Coastal vacation

Last week, I took a mini vacation to the coast. I spent Wednesday night in Pacific City, it was beautiful. Really a perfect day on the coast. Lots of sun, mild wind and very few clouds.

While I was waiting for my hotel room to be ready, I took both my dogs, Gavin and Rikki, for a nice long walk on the beach. I have never been able to take Gavin off the leash for fear he'd run away, but I thought I'd give it a try, dogs need to be able to run on the beach. I made sure he knew that I had lots of treats and then let him go.

He did great, I was so impressed. He came back when I called. It made me really happy. I still don't trust him 100%, but I was fully preparing myself to lose my dog. The fact he came back when called the first time, most of the time, is a really big deal.

Thursday morning, we got up went for an hour long walk on the beach and then got in the car and headed south to Coquille, where my dad lives. It was a really nice drive. Gavin does GREAT in the car. He rarely whines and mostly just lays down and sleeps in the seat. Rikki on the other hand whines constantly and if I have to get out of the car and leave her, even if it's just a couple minutes, she has a fit. She barks, whines, completely flips out and throws herself in to her crate (I have to make her ride in her crate in the car, otherwise, she'll hurt herself trying to get out of the car every time I stop). Thankfully, I only had to stop once during the four hour drive. Bladder of steel, I have not.

I had a great visit with my dad. We went to the West Coast Wild Animal Park in Bandon, had the most amazing drinking chocolate ever and capped the day off with seafood buffet at the Mill Casino. I wasn't planning on gambling much, but we had a 30 minute wait for dinner and I some cash, so played a few machines with no success, until I played the Lord of the Rings machine. Within ten minutes, I was up $40, another ten minutes and I was up $60. That was good enough for me. I walked in to the casino with $50 and walked out with $90. Not too shabby.

Saturday, I got up early to drive home. The four and a half hour drive went by pretty fast, but I was exhausted by the time I got home.

Next trip I take, I won't do anywhere near as much driving, but other than all the time spent in the car, it was a great trip!

Practice what you preach

Things are so much easier said than done. I have certain motto's that I live by, one of them is treat others how you want to be treated. Today, a very good friend of mine was getting on my case about something and at first I was really pissed at her for getting all up in my business. Then I thought about it and thought some more and then I realized she was right.

If I truly believe in people treating others how they want to be treated, than I am breaking my own rule. I need to practice what I preach. If I don't give it, than how can I get it in return?

It's not that simple and it won't be easy, but I firmly believe that it's better to be open and honest, then hiding your true feelings. Now I have to put that in to practice and do what I believe, treat as I want to be treated.

It will be difficult and it might hurt, but I have to do it. Otherwise, I'm a hypocrite and I can't stand hypocrites!