Sept. 30, 2008-
They are saying "you Texans have brought us Oregonians a heat wave"!! and we like it!!! As it is such a beautiful day, I have decided to stay out on the porch and watch the worker men do their thing. Carol has been looking for "studded tires" on the Internet (seems that is the way to maneuver around here in the ice and snow) and Barney is at work (he called at lunch and said everyone was out in the pasture looking at the herd of Elk roaming around).
We are going over the bridge to Washington to check out "Dickies", supposedly a great place to buy apples, pears and blueberries!! I love blueberries-frozen ones!!
I sleep alot these days as I can't roam around, but I have learned to listen to orders, like "stay, come and let's go" when I get to be off leash at night on the hotel grounds-then I run like the deer!!
Well, now Carol wants to check the new menu at the hotel-happy hour menu is half off-think I will have the short ribs!! They DO have a dog menu-check it out www.columbiagorgehotel.com
later, friends-jack

Sept. 26,2008-

It has been such a long quick week! and I had to go to the groomer AGAIN! seems my feet needed some attention! All is better. I am ready to turn in though-went to take Jenny and Nathan to the top of the bike trail-they took off and we all started staring at the ground! I have no idea what they are looking for but they are as serious as I am!! anyway-right when I was on the trail of some exciting scent, we all jumped in the car and sped down the mountain and like magic!-the kids popped out of the woods on their bikes!
Then I had to stay in the car until they got through with dinner-Nora's of course! They said something about Nathan doing an Indian sampler and that was what they were there for!
they returned to the car with satisfied looks on their faces, so I felt that all went well-NOW can we go home so I can eat!!!
When we pulled into the driveway, the hotel was all lit up with twinkling lights in the trees! they had erected a tent in the middle of the yard earlier in the week-so Carol suspected a wedding. Found our this morning that there were to be two weddings and the channel WE was filming one for their "10 best places to get married in the US" series. It was a great day for a wedding, whatever that is-it was a great day to be alive. I have alot more pictures of the wind surfers we saw today to show you tomorrow.............but for now I have to put my paws over my ears so I can keep out Michael Jackson's song "Thriller" (it is coming from the party in the big tent).More tomorrow- God bless everyone....jack

Sept. 21,2008-
Oh, my! It has been awhile since I have been able to get on the laptop!! Ever since we arrived at the condo in Hood River, Carol and Barney have been "high on speed Internet", didn't know they were so hungry to go fast. Especially since it seemed like it took forever to drive 2500 miles!!! We drove from Lewiston, IDaho to Oregon and followed the Columbia river all the way to Hood River. Carol just knew we could avoid the interstate and drive the little red roads all the way into the town but we ended up driving around in a spiral till we reached Rowena's point and were able to see so far in every direction. I couldn't get out of the car to pee because the wind wanted to lift me high and away!! I held on for dear life! Finally we arrived in town, Carol went in at Nora's to see Nathan. Before she got out of the car, she fixed her hair, put on lipstick and plucked a little black hair off of her chin ( she usually only does that on her way to church!!). Only a few minutes passed when she returned-she got the house key from Nathan, but said they were so busy that he barely could say "hi" but she was so happy just to see him. We went to his house and settled in. What a nice place-with a great backyard!! Saw a huge black cat, really wanted a piece of him- that leash is a real pain in the excitement butt, but for my own good I guess, the leash held tight!!
The real excitement began when Nathan and Jenny both came home at the same time! We were all on our feet, hugging and kissing-it was such a moment for everyone!!
Later that night, I finally found out where I would be sleeping-again-it was on Nate's bed and it was the best place yet!! (saw that cat walk by, but I was trying to be good, so I didn't bark a word).
The next morning was a REAL surprise-I went to the groomer-a new one named Eileen. She had a great smile and pretty blue eyes-she even smelled good. I spent about 2 hours with her and she "trimmed me up and washed me down"-it was a wonderful experience that I will look forward to in the future and it turned out she is only 1/2 mile from our new home, and what a home it is!!! Carol says this move was willed by God and He put us in His Garden of Eden!! We get to enjoy all these beautiful flowers and never have to lift a hose!! I get to pee where ever I want, because the nearby hotel is "dog friendly'-they even have four courses on their menu for canines like me-I'm really gonna love this place, competent groomers, flower lined trails AND
gourmet meals at a 5 star restaurant, not to mention how happy Carol and especially Barney seem to be. Our condo is the best! It has a outdoor porch that is real high off the ground and I can see whoever walks by and let them know the Texas Poodlewa has arrived!! If I want Carol's hand clamped over my mouth, all I have to do is even look like I am going to bark!!
There is alot of wind here-I didn't really like wind when I was in Texas, but it is different here-it makes you feel very energetic and it sounds so powerful!! like a herd of puppies coming down the road all the time.
It is so nice to have a home again-to know where your bed is going to be-and I get to see Jenny whenever I want to-she makes me smile!
Carol has my quilt fixed they way I like it-off I go-tomorrow will be good- Jackson

Sept.17,2008-
Today was really special!-slept good last night (except when Carol jumped outta bed saying something about a horse named Charlie pulling at her leg-she is so weird) and when I made Carol take me outside at sunrise, the aroma swirled all over us as we stepped outside-MUTTON! it was everywhere-like it always should be-didn't actually see any sheep but their essence was intoxicating!!
Carol's hand is better-did I tell you she got stung on the palm of her hand by a bee, right before we left yesterday-she put her hand down on the car seat to adjust my quilt and started screaming, holding her hand and looking for little pink pills in her purse-all got better after Barney took over and got what she needed-plus an ice pack.
So, today was sunny and cool/warm-we cruised north on I-90 in Montana, until we took a red road across Idaho at Missoula-crossed the Bitteroot Mountains and then glided down this beautiful road, complete with a trout filled river on one side and lush fauna on the other-just perfect!! Carol kept telling me she saw a kitty-cat, and three times I looked-never a kitty-cat-I never looked again, even when she said "Really! I did!" Nope-I may be a blonde, but I'm not stupid-besides this crate is real comfortable! I am still hurting from all these bites-but we finally found the Tea Tree oil, so relief is on the way!!
We have been following the trail of two dudes named, Lewis and Clark-Barney said they walked the whole way along time ago-that must of taken forever!! I thought 2 hours was a long time!!
So many people walking in the river, looking for fish-we heard a big one splash while we were walking around-looking for rocks-what else?? Poor Barney, he had to drive all day and couldn't look at all the huge rock mountains.
We are in Lewiston, ID right now, it is near the Nez Perce Indian reservation-Chief Joseph's tribe-only we are at this little comfort inn. They had smoothies and I had baked chicken-check that out!!! Only one piece of chicken is wrapped around one of those pink pills-hope it helps the itching. We will leave early tomorrow-towards Walla Walla-Barney is going to get a haircut and I am going to get a bath-somewhere. Evidently, we have to "be presentable" --whatever that is.
I have been told over and over that I am going to see Jenny and Nathan-really can't place them but I do remember this cute chick named Jenny-she had the nicest smile!! Hmmmm-where was that??? wow! my eyes are having a hard time here-guess that little pill is working-I always stop itching, but I can't enjoy myself because I just keep falling asleep!
I'll write soon-gonna be real busy the next few days-but keep checking in-love ya-jack

Sept 16, 2008-
I just crashed last nite-could not type a single word!! Six days on the road makes a puppy weary!! Carol fed me a hamburger patty the other day and I just have no will power when it comes to dead cow!! but it just wrecks havoc with my skin!!! other than all the strange bugs, and weeds that are devouring me I have had a really good time.
As we headed out of Wyoming yesterday, we came upon the Little Bighorn battleground-I was amazed to hear Barney say how many white guys were killed by the very Indians that they were trying to kill. Seemed like there was enough land around there for all of them to live quite comfortably to me-humans!! they just don't get it!!! The horses that roam there have all got the right idea-running free, staying content and keeping it simple!!
We drove on to Billings and the scenery just got more beautiful-BIG SKY is what they advertise and BIG it is-saw eagle nests on telephone poles-but no eagles.
As the terrain started changing to more mountains, the Kia didn't give in-it just zoomed up every one and flew down the other side (I like this part, because Carol always throws up her hands like she is on a roller coaster and then covers her eyes). When you are traveling west, the sun stays in your eyes alot, but Carol puts a pillow in front of my crate so i won't be bothered but it sure drives them crazy, especially with a million little bugs all spread over the windshield.
Well, guess it is time for breakfast-I've insisted on chicken breast from Subway, nothing else will do since I have to put up with all this car time but other than hot pork rinds (that I DON'T get to have) we all are eating at Subway every day.
Nathan called and said the pass in Idaho is just incredible but look out for all the bighorn sheep-I like mutton, especially their wonderful aroma! -lookin' forward to that!
Later, dear friends-
will write from Washington tonight!!

Sept. 15, 2008-
Boy! was it chilly here this morning-no steam-but icy toes!
We all slept way too late-I made Carol get up before she was ready, but I had to go......
After we (I brought my biscuit) loaded up the Kia-they drove a very short distance to eat at Helen's, a good ol' cafe, with real scrambled eggs and country crock spread evenly over Wonder bread. They left me to savour my barley treat-and they were back in the car quickly and we drove to Hot Springs, SD and saw a huge mountain that had a head of a really big Indian on it. This man wanted Barney to pay $20.00 for a closer look, but he said we were on a "budget" trip and we would look at that rock from "right here".
Driving a little further up and down mountain roads we made our way to the really big mountain that had the heads of four big men on top-they looked so serious and not very happy at all.
Again, a man asked Barney for money to park and take a closer look. There wasn't a good place to turn around so he forked it over and we went closer, but the old guys on the mountain still looked pretty tired and sad. So many people came to see these stoney faces-I don't get it-however, most of the ones that went closer came back with ice cream cones, so maybe that was the prize-we did'nt get ice cream, guess we didn't go close enough...........................
When we got back on the road, it was really late so we had a snack of cheese and apples near a town called Spearfish-no water around-hmmmm...who is this fish??
We drove on a interstate and as we headed west the windshield began to be smothered with dead grasshoppers-there were millions of them-all flying furiously through the air, only to be smashed onto the glass. Barney stopped three times to clean the window, all the while the sun was setting in the sky! What a combination-bug guts and a glaring beam of light-it was trouble!
They stopped at the next town, called Gillette, it had really cheap gas but alot of construction workers and all the motel rooms were taken-except one-and we went there. Carol went in to talk to the desk person about a room-she didn't like this place when we drove up, but Barney kept saying "it'll be OK"-but it wasn't! When she walked back to the car, she had a strange look on her face and said, "hurry-go-now". Then we bought some of that cheap gas and got back on the interstate and headed west-driving 75 to get to Buffalo before it was totally dark and before the end of the Cowboy game.
We did it! The Cowboys won and we all had Subway's and passed out-or at least they did-I have remained awake to let you know that we are fine and are on our way-Oregon here we come!!!!
We are headed for Bozeman, Montana tomorrow-maybe further-who knows
later-jack