Today's plan was that my mom was treating my son and I to a Food Truck experience in the big city. She parked her car in our driveway, our car was loaded up with all-things Kolby (including Kolby), and we were off to the adventure of the waterfront and the Food Truck.
After a few detours due to massive road construction, we landed in the correct location that was advertised about this particular food truck. We got our free parking pass at a Marina that was advertised as having free parking passes for the food truck, and casually happened to ask "Where is the Snowflake E** Food Truck parked?" The nice front desk lady looked it up and said, "Oh, I'm sorry - their website said they cancelled today due to weather."
Sigh.
It is no small feat to make the trek into the city, and the weather - while blistering cold and extremely windy - it was not raining, and THAT was a reason to be outside celebrating with lunch from a Truck.
We continued to walk the Marina while we decided our next game plan. Kolby was a rock star with the wind blowing - his ears flapping, and large sheets of plastic blowing making a visual impact as well as loud noises.
He held his sit fairly well for a lady to pet him; while he stood up, I was most impressed he did not Jump! Another lady felt it was her right to just pet him without asking - I will give her slack and think that perhaps she thought he was wearing a shirt/sweater due to the cold, as his back was facing the other way and she probably didn't even think that he might be working. But it was a bold, in your face pet, without any conversation between me and the lady, and Kolby held it together. That time he remained sitting.
He walked on dock grates with water underneath. He walked over a Marina bridge with the water completely visible between the grate and on both sides of the railing. He walked on the Marina docks. Kolby was brilliant and did not pull on his leash, and would Sit when commanded, and check in with great eye contact. Yay!
When we were done visiting the small Marina, with two free hours of parking ahead of us, we didn't want to waste the park and drive aimlessly around town. While my mom and son jumped in the car to warm and decide our next destination, I fed Kolby and gave him a short walk.
After much back and forth discussion, we decided on the main waterfront shopping area to walk-about. Knowing this was a high foot-traffic area, with stray dogs and perhaps not the most sanitary conditions, we chatted that I would hold Kolby while we walked (knowing that 25 pounds would get heavy quick); but I was up for the challenge. The humans just needed food!
Circling the cobblestone street a few times to find parking, it gave more pause for us to decide what it was we were really going to do in this neck of the city. We eventually agreed that my mom and son would "jump out" of the car - while I continued to circle - in order to buy seafood for dinner, and quality cheese from the Amazing cheese store. We would communicate via cell phone for pickup.
I only circled the street once and found myself a prime parking spot. Score!! I was so very tempted to get Kolby out and hold him, but the more stray dogs and large volume of people, I felt it would be best to not fall into temptation and just promise myself I would return with Kolby when he is fully vaccinated (and a little taller).
Returning to the car, my son happy to have stopped into his favorite place in the city, my mom the trooper for escorting him, we were on our way to find lunch. We went closer to home where we knew a guarantee of food selection and took Kolby in to order our food at a Teriyaki Take Out spot. He sat quietly in a Heel beside me in the very teeny, tiny lobby so he experienced the food smell, and how to manage his tail with all the foot traffic going in and out.
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So while the day did not go as planned, what a FUN day to share the memory of our impromptu city trip with Kolby. I shared with my girl when we got home that it felt like we had an eighteen month old puppy at the end of our leash, not a thirteen week one. He was so very calm, and did everything asked of him in a very thoughtful manner. I have no doubt that Kolby enjoys working.
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