The

Undeniable

Ruth

®

…and the Ruth shall set you free!

  • Getting Out of Dodge with Rosie

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    Ruth Carter

    I won a night at the Sedona Rouge during Independents Week last year. The gift certificate expired in July 2014 so I had to use-it-or-lose-it. They’re a dog-friendly hotel so I booked a room for Rosie and I during mid-week last week to get away from the heat for a few hours.

    Sedona Rouge
    Sedona Rouge – Sedona, AZ

    At first I was thinking, “Why am I doing this? We’re not even going to be gone for 24 hours. There’s so much I could be getting done if I just stay here instead of packing up the pup and me, driving 2 hours to Sedona, just to drive back the next day.” I’m so glad I ignore this voice in my head. We had an awesome time and it provided a much needed break from the daily grind.

    The staff was so nice to Rosie and me. Rosie is an experienced traveler and I packed her box of bowls, food, and toys plus her bedding. Her stuff took up a lot more room in the trunk than my overnight bag and backpack. I thought it was very sweet when we got to our room and saw that the staff had put out dog bowls and a bed for Rosie.

    Dog Bed and Bowls
    Sorry About the Poor Quality

    I could tell they’re used to having canine guests that are smaller than Miss Rosie and evidenced by the size of the dog bed. But that didn’t stop her from using it.

    Rosie on the Dog Bed Nex t to her Real Bed
    Rosie on the Dog Bed Next to her Regular Bed

    Rosie and I had a great time at the Sedona Rouge. We took a self-guided tour through the Column Garden and the pool area. All the guests who saw her gushed over her. I spent most of this trip reading Jason SurfrApp‘s book, Creativity for Sale. It’s hard to make reading a priority at home. I found a comfortable seat in the courtyard, looped Rosie leash through one of the legs of the chair, and enjoyed Jason’s book while a gentle breeze blew through my hair. It’s a really good book – my brain is buzzing with ideas about my future professional endeavors. I really wish I didn’t need sleep or work/life balance so I could spend more time working on them.

    Rosie in the Column Garden
    Rosie in the Column Garden

    In the evening, I trooped to the pool area to do some writing before taking a soak in the hot tub. I do a 2-day personal/professional retreat every December, and this trip gave me a chance to check in on how things are going so far this year. Rosie snuggled up in the chaise next to mine.  She was so cute but it was too dark to get a picture so we had to recreate the shot the next morning.

    Poolside Rosie
    Poolside Rosie

    We spent less than 24 hours in Sedona. The next morning we got up early, got a walk for her, a run for me, and breakfast for both of us before heading back to Phoenix. Even though it was a short trip, it was a good reminder of how important it is to occasionally get away to reflect and recharge.

    I really enjoyed my time up north. I’ve been thinking about my next book and this trip made me consider the possibility of taking a month away just to write instead of working writing into my daily routine as I’ve done with my other books . . . definitely something to think about.

  • Road Tripping with Rosie

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    Ruth Carter

    Heading out at 4 a.m. - Rosie with her car seat cover.
    Heading out at 4 a.m.

    A few weeks ago, Rosie and I went on our first long road trip together to Sonoma, California to attend a friend’s memorial. Rosie regularly goes on errands with me when I go to dog-friendly places (PetSmart, Gangplank, my aunt’s house, etc.) but this was our first multi-hour drive. Since she’s a frequent rider, I got her some nice car gear – a quilted seat cover and a car harness to keep her from going flying if I have to slam on the brakes.

    We pulled out of the house at about 4 a.m. and headed north. I don’t know how other drivers sit for 6 hours at a time; my legs get too sore and my bladder is too small for that. Having Rosie in the car made it even easier to make sure I stopped every 2-3 hours to let her stretch her legs, go to the bathroom, and have a drink and a snack.  I learned Rosie doesn’t like hard dog treats while driving. She wasn’t even interested in having some of my apple slices. Her preferred road trip snack is pieces of boiled chicken.

    Watching the World
    Watching the World

    It was also funny to watch her react to the different types of grass at each gas station. We have short dry grass in Phoenix but the farther north we got, the grass was taller and more lush. You could barely see her feet at one place we stopped. We also passed a dairy farm on the drive. You can smell that place miles before you get there. Rosie was immediately standing up with her nose in the air trying to take in the new (and very strong) smells.

    In ideal conditions the drive takes about 11.5 hours. Unfortunately, we hit a bit of traffic in L.A. which made us hit rush hour traffic in the Bay Area, so it took us 13.5 hours. She was so tired by the time we arrived at my parents’ house and confused about where she was but she settled in after a good night’s sleep. Rosie loved the cooler climate, especially when I opened the front door and let her watch the world through the screen. (Note to self: get a screen door for the front of the Phoenix house.)

    No Rosies Allowed . . . or Fun
    No Rosies Allowed . . . or Fun

    We definitely knew we were in a small town when we out for our first walk to the plaza. There’s a beautiful park in the town square, but we were greeted by signs that said, “Dogs, Horses, Skateboarding, Bicycling, Climbing Trees or Monuments Prohibited in Park.” A park where you can’t bring your dog and you can’t climb trees? WTF?! (Apparently they’ve had trouble with people’s dogs killing ducks; I’m not sure why they’re anti-tree-climbing.) We walked around the edge and visited with people who were out for their morning coffee.

    I hoped to take Rosie to a dog-friendly beach to see how she’d react to sand beneath her feet and the sound, sight, smell, and cold of the ocean waves, but it rained the morning we were planning to go. So we decided to have a mellow morning instead. I made a run to the grocery store and when I got back I saw she had found a Rosie-sized seat for herself on the couch. She knows she’s not supposed to be on the furniture, and she usually respects this rule, but I couldn’t help but say, “Aww…” when I saw this.

    Bad Dog . . . But So Cute
    Bad Dog . . . But So Cute

    Our drive back to Phoenix was faster and uneventful – 12.5 hours total. I thought about breaking the drive up over two days but I was ready to get home so we pushed on. Rosie was very happy to be back in her familiar environment.

    Traveling with a dog requires extra time, extra planning, and it limits how much time you can be away from them. I’m glad I had this experience with Rosie, but I’m not sure I’ll do it again. Rosie handled the drives really well, but I think she’d rather go to camp (aka the kennel) instead of road tripping with Mom.

  • Adventures with Sick Rosie

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    Ruth Carter

    It’s hard being a dog parent. When your baby gets sick, they can’t tell you how they feel. I feel helpless when she’s uncomfortable because I can’t fix it instantly. My rescue basset hound Rosie and I have been on rollercoaster with her health lately.

    Rosie's Pills
    Rosie’s Pills

    A few weeks ago I came home and caught Rosie up on the couch (bad dog). When she jumped down and lay on the floor I noticed she was breathing kind of hard. That was odd because I didn’t think I surprised her that much. I let it go and went on with my day. About an hour later I checked on her and she was still breathing hard. That wasn’t normal so I called the vet and got her an appointment within the hour.

    Rosie's Pills in Peanut Butter
    Rosie’s Pills in Peanut Butter

    The vet said her lungs and heart sounded good and she was oxygenating well so we decided on wait-and-see approach. She said to bring her back if she got worse or exhibited new symptoms – like lack of appetite. That night she wasn’t very hungry. I put her to bed with the thought, “Please still be alive in the morning.” The next morning she wouldn’t eat at all so we zipped back to the vet for a 7:30am appointment.

    Rosie Eating her Pills in Peanut Butter
    Rosie Eating her Pills in Peanut Butter

    The x-rays showed systematic lung inflammation so we ran blood work. By the end of the next day, she was on a steroid, an antihistamine, and an antibiotic. This was Ruth and Rosie’s first joint adventure with pills. Let me tell you, she doesn’t like them. She put up a fight when I put them in the back of her mouth and held her jaws shut. It took three attempts to get them all down the first time. Thankfully one of my fellow dog parents recommended putting her pills in peanut butter. That fixed everything and it’s really cute to watch her lick peanut butter off the spoon.

    The steroids make her really thirsty so instead of drinking a bowl of water every day, she’ll drink a bowl of water every 4 hours. All that liquid has to go somewhere and there have been a few accidents while I was out of the house and during the night. Thankfully she does it on the tile where it’s easy to clean.

    Of course when you can’t breathe, you can’t go for walks so we had to stop walking completely for a few days and now we’re doing short walks every other day until she’s totally better and gets her stamina back. I’m sure her doggy friends miss her.

    I noticed she was adjusting her blankets into a ball and laying her head on it sometimes. I thought that might have made her more comfortable to keep her head and spine in alignment. I tried to make things easier for her by adding a pillow to her bed. She pushed it out of her way and ignored it.

    Rosie will be done with all of her meds this week, but there’s a chance she has valley fever. She tested low positive for it, which means she’s either had it or she just got it, and since she’s a rescue dog, I don’t know her full history. We’re going to re-test her white blood count when she’s off the antibiotics. If it’s still elevated, we’ll treat for valley fever.

    It’s amazing how easily we fall in love with our pets and how heartbreaking it is when they hurt. I can’t wait for my baby to be well again.

    Sleepy Rosie
    Sleepy Rosie