Category: Uncategorized

Sydney and I decided to check out a view point at Echola State Park while Hannah took a couple pictures with her camera.

Normally, we hit up this park so I can try to surf. It’s a nice protected cove, and makes a great place for a beginner like me to dial in my popup stance. Unfortunately, it was too windy and the waves were washed out, but it did let us explore the beach and trails a bit.

Down on the beach was a baby seal. I couldn’t figure out why it was trying to stay on land, but a woman on the beach was insistent that I leash up Sydney so Syd didn’t disturb the seal.

Apparently, she’s never seen The Pug on the beach. She focuses on monitoring birds trying to land and chasing wind blown feathers. Needless to say, we didn’t stick around the seal for too long. Instead we turned our attention to the view point.

The view point itself really isn’t that notable. It’s your standard walk up a hill and look down at a beach. However, while Sydney and I stopped to investigate a sign post (she smelled it while I checked the distance to our destination) two little girls of about 5 years old asked if they could pet Sydney.

I thanked them for asking and told them that Sydney would love to be petted. While Sydney soaked up the attention one of the girls inquired if I had a mom. I assumed she was asking if I had another dog that was Sydney’s mother, and told her that Sydney was the only dog I had.

The girl paused for a second looking confused and asked again.

“Do you have a mom?”

I realized she was asking about me, and told her I did in fact have a mom. I decided I probably didn’t need to get into the biology of the whole process and instead tried an indirect route by asking her if she did.

She completley ignored my question and shot back “Where is she?” Apparently I didn’t look fit to be hiking by myself. Her Dad chuckled a little bit to himself and informed her I was old enough to hike by myself.

I, of course, relayed the story to Hannah as proof that I am aging gracefully.

I’d like to trade. Last year we camped at Fort Stevens State Park surrounded by a group of retiries with the Good Sam’s Club. This year we’re surrounded by a big group of family tent campers. I’d gladly take the Good Sam’s Club back.

It’s not that the kids are that loud. I actually think they’re really funny. Riding their bikes around the loop endlessly or sneaking through the woods in “stealth” mode to shoot us with imaginary guns. What I can’t handle are the parents constantly micro managing the kids. Just let them have fun. I get that you need to keep them under control to some extent, but I doubt that yelling across the camp ground every ten minutes is the best way to do it.

One mother is particularly found of yelling “listen and obey”. Unfortunately, it seems like her son is just as fond of doing exactly the opposite of that. Let’s be honest though. If there were a lady yelling the same catch phrase and following me all the time I’d probably start to ignore her too. It’s got to start sounding like the same background noise eventually.

————- Example Follows ————-
Riding my bike to the other side of the street: “Listen and obey”!
Ah guess I should stop.

Leave the tent without my jacket on: “Listen and obey!”
Hmmm… Kind of annoying, but ok. It was raining an hour ago.

Trying to hunker down in a sweet hiding spot for a make believe fire fight: “Listen and obey!”
Nope that’s it. Mom just blew my cover. I don’t care if these needles are hard on my clothes. I’m gonna out grow them in another week anyway. Time to act like I don’t hear her.

———–

So far I’ve heard the “listen and obey” battle yell 5 times tonight. Maybe it is something I can start using with Sydney.