April 30, 2014

We decided yesterday to take off to the water for a boat tour and dolphin watch with Captain Mike. His boats are located near COCO's Restaurant on the left just as you are leaving the island. The trip was fun and yes we did see plenty of dophins. It is always nice to be on the water. Fun to see the water side view of the houses and condos that we see as we bike around the island. Dolphins are tricky to photograph but we did get a few pictures.

Anne got this guy do his version of the Happy Dance!

The Three Amigo's enjoying the sea air and breeze. Love the smell of the salt air and the pluff mud.

Cockspur Light near Fort Pulaski

We took Captain Mike up on his offer of 10% off lunch at CoCo's restaurant at Dockside.

We sat upstairs on a open deck above the docks and watched the kayakers, and boaters come in and out of the small Marina. Lunch was very good. I would recommend Captain Mike and the restaurant. 

We headed back to Paws & Paddles for some back porch time. Later walked down to a couple of shops. So nice to be able to walk or bike to most everything on the island. Our evening walk ended at North Beach Grill for fruity frozen drinks on the Gazebo overlooking the ocean at North Beach. Kinda handy having a restaurant/bar at your favorite stretch of beach. 

This morning was cloudy but we had an interesting sun rise.

Loved the Peaked Clouds...

The clouds took off quickly and the sky lightened up.  We biked near the North Beach area and found a house with the most lovely rose garden.

The orange looking flowers are amaryllis. The flowers we grow in pots indoors at Christmas. Here they are outdoor plants! 

We biked back to Paws for more coffee and a light breakfast on the porch. We are watching a renovation directly across the street from Paws. The closed Jitter Bug coffee shop is being redone and we have heard rumors that the folks who run the awesome Tybee Island Social Club are going to open something there!  Now that will be convenient for us as well. 

We have had 5 sunny warmer than normal days. Around 10 this morning we started to see some rain showers. A bit of rumbling thunder in the distance and the promise of more storms later today. So we are catching up on reading, word puzzles, and picking up around the cottage. We are looking forward to the SCAD Sand Art Festival on Saturday at North Beach. Hoping for clear skies for good pictures.

More later...

Week of April 25, 2014 Tuesday

We have been blessed with Summer temperatures this week. Great beach time with nice breezes and beautiful sunrises.

This morning early the SCAD students were doing a mini photo shoot...

Yesterday we enjoyed biking and beach time followed by some adult fruity strawberry drinks.

The drinks are residing on our Georgia cutting board at Paws & Paddles. Anne gifted us with the cutting board...very fitting addition to the Cottage.  

This shot was taken on Monday morning after sun up. Loved the pink glow in the sky and water. The sun was actually brighter and more red than the camera could capture. If I ever get my painting supplies together and find a place to paint at the W I would like to try painting this scene. Not sure I could manage the bikes...though...they look tricky to paint. I do however especially like the way my bike is setting with the front wheel looking like it is saying...O!

Last night we went for a walk in the area behind Paws & Paddles to Eagles Nest. Loved this house and it's beautiful western view of the Marsh.

Isn't that a beautiful view of dusk over the marsh?  It was getting quite dark and with the tree canopy I was surprised it came out as well as it did...I almost didn't give it a try. There is a lesson there I think.

A cute lavender Cottage under constuction. Will be adorable once the pavers/landscaping is completed. Only on Tybee would that color be just so Right!

Our front Guest Room...at Paws & Paddles. It is my favorite. This week it is called Anne's Room.

Future updates to the Cottage at some point include pavers inside the fence for most of the front entrance courtyard and small decorative plantings of green sod. 

This week we are updating the microwave over the stove and the dishwasher. Decided to replace with Stainless Steel units like the ones we are used to at the W. The rest of the applicances are in good shape so we will catch them later and do Stainless when we replace. I didn't think I would like stainless but living with it at the W has changed my mind.  We continually are looking for opportunities for new ideas and improvements to make Paws even more comfortable and enjoyable for our Guests.

More Later...

Week of April 25th 2014: Lots Going on this coming Week

We arrived after dinner on Friday, April 25th. Nested and settled in for the night. Up for the sunrise on Saturday morning. Tybee perfect sunrise.

A quick light breakfast and back down to the Beach to watch the Turtle Release and the Turtle Trot 5k Race. Apex was released. He was almost eaten by a shark. He lost part of a flipper and his shell was almost crushed into his body but luckily not quite. A big turtle that took many volunteers to carry and parade before the crowd.

Doesn't he look like he is smiling! He hit the water and paddled away.

We cheered the 5k runners as they took off and we stopped to buy the SuperWonderfulGrandBoy a Turtle Trot T-shirt. Then having been there and bought the T-shirt we headed back to Paws and Paddles Cottage to change for our trip into Savannah for the SCAD Sidewalk Chalk Art Festival.

We decided to find a good parking place and walk to SOHO Cafe for lunch. Our favorite cafe for lunch in Savannah. Reminds me so much of Wildflour Cafe in Roanoke on 4th Street. After some great food we walked to Forsthye Park. The Festival was very well attended and we enjoyed walking under the shady live oaks dripping with spanish moss. I took way too many pictures. I will share just a few.

This was one of the top award winners. Nice play on Words.

Enjoyed watching the artists creating these. We watched as they were working and then headed back to the Cottage for a while. We came by later in the evening and got to see all of the finished works. Very fun and like most events in Forsthye Park it was FREE. Nice to see all ages and lots of families with little ones enjoying the beautiful day. Many folks brought their dogs. We got to see and pet two Standard poodles which we enjoyed so much.

When we returned to Tybee we hopped on our bikes and rode to the campground to see the vintage camping trailers on display. I didn't get any pictures. But the trailers were awesome. Many totally different designs all restored beautifully. Some with matching vintage pickup trucks!

After viewing the Vintage Trailers we peddled back to the Cottage stopping just across the road from the Cottage at Bowie's Seafood for 3 Lb. of fresh shrimp. Dinner on the sunroom porch was fresh shrimp and tossed salad...washed down with a cold white Chardonnay. Awesome end to a packed first day. 

April 27th

We enjoyed another bike ride to the quiet North Beach to watch the sun come up. 

The large container ship sailed by just in time for the sun to pop up. Savannah is one of the East Coast's busiest port cities. It is always surprising to look up and see these large ships gliding by.

The weather was so perfect we decided this was a Beach Day. Very warm for April with a nice breeze. We threw up our new sun shelter and it was nearly as easy as the advertising suggested. More like putting up a really really large umbrella. It worked like a charm and provided enough shade for three or four. I took  several long walks in the water...chilly at first but then just perfect. I walked across the parking lot to the North Beach Grill and brought back 3 Frozen Strawberry Drinks which we enjoyed on the Beach. Pretty cool to have a restaurant and bar in walking distance to the sand and surf.  We all three then managed a nap on the beach with the breeze keeping us comfortable. The sound of the waves crashing makes me sleepy so I was a goner for a while.  Nice relaxing day after a super busy one yesterday. Back at the Cottage we enjoyed some wine, cheese, salad, and more steamed shrimp. 

The breeze coming through the windows on the porch as we ate was so nice. Add the birds calling to each other in the near by marsh and it was just perfect. A quick but enjoyable two days.

Lessons Hershey Taught Us

                                      Lessons Hershey Taught Us

Hershey our large Chocolate Standard Poodle came into our lives after we bought and renovated a Tybee Cottage near Savannah, Georgia. We planned to rent it and decided to make it pet friendly to give us an edge in the rental market. We had friends and family that struggled to find pet friendly vacation accommodations so we felt it would help in renting our cottage. Diane Kaufman head Mermaid from Mermaid Cottages told us that she had positive experiences with renting to pet owners and she agreed it would help us widen our cottage's appeal. She told us we needed a name for the Cottage and we combined the pet angle with our love for Kayaking. So Paws & Paddles it was. Diane and the Mermaids took us under their wing. Diane introduced us to Jane Coslick a decorator of Coastal Living fame and the savior of many cottages on Tybee Island. When we told the dog loving Jane we were going to be a pet friendly cottage she immediately asked what kind of dog do you have? She was surprised by our answer. None. We had lost 3 pets in quick secession twenty years prior and had our hearts broken several times over. Technically we had never gotten another pet. We did have a sweet stray cat that liked us and we gave her a home in our garage. I refused to call her our cat even though we made her a place to sleep complete with a small heating pad for cold winter nights. She stayed with us for almost 5 years. Then she disappeared and we both realized we missed her.

Jane completed her magic on our cottage and as a surprise she had a cute sign made for our back deck. It was two poodles paddling a kayak with Paddling Poodles as a caption. It was perfect since we had previously had 3 small poodles over the years. I think Jane planted a seed the day she gave us the Paddling Poodles sign.  It occurred to me one day that one of our reasons for not getting another dog no longer existed. We no longer had to worry about making arrangements for pet care! We now owned a pet friendly cottage where we would be spending most of our vacation time.

I started watching the newspaper for Standard Poodle puppies for sale. Then one Saturday morning I spotted an ad for a seven year old Chocolate Standard Poodle. He needed a good home. I had always had a soft spot for Chocolate poodles. I dumped the idea on Mike and he was resistant but gave in eventually. We would only take the dog for a three day weekend with no guaranties of keeping him. I called and they said a trial for the long 3 day weekend would be fine with them. 

Hershey barreled this way right into our lives from the time we first laid eyes on him. He was a large muscular male dog. He had been used for breeding until recently. At 7 he was neutered and now he needed a new home. He was not leash friendly and came crashing out the door. He was very excited. He was a beautiful dog with excellent confirmation. He carried himself like the proud stud dog he had been. I was concerned when it was clear that we were having a problem just trying to get him in the car. Mike had that look. I decided I would get in the back seat and then with help Mike got Hershey in the car with me. He was very nervous, panting and moving about the car. I kept petting and talking to him and he started to calm down as we drove off from what I presumed to be the only home he had ever known. 

Hershey seemed so huge and excitable. We had previously had miniature poodles that I could pick up and carry. Hershey seemed big enough to ride! When he ran through the house the first time I was mentally expecting something to crash and break at every turn. But he managed to avoid breaking anything. We decided to give him a tennis ball to play with. Mistake. He shredded it in two minutes. Same result with a plastic bowl. Oops. I was wondering if this was why he needed a new home when he came in the room with my good wool baseball cap with a now partially shredded leather brim. We figured out he needed something to chew on. We got him some indestructible Gonuts. One looked like a summer sausage the other a large black donut. They worked! I think he was upset and expressed it by chewing the tarnation out of stuff. The only stuff he was allowed to have were his new toys and he would chew and chew on them. Walking him was a tug of war. Not enjoyable for him or us. We googled dog training and saw a harness gizmo that might help. We tried it and it was great. If he pulled he literally turned him self back towards us and no choking from a collar. Not perfect but much better. He was very skittish. He reminded me of a thoroughbred horse. Loud sudden sounds scared him and he would jump and run. He seemed almost afraid of people and shied away from a outstretched hand. He seemed to be more distrustful of men. We settled into a routine with daily walks up the mountain. He stayed in the basement in a four by six foot kennel at night and while we were at work. He was always so excited to get out of the kennel. He was good about going in most of the time. If he tried to avoid going into the kennel we would put him on his leash and he would walk right in. We took him on his first trip to Tybee and of course we didn't have a kennel. Jane had slip covered a dog bed out of the same material as our great room chair. So he had that and a bone shaped sign over the bed that said, " Ruff Life ". Jane had made both for our doggie guests since we at the time did not have a dog. Funny how things work out. Hershey liked his bed in the great room just as long as we were in there. We spend most of our time on the sun porch. As it turned out the day bed wasn't for Mike after all. It was Hershey's. He hopped up on it circled and plopped and that was his special place from then on. I stayed for another week and Mike and Hershey returned home to Virginia. Since Mike was gone for a long period during the day he felt bad about the amount of time Hershey was spending in the kennel. So Hershey got upgraded to his own bed in our bedroom. By the time I returned home the kennel was just a dust catcher. We ended up donating it to the local police for their new dog. Hershey seemed to calm down and started focusing on what we wanted him to do at the same time he became a equal member of the family. We took Hershey with us everywhere. Tybee, Savannah, and Smith Mountain Lake. He was happy as long as he was with us. He conquered his fear of loud sounds and began reaching out to strangers when we walked on the greenway. He did his best to nudge their hand into giving him a pet. We taught him to shake hands. A simple trick that he turned into his way of communicating. He would fasten those big brown eyes on you and sit and raise up his paw and hold it slightly pointing to one side and wait for you to figure out what he wanted. In the morning it was his first hugs of the day. A pet wasn't enough. He needed a full out body hug. Just like you would hug your child or your spouse. I often couldn't get dressed without him giving me as we called it, "the Paw" multiple times. If he wanted something off your plate you got the big brown eyes and the Paw. If he wanted out, you got the Paw. He practiced learning not to knock us or others down as he crashed through any open doors. We started by making sure he knew we were in charge. Door opens, Mommie first, then Daddy, then Hershey. It took patience and lots of practice. But he not only learned that but learned to stay and wait until we said come. We were so proud. He learned to walk on a loose leash and he totally enjoyed any and every walk that he got. More opportunities to score a pet. He learned to trust people and enjoyed everyone. I enjoyed seeing the smiles he brought to strangers and friends faces. He was a joy, a constant companion, a friend, and a delightful listener. I couldn't leave the room without him coming with me. His nickname was velcro. To say we were close would be a vast understatement. When he was a little over nine he had a few instances were he wasn't eating or would throw up his food. We thought it was minor and so did the vet. Until he stopped eating his regular food. Again we thought it was something minor like a virus. The vet suggested changing his food. We did. He seemed to like the new food. But after a few weeks he wasn't eating again. Back to the vet. We were shocked to find out he had Lymphoma. More shocked to learn he only had a few weeks left. Maybe a couple of months. He received meds to help him want to eat and perked up. We continued to take him every where we went. He went on boat rides on Smith Mountain Lake. I can still see those long brown silky ears blowing in the wind as he sat near the bow of the boat and we cruised down the main channel. A visit to our neighborhood homeowners picnic. Typically no pets were invited. But we knew this might be the last time everyone would see Hershey. He had lots of friends in the neighborhood and he was as always a delightful gentleman and he held court while everyone petted and fussed over him. That night I woke up a little after 3:00 a.m. and felt very anxious. Hershey wasn't in our room. He had gone into the great room and was under the ceiling fan. He didn't get up, but more importantly he didn't look at me when I came in the room. I knew something was very wrong. I talked to him and could tell it wasn't good. He seemed hot and his breathing was rough. I told him if it was time it was ok for him to go. If he needed help we would take him to his vet at 8:00 a.m. when they got to work. I woke Mike after a couple of hours because I was sure the end was near. We stayed with him hugging and petting him. He seemed hot so I wiped him down with cool water. It was cooler outside. I opened the terrace door to let the cool air in. Hershey marshaled all the strength he had left and staggered two steps to the door. He stood there shaking and then took two steps outside and lay down on the cool stone tiles. We put towels under his legs and around him to protect his now bony legs and hips from the rough surface. We talked to him and petted him. His eyes were now unresponsive. His breathing became harder. He struggled once with his legs rapidly flailing. We held him and told him we were there and it was ok. A short while later his heart stopped beating with my hand on his heart. At 7:50 a.m. ten minutes before his vet would be at his office he passed away outdoors under the now blue sky.

We miss him terribly but I am so glad that we took a chance on loving and welcoming another dog into our home. If we hadn't I would have missed spending two of the best years of my life learning to know and love Hershey. Yes our hearts are broken. Again. I would do it over in a heartbeat. Hershey taught us to open our hearts to the possibility of love and joy even if it is fleeting and temporary. Not now but one day we will welcome and love another dog into our home. I will love Hershey today and forever more.