Peach and I wake up the next day ready for a full day of adventures. We didn’t have time yesterday to explore outside. Nate and Ben take us for a walk first thing in the morning. It isn’t quite as warm as yesterday, at least not yet, and the wind is blowing. The wind feels nice as we walk. The ground is very soft; my paws sink into the dirt. I like the soft dirt; it is fun to walk in it. I notice a few trees, but the trees look different from the squirrel trees at the old house. The smells are different, too. I catch faint whiffs of dogs and cats, but no squirrel or anything else I recognize.
Rufff.
I look toward Peach, who is several pugs ahead of me. She is staring straight ahead. I look in the direction and see something unfamiliar. It looks like water, but it’s moving, and we are heading right toward it.
As we approach the water, the soft, dry dirt turns into goopy, wet dirt. The water is moving. It moves toward us and then fades away before returning. I’ve never seen water move like this or seen so much water at once. All I see is water as I look forward. It doesn’t end.
Besides drinking, I’m not the biggest fan of water because my fur is like a sponge. Once I’m wet, it takes forever for me to dry. Peach, on the other hand, dries right away.
Peach is wandering toward the water. She takes a few steps in it, but it comes rushing forward, and she runs backward. She plays that game for a few minutes before she leads me into the water. We splash around. She is right; the water feels great. We are having so much fun that we don’t see the huge rush of water coming at us. I turn and see it when it’s mere seconds away. I bark quickly to warn Peach before I start running.
I’m too late.
The water rushes over my small body. Somehow, I manage to keep my head above the water as it runs past. And then as fast as it came, it’s gone. I look to Peach. She’s panting and smiling, but barely wet.
“Did you see that?” Ben says.
“Yes! That was incredible.” Nate says.
“Peach just jumped over the wave—completely missed it.” Ben says.
Why didn’t I think of that? Now I am soaked and weigh five more pounds in water weight.
“Poor Zelda,” Nate says. “She’s a mess.”
I wander back to very edge of the water and sit. I watch the water rush back and forth. Peach continues to chase the water and leap through it. It is fun here on the water’s edge. Even though I’m wet, I’m not cold because it’s so warm outside. I drift off to pug dreamland.
“Zelda, time to go,” Ben says. I get up and walk with the gang back to the house. When we get there, I am immediately taken to the bathroom. Hannah washes all the dirt off me, and I shake clean in the tub. She hates when I do that, but it feels so good. I find Lucy on the couch. Hannah brings me a dry towel. I fall asleep.
The next few days are great. Peach and I play in the water in the morning, and then we relax in the afternoon at home. Often the family goes away during the afternoon, so we have free reign of the house. We run all over the place, jumping on every bed and chair in the house. In the evening, we spend time with the family. We often go for dark-time walks on the street and sidewalks.
I begin adjusting to the new home and routine. It’s very different than home, much more relaxed. The family has more time with us, but it’s so hot during the day that I can’t be outside for very long. Although the water does help.
After another relaxing day, the whole family is sitting in the living room.
“Why don’t we get out of here and go for a evening walk at the beach?” Nate says.
“That sounds good. We can bring some kites to fly. Sound okay?” Hannah turns to Ben and Lucy.
“Yeah, I want to fly a kite!” Lucy says.
“Can we bring the dogs?” Ben asks.
“Sure,” Nate says.
We head to the beach. Lucy and Hannah stay on the dirt while Ben, Nate, Peach, and I head for the water’s edge. Peach and I chase the water. The water is coming faster and bigger than normal. I pay close attention. When I see a big wave coming, I bark. Peach looks at me, and then we both jump.
I did it! I jumped over it!
Splash!
Another rush of water crashes into me, soaking my belly.
Whoops. I forgot the water keeps coming.
Peach and I play in the water for a few more minutes, but it’s getting darker outside. Ben and Nate notice the approaching darkness; they lead us toward Hannah and Lucy.
As we walk on the dry, soft dirt, I notice a trace of movement in front of me. I walk toward it, and something scurries away.
What is that?
I bark for Peach, and she walks to me. We venture forth together, looking for signs of movement. I see a flash out of the corner of my eye. Peach runs for it but misses it. She has no clue what it is, either.
I see a small creature scurrying, and I run for it. I miss catching it with my mouth, but I get a glimpse of it this time. I have never seen anything like it. The animal has lots of legs and is a light color that matches the dirt. It looks like a bug, but it’s much bigger than any bug I’ve seen.
Arrrfff!
That’s not a good sign. I turn and run to Peach. She’s only a few steps away and is licking her paw. I turn and look for movement again. I need to figure out what these creatures are. I see movement and bolt. I’m catching this thing. I lunge my mouth for it and get it. The creature pinches me.
Owwww. Yikes!
Instinctively, I let it go. Peach and I run for the street, away from the soft dirt and pinching creatures.
“I guess they didn’t want to chase the crabs anymore,” Nate says. “It’s time to go anyway. It’s getting dark, and soon the crabs will be everywhere on this beach.” Hannah and Lucy join us, and we walk to our new home.
For the next two days, Peach and I stay away from the water when it gets dark. During the morning, we enjoy every second on the water’s edge. When I see the bags appear again, I realize that we are going home. This was only a trip, an adventure with the whole family somewhere new.
We spend the next day in the car. I have lots of time to dream about bacon and squirrels. I also think about my pug life. I can be happy anywhere as long as I am with my family, especially Peach. When I met Peach for the first time on Christmas morning, I was ecstatic to have a sister, even if the first few weeks were an adjustment. Over time, Peach and I have learned how to get along, to share toys, to go on walks, and to adventure together. Most important, we have learned to trust each other. Peach and I are best friends. More than that, we are sisters, even if she doesn’t have a curly tail!