Shaq & Shasta’s Trip Home
10/18/00Copyright © 2001 Ray Hebert
Howdy all,
As most know we now live in Austin, Texas. A week ago I went back up to Sioux City for one last time to supervise the packing and loading of our stuff, to say good bye to some special friends and most importantly to bring Shaq and Shasta down to our new home.
It had been 32 days since I had last been with the kids. This is the longest time I have ever been away from them. When I showed up at the Spa to pick them up they were very excited. I had to play catch with them for about a half hour until they calmed down enough to get in the car, even then they were very excited.
Shasta could not stop licking my face. She wanted to show her appreciation, I knew that I better let her have her way because sooner or later would be inevitable cold shoulder. Shaq had his head out the window and was checking out the country side. This was just from picking them up and driving toward Sioux City.
To get on the road we had to drive through Sioux City. As we approached our usual turn off to go to our old home Shaq started getting excited, when I drove by he had a sort of concerned look on his face. When we passed the last turn off to Sioux City he came over a couple of times and hit my head with his nose. Sort of to say "dumbo you missed the turn off". He settled down after about 50 miles when he realized that we were going on a road trip. All this time Shasta was oblivious to it all, she had her head in my lap which is where it would stay for much of the next 17 hours.
So on the road we went. First land mark was Omaha, Nebraska (putting in the state for my foreign friends). Just outside of Omaha we stopped for a pit stop. The kids jumped out of the car, Shaq had his retrieving ball in his mouth, and ran out into the field of the rest area. After a few minutes of playing it was time to get back in the car. One of the great things about the kids is that all you have to say is "Kennel Up" and they will get in the car with out any questions or pouting (some times they pout, but this time the didn't). After this rest stop they calmed down and relaxed for the long drive ahead.
When we are on a long drive the seating arrangements are; Shaq sprawled out in the back seat, and Shasta in the front seat with her head in my lap. Shasta thinks that she is a Lap Lab, even though she is 70 pounds. So here I am driving with her head in my lap, then she snuggles up a bit and gets her head over on my left leg (that is the leg closest to the door for you folks who have right hand drive cars) then she gets her front paws around my right leg, next thing you know you have half a Lab sleeping on your lap while you are driving 75 mph. And you don't realize it until she has been there for a half hour.
Shaq on the other hand is stretched out on the back seat snoozing away. Every now and then he will get up and put his head on my left shoulder so that he can get a nose scratch. This is what he does when we are driving and he is feeling a bit low and wants a little attention. Every now and then he will let out a loud HURUMPH. This means I am tired of driving and would like to get out and stretch my legs. When that happens we stop at the next rest area and take a break.
I try to stop every 2 - 3 hours to let them out. That seems to work well for us. One of the good things about stopping at rest areas is that inevitably someone, usually a trucker, comes over to meet them. They both like meeting new people and anyone who will throw the ball for them is a good person in their eyes. At one stop out side of Wichita, Kansas a trucker came over who had a couple Labs of his own (not with him though:( ). He had been watching the kids work. On this occasion I was doing some blind retrieves and practicing with hand signals and such. He came over and threw the ball for them for a good half hour, so they were very well exercised by the time we left. Both of them took a long nap.
Day one ended just south of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. We had driven about 11 hours and had 6 hours more to go. Shaq likes sleeping in hotels. Shasta is not so comfortable and decided that she would feel better if she were sleeping on top of me. So I spent the evening with Shaq curled up at the end of the bed and with a Shasta acting as the Lab Blanket. Luckily it was a chilly night.
Day 2 started after a very relaxing nights sleep. Shaq and Shasta were ready to get on the road around 6am. They were really wound up and bouncing off the walls so off we went. So what is the first thing they do? Go to sleep. And here I thought I would have company while driving. We drove until we were just north of Dallas around 7:30 and found a rest area to stretch out in.
David, a friend of ours had invited us to drop by his place in Dallas, but I thought it was a bit to early thus we passed up that opportunity. Wish we had slept in a bit more so we could have arrived in Dallas at a more reasonable time. Maybe another time.
I decided to avoid Dallas and take Interstate 35 West and go through Fort Worth, Texas (just north of Dallas/Fort Worth I35 splits into I35E going through Dallas and I35W going through Fort Worth then they join up south of the cities). Fort Worth is a bit smaller than Dallas and my reasoning was that the traffic would be better, and on the map it is about 10 miles shorter than going through Dallas. Good Idea, bad plan. When we got to where I35W and I30 come together there was a road closed sign for I35W. So we jumped on I30 and went East till we hit a highway that went south that connected with I35E then on to Austin.
It had not rained in Austin for a couple of months. But as soon as we got close to the city the skies opened up and started pouring. The highway was very bad, and there were cars going off the road right and left. So we got off the highway and took a few back roads to our new house.
Upon arriving on Sunday (Oct 7th) we went right into the house. We were in luck, the painters who were supposed to start on Monday had been able to start early and had the house 90% completed. Shaq and Shasta ran all through the empty house. Checking out every room, sniffing every square inch. Shaq liked the Loft area, he ran up and down the stairs several time. I think he was doing this for exercise as he knew it was raining outside so there was little chance of going out and playing in the yard. Shasta did not know what to think. She ran all over the house several times, then I think she started to feel a bit insecure so she planted herself right by me and stayed there.
After a couple of hours the rain stopped and they went outside for the first time. Both went all over the yard investigating. Shaq chased a squirrel, Shasta sniffed every inch of the yard. Shaq went around claiming every tree and bush. Then they adjourned to the deck. Shaq really likes the deck, especially the part that is covered. His first request was to extend the covering, right now it only covers half of a section of the deck. He wants it to cover that entire section so that he can have a larger place to lay out when it is raining. Shasta liked the fact that there is an entrance to the deck from our bedroom. Shaq also would like the fence extended so that it covers the whole yard, right now it only covers about half the yard. Why have 3/4 acre when you can't use it all? So we will be doing that soon.
Since none of our furniture had arrived, and would not for another week, we camped out on the floor. Shasta liked this as she was able lay right next to me the whole night and periodically give me a lick. Shaq was a bit put off as he is used to having a bed or a sofa to sleep on.
On Saturday we had a new piece of furniture delivered. An incredible triple wide Chaise Lounge. It is very neat, a deep purple color and very comfortable. This was the only furniture in the house. After it was delivered both Shaq and Shasta tried it out. Shaq really likes to sleep on it at night. I think he likes the curve on it, sort of fits his back. One of the issues that he has with regular couches is that he has to constantly be aware of where he is on the couch when he decides to roll over on his back. A few times he has fallen off. With the Chaise he can stretch out, roll over and get comfortable with little risk of rolling off.
After a week of camping out in the house our furniture arrived on Monday. Yippee!!!! After everything was brought in the house and all the plastic was taken off the furniture I let the kids in. Shasta ran to her favorite chair and jumped in and curled up. She now seems much more relieved with all our stuff now here. She now realizes that this is our new home.
Well that is the story of our trip down and getting setup in Austin. We hope that each of you had a good summer and will have a prosperous end of the year. We are happy to be in Austin, we miss our friends in Sioux City and all the places we used to play every weekend.
Cheers,
Ray & Shaq & Shasta
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