The Darkest Day of Pepper's Life...by Mr. Wendell

Today we started out from Seattle headed to the Spokane area. My dad and grandfather picked up the RV early and brought it back for loading. It took a couple of hours to get all of the supplies into places.

My mom may show up on an episode of the A&E Show "Hoarders". She packed 22 disposable cameras, 17 outfits for Pepper (including doggie clothes hangers) and a big calculator. A calculator? What are we going to do with a calculator? Tax returns for strangers to pay for gas?

Let me tell you about Pepper... Instead of taking a cheap shot at my sister, I have decided to just state the facts and let you judge her.

It was simply the worst day of her life. Pepper has lived a pampered existence her entire 4 years. She has flown first class at least 8 times, stayed in swank hotels, lived in nice places and eaten the finest of hand cooked dog cuisine. So...picture 5th Avenue Pepper entering her new "home". Her first steps into the RV were a sensory assault. Scent. Sight. Touch. You name it. She immediately started hyperventilating and nearly suffocated herself. It was a scene.

Once my mom got her calmed down we decided to get moving down the road. Now, for those of you who have not sat in a moving RV (at least the one my cheap butt dad rented), it is loud, creaky and you can hear all sorts of rattles. This symphony of sound reduced my sister down to a trembling ball of fur. She jumped to the floor and hid herself under the passenger seat in the cab. She did come out a couple of times to check to see if she was just dreaming it all up. Once satisfied that her private hell had not disappeared and she was in fact in a moving van with windows, she went back under the seat for the remainder of the day.

No stops yesterday other than food and fuel. Today is the first "tourist day".

I am hopeful that the AT3 Dog Stroller stays in the RV.

Mr. W

24 Hours To Go...by Ms. Pepper

This morning I made a feeble attempt to throw myself in front of a moving car while my mom drug me around the neighborhood for my "morning walk". This was a protest attempt. Not because I was angry about being rudely taken from a warm bed and pulled though wet grass naked...though that would surely be motive enough. Nope, this time I was protesting the idea of being loaded into a UHaul van with windows and a kitchen to tour the western US. What's next? Country music?

Call it an RV all you want. You are not fooling me. Oh yeah...the big "RENT ME" sticker on the side of the moving van with an air matress? Classy. Real Classy. It screams to the world that not only do you have the poor taste of embarking on a 21 day marshmallow and weiner roast...but you can not even afford to buy a real RV. You have to RENT one! Take me back to the puppy mill I say.

My brother showed me a few other of the locations that my dad is thinking about visting (click for more info).

The National Pez Dispenser Museum:




The World's Largest Quilt Museum! (Please make it stop!)








And finally, this gem. Imagine the joy on your children's faces as you pull into the parking lot of the National Outhouse Museum!!! "Are we there yet? Are we there yet?"




I have tried my best to prevent this trip. I have one last card to play...I truly feel like I am coming down with Swine Flu.

H1N1 is my last hope...otherwise, it looks like this thing is on...

Pepper