November 28 & 29 (WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY--NO PLEASURE TRIP THIS TIME...

Oh Boy...rush, rush, rush...Poppy got on the phone to find a "pet friendly" place for us to stay in on Wednesday night. Then he was on the phone again to see if Gwen and Bill Gasperi would allow my kennel to sit in their heated garage for the wake and again on Thursday for the funeral and luncheon.

By now ya know we are goin to be "on the road again" to Mason City for our friend John Hunchins burial. For a couple of days Mamaw and Poppy have been really, really sad and they just keep sayin, "I can't believe he is gone." Well, I'll have ya know I loved Johnnie too--and he loved me. And needless to say, it was a pretty long drive there too!

We had no time to play around when we got there--Mamaw had to change clothes and get around for the wake. I asked if I could go to the wake too, but she said, "Oh no Scarlett--I know you would be a good girl, and that you'd like to grieve along with us, but people wouldn't understand. So off I go, along with my kennel and I know the drill...I accepted that and was a very good girl cause I know Mamaw and Poppy needed me to behave. Hey now--I can behave when I want to.

Back at the hotel, they left the TV on for noise but I heard everything...and I was nervous too! Somebodies big feet kept stompin and there was just constant noise. I didn't sleep good at all--neither did Mamaw. About 4:00 a.m. Mamaw got up to take some kinda pill and came back to bed. She cuddled me and made me feel safe so we slept then for a while. Then when ya get up you know it's a different kinda day cause I knew I didn't have my deer yard to smell around and I'd sure miss that. But, Mamaw was great; we just walked around and around till my pooper would work for us.

It was time then to get around for the funeral. Same drill...kennel and I to the heated garage...Mamaw and Poppy was goin to the funeral. They was gone a long time; guess they had lunch at the church too, but I was a good girl again...(Miss Gwen left a note for them sayin, [QUOTE] Took her for a walk & let her play in the yard before I left! Have a safe trip! GWEN [END OF QUOTE])

On the way home, they talked about the tribute Poppy had given at Johnnie's wake. Mamaw tole him he did "a good job" cause he didn't even use any notes. Mamaw says he's terrific at stuff like that...I can tell it's gonna be a time of grieving around here for a while.

Half way home, Mamaw felt bad about all the "kennel" time for me and so she asked Poppy if he would drive the rest of the way home and she let me be in the front seat on HER LAP!! And how wonderful it was to sleep in OUR OWN BED--WITH NO NOISE...