At some point within the last couple of months I finally decided it was time to leave the city I have lived in for the last 30+ years and strike out for Oregon. I interviewed and was offered a position which started so many changes in a relatively short time.
I long ago knew that my fur babies are my partners and share my like for their lifetime, sooooo . . . There was no way I was leaving without them. And planning a move with their stress levels and comforta in mind made a huge impact on how I moved.
I currently have the two corgis, and four kitties, one who is over 14 yrs old. So I put on my creative thinking cap!
Long story short, this is what I did. I bought an RV to move myself and the critters in with the basic things, and to live in until I purchase a new home. My thinking was that it would be less stressful on them as a whole, as they would be around our things and not moving in cramped quarters in a crate or car. And it is far cheaper to live in an RV short term than in an Apartment.
Actually, this turned out to be a great idea. The cats arent keen on riding and I wasn't sure how they would ride, so I set up the large dog crate for them to ride in while I was driving. Or at least I did that the first two days, I probably didn't need to do it at all. They rode in the back when they were loose and never got in the way.
By the second day, the dogs settled down more and rode well. And my dear Abby has finally been able to sleep in bed with Brody and myself. And she is loving it! Up until a couple of nights ago, she was content to sleep at my feet and let Brody share my pillow. When I woke yesterday morning, it was to open my eyes to a smiling and snoring Abby facing me on my pillow! It surprised me and I couldn't stop giggling! She really has become the cuddler. It is quite the challenge to get up in the mornings or in a hurry when you're under a mound of furry children. They ALL want to sleep with me in that tiny double bed, at least I'm not cold at nights!
A little history on my kids, the dogs are puppy mill rescues, and really never experienced real green grass to roll in, walk on, or just lay on. The kitties are all kitties from the southwest, no real grass or water or the abundance of interesting wildlife. Do, you can imagine what a change this is for them!
When we arrived, the dogs got a quick walk before bedtime, so grass introductions were short and sweet. But in the morning, it was such fun to watch them sniff, kick it up, roll in it, and just simply live in the moment and enjoy the feel, smell, and joy of it all. What a change this simple vegetation and the move has wrought in them!
Now they want to be outside almost all the time. Abby's favorite thing is to roll a bit, then lay in it and watch the world go by. And as most of the birds around the campground here are not all that concerned with us, they will come within 3-4 feet of you and Abby wants so badly to check them out and say hello! Brody wants to go exploring now and be outside all the time. He has become more confident and inquisitive. He no linger seems as terrified of new things and things flying overhead or people talking, etc. This includes a biplane crop dusting not far from us yesterday and flying over us. While he didn't care for the noise, he seemed merely curious about it. They both want to play more too.
On the Kitty side of things, our last fuel stop on the way up the I-5 it was after dark. After getting back onto the road, I looked up in my rearview mirror to see Punkin (who is the most adventurous) sitting on the built in night stand in the back watching the world go by out of the huge back window. Not once did I notice him being alarmed, only fascinated and curious about all going on out there. It certainly made me smile. Jasmine on the other hand is most curious when we are stopped, otherwise, she prefers to be under the covers when she can be. Though to the kittens, this is quite the adventure. Yummy is rather blase about it all.
The first time several flocks of Canadian Geese flew over, honking, the kitties were like, WOW! What is that? Their expressions were priceless. They love the birds that flock into the trees on either side of the campsite. I am positive they would say that the kitty TV here has far better channels and smells out here. I am waiting for them to see their first deer, raccoon, or opossum.
Right now, they think the RV is a cool place and it challenges Punkin's tree dwelling skills in their play time and what he can get into. It hasn't been a dull trip, and I know I made the right decisions to come here and do the move the way I did. It is certainly entertaining this way! But I do have to say, that to see them experience and find sheer joy in new things and experiences, like grass, is priceless. And it reminds me once again to live in the moment and stop and revel in the little things in life, for they can bring the most pleasure!
1 comments:
Great writing and companion observations Lisa - y'all are quite lucky to be together. Thanks for sharing.
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