We are going on a trip! Fred has been patiently explaining what that means. He says Mom and Dad will drive, but it won’t be in the little car like when they took me to the vet. It will be in the big van that is parked in the driveway. He said that it is like our house on wheels. Mom and Dad will sleep in the van, and Mom cooks. We will have our food and our water bowls so we can eat or drink as we go down the road. Mom also ordered a special kind of litter box that she hopes will work well for me in the van. She took me outside and clipped a dog lead from my harness to the clothesline. She told me she didn’t want me to run away while she was making trips to and from the van to pack it. Fred said that we would be on the road for three nights before we get to Illinois. He explained that while we were on the road, he jumps up to sleep in mom’s bed. At night he has to sleep on the floor. Mom has one bed and Dad has another so there is room on the floor for Fred in between. I will have to decide where I want to sleep. I might want to sleep with Mom, or with Dad, or even on one of the front seats. It all sounds scary, but yet I am excited.

The morning that we start on our trip, Mom takes me out to the van. She attaches my harness to a cord that goes from the back of the van. She explains that I won’t be able to reach her or Dad at the front seat while they are driving. She explains that this is another way to keep me safe because I won’t be able to run away whenever they stop to let Fred out.

The van makes different noises than the little car had made. This really scares me. I really would like to curl up on Mom’s lap, but that cord is too short for me to reach her. I yell at them. Mom tells me that it will be okay. I’m not sure I believe her, but I don’t want to keep yelling. Fred has settled himself on the couch/bed as he said he planned to do. I try to curl up next to him, but the noise is still too scary. I find a place under the pillows that makes me feel safe again. All of the excitement has worn me out. The blankets under me are soft, and the pillows over me muffle the noise.

I don’t know how long I slept, but the scary noises have stopped, and Fred has left his spot on the bed. I crawl out when I hear the side van door open. I see Fred on a leash with Dad walking in the grass. The cord is long enough for me to go to the door, but I realize I would need a leash to actually go outside. Mom scoops me up to cuddle me before she puts me back on the bed. She starts pulling things out of the refrigerator to put in a bag along with bread and potato chips. I think I’m going to be left all alone when she takes the bag and goes out the door. I am so happy when a minute later she comes back to put me on a leash! We walk over to a funny table that is in the shade. She takes things out of the bag. Dad and Fred join us. Fred says this is called a picnic. Mom and Dad talk about what they want on sandwiches. Fred says sandwiches are great. I don’t think they sound good, but I climb up on the table to watch what’s going on.

After lunch Mom packs everything back into the bag. She clips me back on that inside cord and then unpacks that bag again in the van. Fred jumps back on the bed, and the noises from the van start again. I find my place back under the pillows and go back to sleep. So far, I’m not sure if I like the idea of a trip.