We…Phil and I and 2 of the 3 dogs…just returned from fishing…The 4 of us went to Bennett Spring near Lebanon, MO for 4 days.  I have no idea why I suggested we take the dogs..probably just missing the adult daughters because it was quite similar to taking them places when they were 2 and 8 …. the only difference is the dogs didn’t fight in the back seat.  While Phil fished Monday, I shopped in the park store…lots of bargains this time of season….then I went back up to the campground to get the dogs…..  thought we could spend the afternoon together.  We walked around the park – walked on one of the short hiking trails…relaxed for a few minutes waiting for Phil to pull in a big lunker then walked around again.  Several mentioned that they couldn’t tell if I was walking the dogs or they were walking me.  Every now and then, we would walk close to the stream so the dogs could get a little water….keeping in mind Marley weighs 113 pounds and Sierra weighs about 70…I was no match when they started pulling…. although I’m not a little thing.  I tried to dig my feet in but to no avail.  We ended up in the water.  Marley just lapped up some water then laid down in the stream.  Now this was all really cute and humorous……until he dried off and we loaded Phil, the fish and the two dogs into the car for the return trip to the camp ground… the stench came to life.  Now, you see, I recognize the stench as being from the stream because I don’t allow the fishing net in the car – it must hang on the outside mirror because it always is so pungent.  On the way up to the campground, I decided I HAD to give him a shower.  “Him” being Marley…not Phil…I’ll just leave that picture to your imagination; I won’t soon forget the experience.  Had I been smart, i would have removed all of my clothes before lathering him up, but I was afraid Marley would decide to escape from the shower – someone would open the door and there I would be chasing the dog thru the campground buck naked.  Instead I chose the humilation of “walking” Marley back to the camper .. me dripping from head to toe and he looked like a huge drowned rat.  I also figured out on this trip that Marley is not a very bright golden retriever….but Phil says he doesn’t have to be smart, he is just so cute 🙂

Rain came on Tuesday so we went to Lebanon to pick up some “must have” items…and made a trip to the antique store…we found and placed on layaway a beautiful coffee table made by artisans from the Ozark mountains.  No room to haul it back this trip, but we are going back next month for our last fishing trip of the season and will pick it up then …

Rained most of the evening.  We had a campfire but sat under the awning to enjoy it.  Dogs, of course, wouldn’t stay under the awning and the inside of the camper smelled of wet dog all night.

Bennett Spring – Lebanon, MO one of the most beautiful places on earth.

Until next time……