When we aren’t out in the woods or looking for new water for Willy to fish we have another company to keep going to pay for the purchase and rebuild of the Subaru Baja Adventure Vehicle we are giving away this year.  I’ve been learning all about the pet grooming industry for a couple of months and decided to take my camera with me last week when we set out to call on clients.  It’s funny how expressive the faces of dogs can be.  Some of the wet ones seemed almost ashamed of me seeing them before they were finished. And the ones that are finished and waiting on pickup always seem happy to show off their new “do” to anyone that will pay them some attention.

The end of that sales trip had us stopping in Darlington, SC at a home based shop where I got to meet Ms. Rose.  We walked up on her front porch that afternoon and would never have guessed we would spend the next several hours with this multigenerational family of groomers. We were offered hot coffee and coffee cake immediately and welcomed into the family home like we have known Ms. Rose for years.  We learned that dancing several times a week at the VFW is her (82) and her boyfriend’s (92) secret to looking so young! We learned about her grooming business she’s kept going all these years and has finally decided to retire and pass along her equipment and client list to her granddaughter, Amber. Ms. Rose had contacted Willy and told him she wanted to get us together with Amber so Willy could consult with her and show her the tools we have available. By the end of the visit, we had given Amber all the information she needed to proceed and she had a list of the shears/tools she likes, learned how kids nowadays don’t have to bend over to pick up pecans, may have tried a little apple moonshine, and we were invited to go on a wild hog hunt! Watch our YouTube channel for that video soon (if we don’t get rained out this weekend).

The end of our work week had us divide and conquer to get orders delivered and accounting work caught up.  It’s just the two of us that have to keep everything moving forward. So as Willy hit the road to go north, Faith, Emmy, and I started on office work.  Shipping orders, balancing bank statements, creating art for social media, tracking accounts receivables are actually things i enjoy, but Emmy, not so much.  The first couple of days of us working in the office were frigid and we didn’t get outside into the woods.  Then came the rain.  this weather is perfect for me to get a lot done but Emmy doesn’t like having to lay around while I work inside.  Thursday morning the sun finally came out to great us and that’s the morning that I knew it was time for Emmy to get some adventure time of her own, after meeting my neighbor Allen.  

I’ve known Amy (Allen’s girlfriend) for several months.  We chat when she’s here to visit and Emmy has loved her from the first day. Thursday morning Amy came up to tell us that Allen had to travel for work and asked if we would keep an eye out on his camper. As Emmy and I walked outside to meet Allen finally (he’s always working), she got a wild hair and took off back to the swamp! By the time I got my boots on Amy and my neighbor Jeremy had Emmy walking back up from the swamp, and she looked proud of herself. She took off again. This time she didn’t sprint away but trotted over to Allen.  I learned that he was a marine, cancer survivor, loved his Harley, and lost his best friend  and truck dog (German Shepherd) over a year ago. He was packing up his truck to make the trip to Alabama for the next 3 weeks working.  

I have been struggling for months internally about Emmy.  She loves outdoors, but has to stay in the car while we have fishing rods out.  I’m not sure if she was beaten with one or not, but she doesn’t like them AT ALL.  We’ve even tried using parachute cord to give her a long leash but she chewed right through it! She also has to stay home when we go to sale supplies for Starr Grooming Supply because she is not as tiny as she thinks she is. We don’t have room for her and all the supplies we sell in the Subi.  We take her on hikes often but Jetty and I get tired way before Emmy does.  So Thursday morning I suddenly knew that Emmy needed to go on this adventure with Allen.  She needed the chance to ride in that work truck across the southeast,  And I think Allen needed a dog to sit copilot on this trip.  So I packed her up and sent her off on an adventure that morning.  Willy and I are a little more than jealous…we never thought Emmy would be the first one of us to set out westward and start and adventure of her own.  But we are getting daily photo updates and she is having a ball! Allen says she is loving life on the road and has curled up with him every night in bed.  I think he needs her right now.  She’s such a special dog. She has helped me through homelessness and fighting cancer. She deserves this treat of an adventure and can’t wait to see what she is up to tomorrow.

At the beginning of each new year we make resolutions and promises to do better or change something. This year I was just excited to see what lay before us as we strive to keep moving forward to give the Subaru away and us both get different vehicles to live/travel in. I never thought about the path Emmy is suppose to travel. She has been with me for 5 years and has gotten me through some tough times.  But she had another life before me, and maybe she has another path to travel now.  I continue to pray about that and I know God will show us both what His plan is for her.  She has taken such good care of me.  I want her to be able to have fun and enjoy riding and being outside everyday.  I want her to be happy. It made my heart smile and break when she jumped up in that big work truck like she knew she was suppose to go on this adventure. So everyone stay tuned for more of Emmy’s Adventure and hopefully Willy Hunts a Hog! Oh and next post we will get to see the pictures from Pitt’s Landing!