Wow! A Trip to the City!

Well, it was sort of exciting ... at least at times. We left at 8. I dragged the sled, the snow shovel and Kenya. Kenya hates the idea of going in the car, but once in, she is fine. I think this avoidance is the result of my tendency to use my car as a delivery van and she sometimes ends up with very little room in the back seat. I cleaned off the car, except for the icing on the roof, dug out around the wheels, and we were off.

The CBC warnings about freezing rain raised my adrenalin levels ( I hate freezing rain driving conditions). but actually it was just mushy everywhere.

Our first stop was Elmvale Acres ... the bank and the grocery store. Then we headed for Petsmart.

Here, Kenya revealed to all and sundry that we were hicks from the hills. She bolted at the automatic doors, revolted at the cart, barked hysterically at the small white dog that appeared suddenly around a corner, and then wanted to get in to the Day Care Centre where other dogs were playing happily. A Petsmart employee came to see us. I explained that we hadn't been to town for a very long time. She directed us to the pinch collars and sent us a nice older man to fit Kenya with her collar. He helped us find the toy section where Kenya chose her first toy, a plush mailman with a frightened expression on his face who both squeaked and rattled. His sign read: "Bite me," Kenya loved him. I asked her if she would also like a tuggy rope for Havoc's next visit, and she agreed that it too would be fun. We took our purchases to the cash where Kenya conned the clerk into giving her two cookies for sitting pretty and offering a paw. We left much more sedately than we had arrived.

Next stop was Costco where I bought some groceries and a new dog bed. I also purchased sun and moon solar lights for the garden that is now a garbage dump of old cottage debris. I can dream, can't I? Anyway it isn't a spade or a wheelbarrow from Lee Valley. I only spent $20 on wishful thinking.

Then we went to the Middle East store on St. Laurent. Do you know it? It is a trip to aromatic heaven. If you do nothing else, stroll down the spice aisle. Cinnamon, cardamon, cumin, cloves ...and that's just the C's. I always feel as if I have entered the magical domain of The Mistress of Spices ... a lovely movie.

Across the sludgy parking lot to the fruit and vegetable store and we were on our way again.

Two more quick stops and we were heading home to the lake. I was glad to be leaving behind the greyness of city snow, traffic congestion and the weary faces I associate with people who work the city.

In the market area enroute to the bridge to Quebec, Kenya suddenly bolted into the front seat. The icing on top of the car had just let go and swooshed noisily down all four sides, in through Kenya's partly opened window, down the back to block my rear view, and down to the hood obliterating my view through the bottom half of the windshield. Now I was driving blindly with 85 pounds of frightened dog leaning on me.

I ordered her into the back seat. She looked at the front passenger seat filled by a box containing produce, contemplated how she would make it safely past the outstretched spines of the pineapple, decided that she'd rather face my spikiness, and snuggled closer to me denying me all access to the gearshift. The space between the two front seats is far too small to accommodate a large dog, but I decided to calm and stroke her rather than attempting the impossible task of convincing her to leap over the pineapple into the back seat. She settled in until we reached Farm Point where I turned on my signal light and prepared to pull into the parking lot of the hardware store. Have you ever tried to pull a steering wheel right when you have 85 pounds of pressure exerted in the opposite direction? I thought we might miss that turn and be forced into the IGA parking lot, but somehow at the last moment I made the turn. Kenya was re-settled in the back and all was well for the rest of the trip home.

I began to load the sled with all my purchases. To my surprise, Kenya returned to the car. This was the dog who avoided the car whenever possible, and who had had a traumatic experience today. What was she thinking? She was retrieving her baby ... the frightened postman. She carried him and I pulled the sled to the last hill where I gave it a push that took it almost all the way to the door.

We both slept for the afternoon, Kenya on her new bed with her baby postman close by.

Too much excitement for us country mice, I think!