Pat and Sharon traveling on

Well, Pat and Sharon have left to continue their road trip to the parks of the southwest. We had a great time with them here and were sorry to see them go. Can only hope they come back this winter to avoid the snow. 

Here is Pat and Sharon getting ready to go, cleaning the car windows from the rain run off.

Kelly looks like she is ready to go with them!

While Kelly  likes to be held Jazzy wants to walk around and explore, she is still learning her new home.

Now the house is quiet, for the first time we have no company and we slip back into our bad old habits!

We will get more energetic tomorrow, or not!

Arizona living

The reason we bought the house in Arizona was this lime tree in our yard. Not that Gin and Tonics rule me or anything like that! We are settling in at the new house and have Pat and Sharon here to help us! They were great to bring miss Kelly with them and now the whole family is getting settled. I am going to continue to post to the blog  so anyone who wants to know how we are doing can follow us. I know we will have to put in dog pictures since they are the true stars of the blog and have the following. If only they had thumbs they could do it all!

More soon, Gregg

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I Made It!

Yesterday was a really busy day and I didn't get a chance to post anything to the blog, but I've made it to Arizona.  But I'm getting ahead of myself so let's start at the beginning.  We left Albuquerque bright and early and headed for Arizona.  We stopped at Petrified Forest National Park so I could see some really old trees.

We drove through the Painted Desert and Sharon and Pat claimed that it was beautiful but I got tired of jumping up and down every time they stopped at an overlook.

From there we went through the Petrified Forest portion of the park.  Here I am next to a petrified log. It's hard to tell who was more petrified, it or me, because of the three large Ravens stalking me.

There were even petroglyphs on some of the rocks. This rock was called Newspaper Rock, and I'm glad they used pictures to communicate rather than words because I can't read.

                                                        Petrified Wood

After we left the park and headed for Goodyear, we made one more stop.  For anyone who's familiar with the Eagles' song "Take it Easy," this one's for you.  "Standing on a corner .........."

We finally reached Goodyear and there was a joyous reunion.  I was so surprised to see Mom and Dad step out of this house I'd never seen before, and I almost turned myself inside out.  Then they let Jazzy out and we both went crazy.  She was actually happy to see me and they said she'd missed me.

All in all, it was a wonderful trip.  Sharon and Pat said they wouldn't hesitate to do it again, but I really hope I don't have to.  I'm tired now but I'm happy to be here and this place smells like home.

Sharon and Pat are going to stay and visit for a few days and then they're heading off to Utah and Colorado to see the sights.  If anybody's interested in seeing some of their pictures and reading about their adventures, you can go on THEIR blog and read all about it.  The address is    patandsharon.blogspot.com.     There won't be anything there for a few days, but keep checking back.  Also, don't be surprised if Mom and Dad put things on the blog occasionally because I showed them how.  I want to make sure my picture is out there and I'm not forgotten.  For now though, I'll say goodbye and settle in here.     Kelly over and out.

Day 4

Kelly here.  I'm back and boy am I tired!  I had a busy day.  We drove a little bit of Route 66, but we were too close to the highway and it didn't have the right flavor.  Maybe another road trip in the future? As we drove through Amarillo, TX, there were signs that you could get a 72oz steak for free if you could eat it in an hour.  I wanted to try but they told me I wouldn't be allowed in.  I thought it was against he law to deny someone admittance based on the number of paws they have.  

Right past Amarillo, we stopped at the Cadillac Ranch.  Some eccentric old guy planted 10 Cadillacs front-down in the mud and people flock to see them and spray paint them with graffiti.  We didn't know about the paint part and didn't come prepared.

The next picture I took for Sydnie.  I thought she'd get a kick out of it.  This place wasn't far from the Quarter Horse Hall of Fame and Museum.

We passed an exit today for the town of Hereford, but they said it would take us too far out of our way to go there.  😕

All in all, although it was a hot day, it was a good day (other than the little burrs I got stuck in my fur at a New Mexico rest area).  We're staying in Albuquerque tonight and I'm really getting good at this "ride all day then collapse in a motel" routine.  We have a long way to go tomorrow, but at the end of it I'll be home!

Oh, and I want to thank my Great Aunt Bertha and her friends for purchasing that giant catsup bottle for me.  It will look so nice in front of our house and I know Mom and Dad will love it.

Day 3

Yep. This is where we started. After passing 742 cornfields, 6,312 giant round bales of hay, too many RV's to count, and an awful lot of signs advertising for dentures (apparently no one has real teeth here.) or "Adult Book Stores" (Is there really nothing else to do here?), we finally got to Tulsa, Oklahoma.  While driving down a short stretch of Route 66, we spotted this handsome guy at a gas station called Kong's Korner in Foyil, OK.  Of course I had to have my picture taken with him.  

Soon afterwards we passed an exit for a town I'd like to visit someday.  Maybe they knew I was coming.  

Tonight we're staying just outside of Oklahoma City at a motel that has turned out to be a little bit seedier than it appeared on the website.  Oh well, I've met lots of other dogs here on the somewhat small patch of grass they've got.  They tell me that after tonight, I only have to spend one more night on the road and I'll be home, wherever that is.  I can't wait to tell Jazzy about the places I've been.  Signing off until tomorrow,  Kelly.

Day 2

Kelly here:  It's really hard to contain my excitement, but I was privileged enough today to visit a world-famous site that I know you will want to put right at the top of your bucket list. I'm here in Collinsville, Illinois, site of the World's Largest Catsup Bottle."

The good news is that it's more than just a photo op, it's for sale!  Not only would owning such a landmark show good taste, but people would flock to it with relish.  I'd quit but I'm on a roll.

We're staying at a Drury Inn tonight in Colłinsville, right outside of St. Louis.  They have free breakfast AND free dinner.  I didn't want to be left alone in the room when they went to dinner, so I cried loudly enough to make them come back.  They realized they could go one at a time and bring their food back to the room.  I knew it would work.  The meatball I had was really good.

They tell me tomorrow we're driving to Oklahoma City.  I wish we could stay in Illinois because I'm going to miss the statue of Paul Bunyan holding a giant hot dog. Oh well, another time.

The Journey Begins

Day 1:   This is Kelly, and I have begun my journey west.  We left from Simsbury this morning, Saturday August 1, and after driving across CT, NY, and PA (and a little bit of WV) we've crossed into Ohio just west of Wheeling, West Virginia, into a town called St. Clairsville. 

I didn't find today terribly exciting.  I either sat on somebody's lap or slept on the back seat in my bed all day.  When we weren't moving, we were parked by signs that said "Pet Area".  I got out quite a few times but there were so many enticing smells and there just wasn't enough time to investigate.  There were also a lot of dogs everywhere I went but even though I cried every time I saw a dog, none of them wanted to play with me.  I did get to touch noses with a couple though and that was fun. (Almost as much fun as sniffing the butts of two plastic flamingos in Sharon and Pat's neighborhood, but that's another story.)  Tonight I'm sleeping in a big bed in a motel - another new experience for me.  They tell me tomorrow is going to be pretty much like today, but there are always new smells around every turn. For now I'm going to bed and I've put in for an early wake-up call.