The Best Laid Plans ....

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Leaving The Big Chill took a lot of planning.  We knew we wanted to go to a warmer place in the south to escape the worst of the Maine winter.  Zuma despises rain, ice and snow.  Iiii know!  Her breed is from Denmark, for Gawd's sake.  But she won't go out in the cold rain and snow unless dragged and she hates the cold. Kinda like me.  We were going to exit Maine after Christmas, then we decided to flee from the encroaching cold weather before the snow began to fly, so we headed out on November 30th.  Zuma was very excited to jump into our VW van (whom I named Blanca) and begin the adventure.  Doug spent months searching for a VW van and then many months having it readied for the trip.  Jason, one of Epifanes' employees was a huge help and did a lot of the work to get Blanca in top shape. 

While on our "walkabout" I am writing a book about traveling with a Great Dane.  Zuma is an excellent traveling companion, the perfect, non-complaining "road sistah".

We decided to cover a lot of miles the first few days so we could get into warmer climes, therefore we only stopped two nights in New England.  It was too chilly to camp out in Blanca, so we had to stay in a hotel the first two nights, until we reached warmer weather.  We were horrified to be charged $100.00 (non-refundable) for the dog (regardless of size) for one night at a Marriott in Massachusetts. We are platinum members but oh no, dem's the rules.  On to Harrisburg, PA to a pet-friendly La Quinta.  No charge for the dog.  They could not have been nicer, they welcomed us with open arms.  Shame on you, Marriott.  We'll stay at La Quinta.

By December 2nd we were in Lancaster, PA, enjoying beautiful pastries we purchased in this beautiful historic town and heading merrily toward Delaware, in the rain. 

We were having a great time until .... suddenly the van started to slip out of gear on the highway. We stared wide-eyed at each other and both agreed we were suspecting the same thing:  the transmission. Doug did some quick Googling roadside.  We limped to Dover, DE where Doug had located a VW dealer and service department.  Thankfully, it was not far to go and we virtually puttered into the parking lot.  Totally unexpected.  This is Doug and Zuma in the waiting room.

  
After an afternoon in the waiting room, the verdict was in.  The van needed a new transmission.  We decided we didn't have a lot of choice.  So we left the van there for repair; Doug picked up a (jumbo) rental car and we found a nice nearby pet-friendly hotel (Holiday Inn).  Everybody was extremely welcoming and friendly to us and to Zuma (she loves hotels and thinks she has the power to open the elevator door by staring at the lower corner where the door opens).  

Doug's back was acting up and by the time we arrived at the hotel he needed to rest it.  The next day he was barely able to move and we hung out at the hotel. It rained all day but Zuma and I were still able to get out for walks.  Zuma was scratching all that night so we took her to a groomer the next morning.  Fabulous experience!  Zuma felt so much better afterwards.  The grooming salon (Scruffy to Fluffy) fit us in immediately and were absolutely fantastic.  To make the experience even better, they have a young special needs man there whose job is to play with the dogs while they await their turn.  As you can see in this photo, Brett was fabulous with Zuma.  What a fantastic idea to have someone capable and kind to comfort the dogs and keep them busy.  Jen, the owner of the salon, gave us all kinds of information about places to walk our dog and offered tips on places to see.  She also referred us to a local veterinarian.  

Afterwards,we went for a drive into the semi-rural area bordering Dover where we found a fabulous orchard (Fifer's) and we bought an apple caramel walnut pie to celebrate!   

On Friday morning, Zuma's skin was still clearly irritated and she was constantly chewing her legs, so we zipped her to a vet right away.  The vet office was extremely gracious and took us immediately; the Dr. said it is a contact allergy.  I had recently washed her bed in a new detergent and the vet was sure that was the problem.  Zuma was prescribed antibiotics and prednisone.  Poor Zuma, drink drink drink, urinate urinate urinate.  Doug went to a walk-in clinic and was prescribed muscle relaxants for his back.  Thankfully he isn't on prednisone too, haha.   There's just so much a girl can take, ya know?

After lunch we left Dover and drove to Rehoboth Beach, a charming seaside spot with great cafes and shops. On our way there we stopped at a toll booth.  When we went to hand over our dollar, the attendant told us we were already paid for, by the person in front of us.  She told us people do that here, just to be nice.  It made us smile all day.  We could hardly wait to pay it forward at the next toll and we happily did so!  

That evening we had a fabulous time at the hotel bar with a local and the staff all helping us determine the next stage of our journey, pointing out places not to miss.  We visited the Amish Farmer's Market the next morning.  All the vendors are Amish, in their bonnets and dresses, trousers and suspenders.  It's like stepping back in time in a way.  It's just great.  I bought more pie (just three slices) and Doug insisted I back off the pie purchasing.  Uh oh, Pie intervention.  I didn't know I had a problem but apparently I need to go into a 12 step program to keep me away from pies.  

I suppose I could complain about the fact I acquired food poisoning the first day (Thank you, Burger King; my error, I know I can't eat at BK or McD's), about the $8,500.00 bill for the van, about Doug's painful back and Zuma's itchy skin.  But all of us are on the mend and we're all so thankful for the great people we have met and the fantastic service and hospitality we have received from everyone along the way.  Jinxed?  Nah, we're Blessed.

On The Boardwalk.

Saturday, December 5th: bright and warm (50s) in Ocean City.  La Quinta is one of the few hotels who are truly pet-friendly and do not charge you for bringing your dog.  We are here at La Quinta in Ocean City, steps from the beach and the boardwalk.  

The weather is perfect, high 50s and sunny.  Yesterday afternoon Zuma and I walked the beach and part of the Boardwalk for two hours as the sun was setting.  This was Zuma's first time on a beach and she leaped in the air and pounced on the waves and snapped at them like a lunatic, it was hilarious!  Sheer joy.  The farm dog goes out on an adventure to meet the world.  I wonder what she is thinking.  I know what she is thinking, just unhook me off this damn leash and let me run free!

Today, Doug's back is much improved, thankfully.  The three of us walked the entire length of the Boardwalk and back (2 1/4 miles one way) and looked across the water to Assateague Island, a huge sandbar, home of the wild ponies.  We even saw Santa with his team of Hafflinger "reindeer" giving people rides in a wagon.  

On the way back we stopped at a boardwalk brewery and sipped a cold beer outside in the sun. 

Doug asked the bartender if it was okay to have the dog on the deck and the bartender replied, "Inside, outside, it doesn't matter" so we sipped our suds while Zuma basked in the sun beside us on the deck.  What a great way to spend a sunny Sunday in December!  

All day people stopped us to meet Zuma!  We must have spoken with about 100 people!  I guess there aren't many Great Danes around here.  The most common comment was :  "That's a BIG dog!" (Really?  I hadn't noticed); "That's not a dog, that's a HORSE!" and "Ya gotta saddle for that thing?".  Some of the funnier comments were:  "Damnnnnnnm that's one big-ass dawg" and, my personal favorite, "Is that a DOG?" (the woman was TOTALLY SERIOUS) and "Whoa!".  People are not afraid to spurt out what's on their minds.  NO. FILTER.  That's fine, it makes for a most interesting walk-the-dog experience.  "Will she bite me?"; "How much does she eat?"; "Where does she sleep?" (Doug's response:  "Wherever she wants"). 

We certainly hadn't expected her to attract so much attention.  We don't even think of her as big.  She's just our dog, the dog you don't have to bend over to pet.  Thankfully, she loves everybody and she gobbled up all the attention and had her photo taken several times, mostly with small children.  She really is a great ambassador for the breed.  Perhaps she needs her own Facebook page, haha.  

We watched this Police Officer ride on the beach, then he rode his horse on the Boardwalk.  Beautiful!

This evening we went to pick up Mexican food and a man came out of the restaurant; he said his friend had told him he'd seen her on the Boardwalk today and he had to come out to "meet her in person"!  We're so proud of Zuma for her incredible patience and because she is a humble celebrity.  If she wasn't humble, she would be truly conceited from being told repeatedly, "You are so beautiful".  Then there'd be no living with her!



The Wild Ponies of Assateague

Monday, December 7th, Ocean City, Maryland.
An overcast day with temps in the mid 50s.  After breakfast, we headed out for Assateague, home of the wild ponies made famous by Marguerite Henry's book 'Misty of Chincoteague'.  At the Visitor's Center the woman told us there hadn't been many ponies sighted recently.  I said to Doug, "We'll see 'em, they're waiting for us".  At first we didn't see any ponies but, as we were heading out we

saw several on the side of the road.  I was able to get a few pix (nothing special but I didn't want to overstep my bounds).  There are definitely shades of Misty in these guys.  The island is barren, fine white sand with beach grass and pines and scrub.  There are more trees for shelter than I remember from a previous visit in 1982.  I think about the ponies when there is a major storm down here.  They seem to fare well.

The ponies are in good flesh, their feet are amazing for ponies who never see a farrier; they are very calm and have sweet faces.  I didn't want to approach them but they walked right up to me.  They are about 12.2 hands at the max, solid boned.  Supposedly brought by the Spaniards (due to a shipwreck), they have managed well on this tiny thin sandbar strip.  We also saw several tiny Sika Deer right beside the road.  The woman at the Visitor's center said that people feed the ponies (!) and this year one man was captured on camera trying to move a pony with his CAR.  That is in court now.  He will be heavily fined.  A woman filmed it and turned him in.

 
We bought a pass to the Park so we can return.  It's a magical place.
            

  
New Shoes and Italian Kisses.

We're still waiting for the van.  Doug called the VW garage this morning; they told us Blanca would be ready to roll Tuesday or Wednesday but they still cannot commit to when it will be ready, which is frustrating because Doug hadn't planned on being away more than a week.  But, we're still having a great time and Doug is able to do some work from here and the guys at the office are holding down the fort.  I am able to write and Zuma is having a blast.  

We love our daily long treks up and down the Boardwalk so this morning we went shopping and both bought "athletic" shoes!  Fits of laughter, Iiiii know!  We are both loving the new "lightness of being"!

We've been joking that we're starting to feel like "locals" because retailers and other walkers recognize us and stop to chat with us.  Zuma is welcomed into every shop which makes it easier to browse.  We're really enjoying the weather and the hotel, so we've decided Zuma and I will stay here for another week or so.  

It's just so perfect having the Boardwalk here and even when we get Blanca back, the local campgrounds are just slightly less in price than La Quinta.

The warm weather and exercise is doing wonders for my knee.    Doug can fly from Ocean City to Portland, Maine with only one stop, so it makes sense.  After Doug returns, we plan to head further south.  This evening we went across the road and had a delicious REAL Italian dinner.  The owner is most charming and came to our table and introduced himself:  "I'va been doing thees for 55 years, someatimes the people are happy, someatimes they are not.  I hope you likea it herea".  Fabulous accent.  We liked it there.  A lot.  The owner shook Doug's hand and gave me a hug and two cheek kisses when we left.  This guy could charm the pants off a snake.

The Benches On The Boardwalk.

Along the ocean side of the Boardwalk are hundreds of benches.  Doug estimated there are 825 so now I have to count them.  Each one displays a sentimental plaque, donated by family and friends to a special person in their lives.  I like to read these each day as I go by; some make me teary-eyed, others cause me to break out in giggles.  They are beautiful, sincere tributes to loved ones, times gone by, memories made.  Here are a few of my favorites:

Are you reaching for the tissue box yet?  I LOVE this!  On our morning jaunt, Doug and I met a man whose business is taking care of the maintenance of the benches.  I fired questions at him because I am nosey curious.  We learned that the benches are initially sold to individuals by the city (for $1,700.00 a piece) and the individuals then own the benches.  However, at the time the city started this program less than ten years ago, there was no financial plan for maintenance down the road.  For now, the city pays for the upkeep of the benches.  The guy informed us the money is going to run out.  No doubt there will be a lot of meetings about this.  For us and for the millions of people who traverse the Ocean City Boardwalk, they are standing reminders of  happy times, special people and life-long lasting memories in this fun-loving, friendly seaside city.  

Hotels And Homeless People.

We have decided this is the BEST time of year to visit Ocean City because there are only a handful of tourists here and the weather is excellent.  It must be mayhem in July and August when the Boardwalk comes to life with crazy loud music and zillions of people and the Midway fired up.  But for now, everything is really quiet and pretty darned nice.  The visitors here truly appreciate the calm, the sunshine and the overall peace.
  

At our hotel, we have a whopping four cars in the parking lot tonight.  It was busy on the weekend because it's a pet-friendly place and there were dogs everywhere: in the lobby, on the grounds, in the elevator (dog owner, seeing Zuma's size:  "Ah, I'll wait for the next one" .... good plan! What a circus it would be in the elevator with a few little fluffy yippers nipping at Zuma's ankles).   Little dogs act really tough (with their owner backing them) and vocalize their aggression, scrambling furiously in place like cartoon characters threatening to fearlessly rip her to shreds if unleashed.  Zuma regards them quizzically, head tipped sideways, then she regally carries on.  She is so kind to the little dogs and I can tell she wants to one of them when she grows up.  They are ruthless little brats.  THEY are the enemy.

Every now and then we meet a confident dog and they'll have a bit of a playtime with Zuma.  This is Rupert, an Old English Sheepdog puppy with nerves of steel.  He grabbed Zuma's leash and was ready to take her off on an adventure.  He's only 8 weeks old!  What a cool dog.

Anyway, back to what I was going to say .... the best thing about being here right now is we pretty much have the place to ourselves.  More than 50% of the hotels and restaurants are shut down for the season (and there are a LOT of hotels and restaurants).   

This evening, after Zuma and I walked ten miles total today, I was still feeling like walking some more (must be the new light shoes, haha!) so I went out for an hour's brisk walk on my own.  Nobody even noticed me without my dog.  Usually we can't go 15 feet without people talking to us her.  I may be developing an identity crisis.

At one of the big toilet facilities on the Boardwalk, there is a group of people (mostly men, one or two women) who cloister in the sunshine each day, up against the wall of the bathroom.  One of the retailers I see regularly told me this morning that "They are the homeless people".  "Is there no shelter in the city?" I asked.  She told me yes, they likely sleep there but they hang out outside the toilet building all day.  It is sunny and gives them a break from the wind and weather.  Doug noticed them the first day; they have bikes and he saw them peddling to the site smiling and clutching wrinkled brown paper bags.  I guess I missed that.  

One of the men talked with us on the weekend, while petting Zuma.  When he learned she is a "rescue" he told us he had rescued a dog and it was the best thing he'd ever done in his life.  That was in 1980.  He is a kind man, Zuma really liked him.  

They are a quiet group, I hear them laughing and talking when we pass by.  They wanted to pet Zuma today and she was cool with that.  I let her be the people barometer. I find it sad that they lead such a pointless, unambitious life, hanging out on the Boardwalk all day.  Uh, wait, that's what I do.  


Blanca Has Returned!  

Thursday, December 10th.

Following her transmission transplant surgery, Blanca is back with us.  Doug went to Dover, DE yesterday afternoon and drove her home to O.C. last night.  Now when I am ready to move on, I can.  But I like it here so much I'll stay on for a while.  Doug did some research about Boardwalks along my loosely-planned route, I think these uber-dog-friendly walking paths and availability of  LaQuinta hotels will help me decide where to go next.  We are expecting a gorgeous weather week and weekend ahead, with temps expected to be 70 degrees on Sunday!  It's not forecast to be as warm further south.  So I'm not budging for a while. 

Doug left from O.C. Airport early this morning, to get back to work.  Tomorrow night he and Emma are going to TORUK, an AVATAR-based Cirque de Soleil performance in Massachusetts.  When I first found out about it, I thought we would all go, but I'll be there in spirit.  They will love it.


Here are some more photos of the bench plaques:     
                                                                                         

          

                        

                      

   

   

   

                                       

I dunno.  I think if my name was Captain Billy Booze I'd have to change my name.

Just sayin'.

Never Met a Stranger.

Thursday, December 11

We've met lots of new people and dogs the past two days.  

Iiiii know!  The Hermit on The Hill is out in the real world!  Sometimes I get outside of my comfort zone and we walk on the side streets. Today we walked for 5 1/2 hours, that includes one hour with Zuma on a horse longe line cavorting on the beach.  Oh, how she loved that!  We'll make it a daily ritual from now on.

• She is totally exhausted tonight.  I've upped her feed and am giving her an extra meal at lunchtime as she's burning so many calories with all this exercise.  I don't want her to lose weight, the vet says she is perfect at 125 lbs.  

• Yesterday we met Wendy, a very interesting woman who also has a Mantle Great Dane!  She and her partner are hoping to breed their "Lucy" so we exchanged information.  It was so nice to meet someone who understands "Dane Brain".  They are not like other breeds, they have some quirky tendencies and only another Dane lover can truly relate.  I told Doug about Wendy last night and his response was:  "So you're signed up for pick of the litter, right?"  Does he know me or what?!  I could never replace Zuma but I would never have any other breed.  She is an irreplaceable companion; loyal, loving, sociable, excellent temperament, friendly to every person and dog, a fantastic traveler.  

HOWEVER, having said that, since Doug left for home, Zuma has "upped security" and, uncharacteristically for her, she has growled at a couple of large men who approached us/her too quickly.  With Doug gone, she apparently feels a strong need to protect me.  She just let's out a low grrrr, rumbling through her lips with her head down, no teeth are shown, but clearly she feels this is her JOB, she needs to take care of me.  I feel very safe with her on my team.  As it turned out, her instincts were right.  These were not people I wanted to spend time with.  Too forward.

These are some of the dogs we met in the past two days:

A beautiful young puppy named Lola

Woody the Pug puppy.

Dan, a contractor working at a business on the Boardwalk.

Minnie and her owner, they work with Dan.  Her markings are close to Zuma's and she is a very cool 10 year old lady dog.  I commented "She's marked like a mini Zuma".  Too funny her name is Minnie.  

The Boardwalk starts at 27th Street

I've decided to stay on here through New Year's. The weather looks good and I love it that we can walk so much with such ease. We went out for ten miles today, non-stop, with only water breaks.

We arrived at the end of the Boardwalk and I wanted a bottle of water for Zuma; the young man at the booth wouldn't take my money because he was so besotted with Zuma! "No charge, it's for the dog". How sweet. Dogs really do bring out the best in people.

 Pony Sized Poo and The Paper Pic

Since Zuma has been on medication, her toilet activity has doubled and it is not just her usual firm turd, it is .... ugh. I'm talking Pony Size Poo and yeh, I already know how much a race horse pees. This poor dog. Not to be gross, ya'll, but #2 is not unlike picking up a jumbo soft serve ice cream. Did I mention it is comparable to a jumbo serving? Like, I need to scoop it up with a bag and it takes two hands to do a good job whilst I am fiercely clenching the leash between my teeth and Zuma is feeling thoroughly relieved and perky and wants to leave the scene and get on with her day. 

Good thing I don't wear dentures.

Let me assure you, when I am in dog poo scoop mode, it is not a graceful picture. I've had her on a regular schedule the past three years; she pooped once a day, in the morning, then she came in for breakfast and after an hour and a half we went for a walk. Now she is on prednisone and antibiotics she goes #2 three times a day and pees constantly. I get up in the middle of the night and we take the elevator down to ground level to get out to the Poo Area. She would be horrified if she had an accident in the hotel room.

At home I can get out a pitchfork and chuck #2 in a bag. This double fisted bag scooping isn't my fave part of traveling with a big dog. We're almost finished the pills, I'm hoping and praying toilet trips will return to normal soon.

We feed her high quality dog food (Solid Gold and Wellness) so her turds are more concentrated. Good food = no waste. She doesn't get any human food unless she counter surfs and snags a steak off the counter when Doug is out starting the grill and forgets she is an opportunist who is particularly fond of a good tenderloin or pork chop. She is still eating the same food she gets at home (minus steak thefts) but the shitty effects of these pills are really wearing me out. I will spare you the photos. One great thing is that this La Quinta has a dog toilet area and they provide poopy bags and a poo garbage can. Needless to say, no grass grows there. I really appreciate the hotel's thoughtfulness, providing for dogs.

Yesterday Zuma got the urge (Oh please God, not here Zuma) and she dumped a load on a lawn while we were out walking. I sprang into action and was extremely thankful she plunked it down behind a large shrub so the homeowners couldn't see me if they peeked out their windows, but it was a squishy pile and I had a hard time gathering it all up and some of it leaked out and got on the bag's handles. It was a challenge to get the bag tied and I ended up with traces of smooshy shit on my hands, pants and shoes. I surely looked like a madwoman marching along the sidewalk with four roaring lanes of busy traffic zooming beside us, me sporting the overflowing green plastic bag of shit laughing out loud (what are ya gonna do but laugh at yourself?) and Zuma prancing happily along the sidewalk like a pepped up parade pony.

Later, I was chatting with some people and a guy rode up on a bike with a Nikon bearing what seemed like a two foot long lens. "Uh Oh", said one of the women I was talking with, "The paparazzi is here". Turns out he is a photojournalist for the local newspaper! I'll keep you posted whether or not they publish the photo.

December 13, 2015

By The Sea, by the Beautiful Sea

Yesterday was a bright, hot day and I had to run some errands so Zuma and Blanca and I went for a drive around Ocean City. In many places here, if you stand in the middle of the road on this thin peninsula of sand, you can see the bay on one side and the ocean on the other. The main road is lined with shops of every description so it's pretty easy to find what you're looking for .... just keep driving in a straight line and you'll find it on one side of the road or the other.  Adventuring for the unimaginative.  But that's a good thing right now so I can get used to driving Blanca.  

After we explored the city, we went to the beach.  Zuma was very excited to leap in the waves and gallop around on the longe line like a lunatic puppy.  She is 3 1/2 years old now and, with Great Danes having such a short lifetime expectancy, it does my heart good to see her goof off.

We met lots of people, including a couple fishing for striped bass from the shore; they said it's still early for them because the water is too warm for the fish to come here.  Perhaps they haven't left Maine!   Zuma was thrilled to meet three children the ages of our neighbors, Elsa, Roza and Theo.  I know she misses them.     

Speaking of fish and seafood, it's crab and shrimp central here. Maryland is famous for crab but the season has passed; a local informed us the crabs sold and served here now are from further south (like Louisiana).  Must try some before we depart.

Zuma tracks in the sand and foamy waves.

Zuma and her Lamb Chop stuffed toy that Emma gave her.  They have taken over Doug's bed since he's not here right now.  It was all Lamb Chop's idea.

December 13th, 2015

Today the temps hit the high 60s, perfect for a good stroll.  It took us 4 1/2 hours to walk our usual route (we can do it in an hour and a half on a weekday) because there were so many big, little, unusual and cool dogs and fun people.  I started counting benches and got up to EIGHT and got distracted by great people, most with a nice dog, so I gave up.  For today, anyway.  This is Zuma trying to "get small" so as not to intimidate the teeniest dog on the Boardwalk.  

A very friendly Standard Poodle 

A cool guy who performs magic tricks and card tricks.

Two traveling dudes and a dog:  Lefty and Armin and Twitch.

They gave me lots of tips about places to see.  They also have vans and drive all over the country.  30-something hippies, nice guys.

A lovely Basenji named Cairo.

Zuma and her entourage.  Initially, they all snarled at her so she laid down and pretended to be small and they were like, "Oh, she's not that big" and we had a nice long get-together with Zuma playing "Mother".  She was thrilled to have them all running around her and they felt pretty cool about the whole thing.
A Win Win situation.  Dozens of people lined up to take photos and comment on how kind Zuma is, she is true to her breed, she's a Gentle Giant.