Hikes and ROTEs and Things

Okay, I'm going to turn this bloggie over to Mom for just a couple of minutes. Bear with me, people, I'll be right back!

Hi, Fi's Mom here. First, thanks for all the nice comments on the cross-stitch. I still have to wash it and do all the back-stitching, but this is the biggest project that I've ever done, and it was sort of cool to see it all at once. There's still a lot of work to be done with it, but it is a labor of love. And yes, Dory, I did pick that particular pattern because I thought it would complement the House With Wheels! I've got another one that is a camper van that also works, and if I'm feeling ambitious after I finish this one, I will probably start that one next.

Second, most of the cross-stitch patterns I do are dog/cat related. (Duh!) But this is my personal favorite, because it is absolutely true!


And forgive me, but I'll probably show pictures of some of the other ones I do as I finish them, just because they amuse me. But most of them will be dog/cat themed, so hopefully Fi will give me some face time occasionally! *grin.

Now, back to Fi!


Thanks, Mom!

To be fair to Mom, she does most of her stitch stuff at night or when the weather is bad, so it's not like I'm horribly neglected or anything.

Yesterday we went on a walk that turned into a hike; it was warmer than Mom thought (or she was dressed more appropriately), so when we got up the road to where there is a trailhead, Mom turned up on the trail. Unfortunately, she didn't bring the camera, because there were some really neat places where there were all sorts of leaves on the ground, and it looked very fall-like. And the trail wasn't TOO muddy, so we took it all the way up to where we met the road again, and then walked down. It was really good to get back on the trail again, and Mom says that we'll probably go out tomorrow if the weather isn't too bad. This cool weather is GREAT, because it is a little too cool - in the 40's during the day - for Mom and Dad to go bi-sickle-ing, but if Mom dresses right (i.e. a hat and gloves, MOM!) it is perfect for hiking. And if it is a little muddy? Eh. It's muddy in the backyard, too. And mud is mud! So I'm very happy. And if we go tomorrow? I'll make sure Mom brings the camera.

Today? Today Mom and Dad had some business stuff in the morning, and the weather was sort of grey, so Mom decided that today was a good day to do the ROTE. And I told Mom that the Running Of The Errands had to include foodables, per the inscrutable Word of Mango. And did it? NO! Well, sort of no.

Note from Fi's Mom: We were only going two places: Wally World and The House With Wheels, and neither has dog-friendly foodables on an easily accessibly basis, so I had to improvise. First, I planned ahead and put a few treats in my purse, and then, well... I'll let Fi tell you.

So at our first stop, Mom gave me a Milk Bone treat, rolled the windows down a bit, and told me to bite anyone who came near. Okay, she didn't tell me that part. I made that up on my own to make me sound all vicious and protective-like. I confess, I was a little too nervous to eat my Milk Bone (I don't like being left alone, but Mom promised that she'd be back), but I did watch the guy collecting the cars, and I saw this woman driving a minivan trying to park while talking on the phone, and I saw someone put some newspapers in the recycling bin. Mostly I just watched people come and go. Luckily Mom wasn't gone very long. And when she came back, she brought me a toy. Not exactly foodables, but a toy! Mom thought she was being all clever, but since I was interested in the driving, I didn't pay that much attention to the toy.

But.... We were on to stop #2, and I had to pay atttention.

First, we drove Right By a McDonald's and Mom Didn't Even Stop! Of course, the McDonald's was on the other side of the street, and I couldn't see anyway to actually get there from our side of the road. So I'll cut Mom some slack. This time.

So then we went to the House With Wheels. It has been Really Cold at night, and Mom wanted to check to make sure that the furnace was working okay (and that she hadn't turned it up too high). So I checked out the premises from the car; it's pretty quiet this time of year, but there were people parked in the slot next to ours, and I had to make sure that they didn't have any Undesireables (i.e. vicious dogs, or god forbid, vivicous cats!). And Mom was back pretty quick.

And then we drove home. Since I had complained to Mom about her choice of music, she put on the "big" mix, so we listened to the Irish Rovers, and Jimi Hendrix, and Joe Satriani and Oingo Boingo and Rod Stewart and the Eagles. Definitely better than "All 80s All the Time".

When we got home, Mom brought out my toy again. And it finally dawned on me! My Mom got me a mummy! Her point being that "my mummy" would be with me, even when my Mom was in the store!!!

Heehee. My Mom can be so clever sometimes. A mummy to take the place of my Mom!

And a very cool mummy it is!


So while I didn't get any foodables while on the ROTE, I think Mom is starting to get the idea. I'll keep practicing with her until she gets it!

*kissey face*
-Fiona