2020: A New Life in a New World!

Where are we going Pooh? Home Piglet. We’re going home, because that’s the best thing to do right now. -A. A. Milne

Hello everyone. This is Magic, the Treeing Walker Coon Hound who is living full-time with his humans, Big Dog and Momma Dog in our motorhome. I have taken a writing break since 2020 began, but felt a need to share some news and bark about our recent travel to Livingston, Texas from Stone Mountain, Georgia.

I love to run and my humans found me a great dog park in Georgia!

After the Christmas and New Year holidays with our family, we all waited for the new arrival. Jennie and Steve Sankey were expecting their first little puppy for Bob and Athena to take care of.

In January the humans had fun visiting the state capital building in Atlanta, but the dogs were not invited.

When in Georgia it is always a good idea to pose with Jimmy Carter!

On January 14 at 8:28 am, our family welcomed Annie Ruth Sankey into our pack with lots of howling and tail wagging. Momma Dog had the best experience because she helped Jennie and Steve during the labor and birth. She told me that Jennie was so strong and patient and Steve was attentive and loving through a long and intense experience. And when Jennie told Momma Dog the name “Annie Ruth”, she literally stopped in her tracks and jumped for joy!

She weighed 7 pounds, 10 ounces and measured 21 inches long.

Aunt Joanna holds Annie for the first time.

As you can imagine, me and my humans spent time with Annie and her family in the first few weeks. She loved being in Big Dog’s lap and Momma Dog read her books and showed her toys to gaze at. And they helped change lots of diapers, cooked some meals, and tried to give Steve and Jennie time to nap in-between feedings.

We had an early spring snow day in February!

Annie wears the onesie that her parents used to announce their pregnancy news to Big Dog and Momma Dog last May.

Joanna invited Momma Dog and Big Dog to International Night at her middle school. No dogs were allowed, but the humans enjoyed authentic food from around the world and watching Joanna be an amazing emcee for the talent show.

Joanna commanded the microphone at River Trail Middle School. Big Dog and Momma Dog are so proud of her and all she does as a 7th grade teacher!

Annie’s Sankey grandparents-Jim and Joyce visited from Florida.

Bob still hopes he is Jennie’s favorite Valentine. He had to make some big adjustments when Annie arrived, and is doing great now. He barks and barks when anyone comes to the front door!

I was curious about Annie in the beginning but now I just nap when we go to their house.

Annie proudly poses by the book that Momma Dog helped create for parents of new humans.

Annie attended her first Ash Wednesday service. Since both parents are pastors she had no say in the matter.

On March 12, dear friends Glenna and Jim Cleworth, the Sankey Family, Momma Dog and Big Dog, and Joanna and Zach pose after trivia night at an Atlanta brewery.

The humans loved a March visit with Jim and Glenna Cleworth, dear friends from Texas. They cooked and ate delicious food, bowled, laughed, drank delicious Atlanta beer, and consumed some wonderful tacos and sandwiches. And of course-enjoyed being together and hanging out with Annie.

On Friday, March 13 the humans and I left Georgia for a trip to Livingston, Texas. Our Texas vehicle safety inspection and registration was expiring on March 30 so we journeyed to our domicile/legal address/mail service location to accomplish these tasks.

We felt safe inside our motorhome and Momma Dog provided me a canvas crate to keep me and my anxiety contained. Along with my “chill pills,” my thunder jacket and splat mat filled with peanut butter for licking as the engine starts-I am doing better with traveling as a happy camper.

The three dog bone shaped windows make me hungry all the time!

Our first stop was Sunset RV Park in Cottondale, Alabama, which is near Tuscaloosa. I saw several things that said, “Roll Tide,” but did not understand what this meant.

Momma Dog and me enjoyed the Alabama sunrise.

On our way to the Ameristar Casino RV Park, we spotted some interesting things in Mississippi.

I was concerned about the Mississippi state flag and the sign discriminating against pets…

Momma Dog loved these pink flowered bushes.

The humans walked around in the Ameristar Casino and were happy to have a shuttle ride from and to the nearby RV park.

Momma Dog and Big Dog at the Mississippi River.

The spring ground felt good on my feet in Mississippi.

My humans enjoyed visiting the Vicksburg National Military Park.

Our next stop was Martin Dies, Jr. State Park-near Jasper, Texas. Our one night stay was very nice and although the posted signs talked of alligators-fortunately we did not encounter any!

Momma Dog liked this photo in a non-color format.

All the trees showed their early spring leaves.

The humans and I practiced our social distancing with a nice dinner of Pasta e Fagoli at the campsite. Actually I only had dog food.

I spotted this fallen tree and asked Momma Dog to photograph me looking thoughtful…

It looked kind of swampy on this lake. We saw some boats.

Momma Dog saw these words on a canoe mounted to a fence at the check in area. I found this to be profound, as canines don’t have many choices about where we go until the leash is off!

And the next morning we were off to Livingston, Texas. On our third attempt to find an inspector we found a man out in the country and waited behind two other class A motorhomes for basically a non-inspection.

Then, after a short drive we landed at Lake Livingston State Park.

We had a trail behind our site that had many good things to smell and see.

Big Dog carried our map in case we got lost!

On Tuesday, we rented a car and Momma Dog was questioned about her health status regarding Covid-19. The humans drove through Jack in the Box for food (only drive through food available at restaurants in Texas) and had a picnic, and found the tax office and took care of business to complete our vehicle registration for 2020. They entered one store, used hand gel there, and came home with groceries. They described very little produce and no paper products at the store-and reassured me of an ample dog food supply.

These Texas bluebonnets were in downtown Livingston.

Then it was St. Patrick’s Day and the humans created beer cheese soup with some Guiness beer. They said it was delicious!

We received this darling photo of Annie and of course it melted the hearts of Big Dog and Momma Dog.

We took some hikes at Lake Livingston State Park-but my favorite was the hike that resulted in a spoonful of Blue Bell ice cream!

These bees were seen from inside the gift store.

This squirrel begged for food in a dog-like fashion! And he would not leave our campsite!

On our last night we had a fire, and had s’mores with miniature marshmallows.

Although there are no photos, when I barked my humans awake at 6 am on our departure day, rain had soaked the outside rug and chairs. I think they learned to stow their equipment away on the night before departing as a good idea. And they were grateful for good rain jackets and beach towels for drying off.

This bedside table literally fell off the wall and was reattached with much sweat and interesting words by my humans before we left Lake Livingston.

After a few hours of rainy driving on I-20 east we arrived in Ruston, Louisiana at Lincoln Parish Park. This was a beautiful park within the city and we were grateful for a pull-through site among the trees and across from a lake.

The corner of the lake made me want to go swimming!

My humans say I look pretty in pink azaleas!

We drove to Mississippi and stayed at the Meridian/Toomsooba KOA. We had been there once before on a cold November night, so it was nice to see it in the spring. The new owner was cleaning door handles as we arrived and Momma Dog learned that many RV places were closing due to health concerns related to Covid-19.

The humans kept hearing that camping areas were closing because of something they called Covid-19-which is apparently something they want to avoid. Big Dog reassured me that I would be safe-so I went to sleep.

We arrived back in Stone Mountain, Georgia on March 23 and I was delighted to find blooming azaleas in our yard. It felt nice to be back “home” and the humans felt grateful to have a stationary site for Tana, our motorhome. We kept hearing more scary things about Covid-19 and that our county would be declaring a “shelter in place” order. Momma Dog and Big Dog learned this as they were sitting outside looking up at the stars. Their oldest pup Jennie suggested we all come to her house so we could help care for little pup Annie. After thinking it over we decided to go and packed our things the next day.

Steve, Big Dog and Momma Dog raked so many leaves in the Sankey yard!

And my daily walk is now shared with Bob and Athena.

As Covid-19 continues to threaten life as we know it, me and my humans are grateful to be alive and well. It has been a beautiful spring in the Atlanta area, especially the azaleas.We stay busy, love our time with Annie and her parents-and really miss the fun times with Joanna since she is sheltering in place in her apartment. I particularly miss her pats and invitations to sit with her on the couch.