This is me. Holding my very first writing conference! It was a big hit. Everyone loved me and I got lots of pets. Let me tell you all about it.
Mom told me we were GOing on a trip. I was very excited. I thought maybe we would finally GO on that diet she keeps promising me but it turned out we needed to go to Virginia to a writing conference. Mom is a writer too, you know. So we had to get ready to GO!
First I had to GO get a bath! I like baths. I get treats and everybody at PetValu loves me.
Then I had to pack my suitcase. I get my own and it is bigger than Mom’s. Poseidon helped me close it. I packed my food and my treats and a toy and my blankies.
It took forever for the day we had to leave to get here. I waited and waited. Mom made us pack before that day because she was worried we would forget something. I was so excited to GO! And finally we were in the car and on our way.
We left late. Don’t worry, Mom is always late. She says she isn’t late, she’s European. I say she’s always late. And then there was construction. And a train! I love trains. We live near train tracks and when a train goes by while we are out walking, I always stop to watch it. I was glad Mom stopped the car to watch this train. It was nice of her.
We had to stop along the road for me to go potty several times on the way down. I was getting very tired by the time Mom said we were finally in Virginia. When we got to the hotel, the front desk gave me treats and a bag (for when the treats come out). The hotel we stayed at was called the Stonewall Jackson Hotel. This is the view from where I got to go potty.
I had a new experience when we arrived. Mom led me into a tiny room and the doors slid shut behind us. It was very scary and I hid behind Mom. I felt really weird in my tummy. Suddenly the doors opened…but we weren’t in the same place anymore! I don’t know what happened. The room we just came out of disappeared. And there was a hallway in front of us now. It wasn’t where we came from! Our scent trail ended at the door of that tiny room. It was like the whole room moved. I still don’t know what happened, but we went in that room often while we were there. I was scared every time. I would walk around behind Mom, trying to rope her with my leash to hold her still for protection, you know; but she kept twirling around and getting loose. I don’t know why Mom felt like dancing in that tiny scary room. She’s weird. She called it an elevator. Have you ever been in an elevator? DON’T GO!
We got to our room, which was very high off the ground! I don’t know how we got up there. I couldn’t take the stairs. Mom said my Arthur-itis would make me very sore if I tried. Mom put my blankets on the floor because I couldn’t get on the bed in our room either. That was Arthur-itis’ fault too. He’s very mean. And the bed was very very high.
I was very sad that I couldn’t make it up on the bed. But Mom fixed everything. She slept on the floor with me every night.
Everybody loved me in Virginia. Of course, as you saw in my first picture, I held conference sessions in the lobby of the hotel.
But sometimes, there was nobody in my conference seating areas to pet me. I looked for my public every time we walked through. Someday when I’m famous, maybe you can come to one of my conferences and pet me! Obviously, I need more people to come.
Mom and I ventured out of the hotel for walks too. A girl has to keep her figure, even when she’s traveling. On one walk, we ended up at the liquor store. Mom goes there in Pennsylvania too but I never get to go. In Virginia, they allow doggies in the liquor store! Mom was very excited about this. So was I, they have treats behind the counter! Treats have no effect on my figure. None. Shush.
The liquor store was fun. Lots of people petted me there too.
Our hotel was pretty nice. They had something called room service but Mom wouldn’t let me get the dishes that were left in the hallway. They had a dish with my name on it on the menu too. Mom can be really mean sometimes but she said onions are not good for me so I couldn’t have MY dish.
You see that? The Big Breakfast SAMMIE. That should have been mine. I’m NOT fat! I could’ve eaten it.
I had a really good time in Virginia. I even chased some squirrels. This is why Mom says no one else can walk me. Because I’m so very good until I see a squirrel. Then I’m wonderful because I do my best to chase that squirrel. And I help whoever is holding my leash come along with me as fast as I can go. Even if they can’t go that fast, I make them. Because I like to motivate people.
But when it was all over, I was very happy when we packed my blankies in my suitcase and went to the garage to get the car so we could GO home.
And I was so relieved to be back at home on MY home blankie where I belong. I like writing conferences, I might go to some more. But I love my home.
