack of fleece throws for the cats.

(the orange and brown one also has purple and red stripes in it and doesn’t look tigerish at all)

Fleece throws are great because they catch cat fur and they retain body heat, so cats are naturally attracted to them. Tabitha and Neelix knew immediately that the throws were for them and prefer to lie on them then any other part of the bedding.

During the cold spell this week, I caught them pulling the throws off the beds and bringing them closer to a heat source (too cute). I borrowed one to use as a shawl, and realised that they are really nice for wrapping up in to read a book or watch a movie.

So, I bought another set when I was in Omak yesterday, with one throw being solid green and the other being stripped blue and green. I’ll leave the solid coloured throws on the beds permanently since they match the decor and use the striped ones as wraps.

The first set cost me $6, the second $5!

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Contentment

I’m sitting here on this grey and gloomy Monday morning in my beautifully decorated and functional home office, flitting from task to task, mostly focusing on the book I’m writing, petting whichever cat is sitting on my lap at the moment, occasionally staring out at the lovely view of mountains, sipping a good cup of coffee, relaxed and happy that I didn’t have a job to return to after my trip, and wondering How did I get to be so lucky?

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A Long Journey Done

I made it back to Osoyoos!

When we boarded the plane in Vancouver, we were warned that there was ‘fair’ visibility in Penticton and that there was a good chance we would have to turn back to Vancouver. That would have sucked! Thankfully, we landed without incident. Except for some turbulence over the prairies, the whole trip back was very smooth.

I used my baggage allowance to bring back some of the kitchen things I had in storage in Montreal; I’ll do a post about them once I’ve had some sleep. I was surprised that the boxes made it to Penticton, what with the tight connection in Toronto! We’d wrapped everything in foam and stamped the boxes fragile, but I was realistic about everything making it across the country on three planes in one piece. So, when I heard the distinctive tinkle of broken glass, I wasn’t surprised, but I was curious. I broke open the boxes tonight and discovered that what had broken was the only thing I didn’t mind getting broken. Yay to Air Canada getting priceless (to me) antiques (and modern stuff) here safely!

The drive home from Penticton went well, too, and Donna had staged a lovely homecoming, what with thinking to put on the porch light and remembering to crank up the heat! *hugs*

The kitties and I are very happy to find each other again. šŸ™‚

It was a great trip. Certain happenings in the last couple of weeks have made this eastern jaunt a bookend to yet another chapter of my RVing life and tomorrow I will return to a life similar to the one I left a week ago, but different, too.

Well, I should have hot water by now, so it’s time for a long shower and to get my body clock back on track. It’s 3:30AM right now back east, but my normal bedtime here, so in theory I should wake up on time tomorrow. But I try not to think too much about such things; it’s been my experience that not dwelling too much on the time change is the best remedy for jet lag. Still, zzzzzzzzzzzzz.