We had the hairless kids last week. Nice to have warm bodies that don't add to the dust bunny ranch a casa CasHew. Tamale and Omo love it when the kids come. They pet, rub, play, and sometimes smell a bit whiffy. The cats aren't so sure about the kids for the same reason. Laissez faire is not yet in the kids' mindset.
We wanted to do something different this time. No sand island. These Victorian children will think Queensland has nothing else to offer them for nature. How about...
The Mary Valley?
Fine, but we've planned this last minute. I'm not going to dump the dogs on Brooke or Kirsty. The dogs would love to go to Camp Brooke or Camp Kirsty. They'd come back with dog hickeys, new smells and bad habits, and we'll just sink lower in their opinions. I couldn't do it to Brooke or Kirsty. Not again. They'll know (instead of just think) I'm a complete flake.
"I'm not going if the dogs can't go."
Me make 'um ultimatum!
Mark surfed the net for places to stay with the only search option being the Sunshine Coast Hinterland and "dog friendly".
I can tell you that "dog friendly" is not as it seems:
"Sure, bring the dogs, but they must stay outside or in your car."
"You can have dogs, but they have to stay in a shed."
Yeesh. What is "dog dastardly"? I can bring the dogs and keep them in the car? That would make me a PASSER BY! Greyhounds aren't really blessed in the Rubinesque genes. These are lean dogs. Lean means a percentage body fat that would send me into an orgasmic tizzy. Fat is the body's down ski jacket. Keep the Greybabies outside? In the car? In a shed? I'm traveling with my dogs, because I love them.
It was looking like I'd be home with the dogs. That's fine. A weekend of couches and scotch fingers. Partay!
Until Mark found Lagoon Pocket Bed and Breakfast. For $10 extra a night, the dogs stay with you. IN THE ROOM! Oh what a concept. Doubt me you do. Check out my photo of the dogs and kids setting up for a game of Perudo you will.
As you can see, the dogs settled in nicely. We packed up the pink doona and the fleecy blankets and that was all it took for Omo and Tamale to settle in.
Suzannah and James, the hosts, even offered towels for the dogs' paws. We brought those ourselves and didn't need extra, but how is that for dog friendly? It's even dog owner friendly.
Lagoon Pocket is just outside of Gympie (~7 km?). If you need to go to Gympie for food stuffs or an extra manpad for a dog with a leaky willy, it's a quick drive. If you want to think you're miles away from any town, Lagoon Pocket is zigzagged away enough that you feel well and truly away from it all.
What is there to do? Oh anything you want in the Mary Valley area. You can ride the Rattler, taste cheese, hike nature trails in State forests, and pack on the pounds at the various eateries. What if you want to stay close and just enjoy the B&B?
By all means do!
Guest accommodation is one of three rooms, each with its own veranda. James and Suzannah do not run a cheesy B&B. The towels are plush, the beds comfy, the sheets perfect, and the brekky wonderful! Where to start?
There are 5 cows on the property (I think to the left is Cream). These big, sloppy dogs (Tamale's opinion, not mine) take up one paddock leaving the rest for canine exploration. Keep in mind that the fences are for cows, not dogs. They are not escape proof if you're not watching the hounds. After walking the perimeter with Tamale and Omo, I felt comfortable letting them off their lead. With 2 adults and 2 kids, we had the gaps covered. Tamale looked at a few gaps and tried her best commando maneuver, but a quick "NO!" was all it took. Like I said, you know your own dog. The roads were pretty much free of hoons and bogans, so the furkids also enjoyed walks along the street under the stars. If you want the greyhound to get some exercise, it'll happen. Don't you worry about it.
Tamale is a hyper doofus in the mornings when it's cool. I planned on keeping her on the lead. After the novelty of the cool country air wore off (does it ever?), I thought to let her off leash in the larger paddocks. The very ones she sniffed and marked all the night before. What could go wrong? I was heading out to the paddock when she decided that the crowded L-shaped garden area was the ideal place to run around. By crowded, I mean in terms of a running track. It had chairs set up for a nice snack in the garden. There were posts for the passion fruit vines. Not at all crowded if one is meandering. Crowded if one has decided one's life depends on the sprint of the century.
We were almost at the fence to the paddock. Just couldn't take it anymore. MUST. RUN. LIKE. FOOL! All was fine until she went THROUGH the wire for the passion fruit. This area was cruised several times by the dogs. The wire is not thin. I could see it across the garden. Tamale ran through it and nothing happened. Having grown up on cartoons, I expected her to fall into slices. Nope. I think she ran through the gap between the wires knowingly. They barely jiggled. My heart? More than jiggled. Infarcted. Honestly, I have more treacherous items in my back yard if she were to break into a sprint. No yard is perfectly safe. Next time I'd just get her all the way into the paddock before I take her off her lead. This was my first time travelling with the furkids. I have my own lessons to learn.
I think Suzannah worked in a vet clinic in the UK (don't quote me on that) and is very dog savvy. If you're worried about a bump or bruise, she's there to offer you her expertise. Bad segue. Tamale did NOT need Suzannah's attention.
James has his own area of expertise: BREKKY! No cheap brekky here. We had eggs, sausage, bacon, tomato AFTER getting started with a sweet pineapple quarter. Want cereal? Got that, too.
We're going back. My mom is coming and I'm booking us in for November. Tamale gave it 5 Crotch Sniffs, but Omo only gave it 4.5 because the front of the guest house had gravel and his delicate pads couldn't take it. I don't think that should count, but he's been watching the Movie Show and thinks it is more credible to not give anything a perfect rating. Whatever. Teens!
If you want to travel with your dog and stay where a dog is truly welcome, then Lagoon Pocket will be perfect for you.
I'd go on forever, but Tamale has dropped a sulfur bomb. My life depends on my leaving the room NOW!
I'll leave you with a photo of Tamale doing what she does best when off leash.