This is Deputy Digby Pancake. I am a dog of few words unless it is about pancakes. And I am a dog of many words if it is about pancakes. And it is always about pancakes, so I suppose I am a normal, barking dog of just enough words.

Who cares about the clouds when we’re together?
Just sing a song, and bring the sunny weather.

Today, we are headed out of camp to another spot in this California place. Girl Person and Boy Person figure that since we are here, we might as well see just a few more things they want to see before they head out.

Girl Person says that spending the last year and a half rushing around has made her realize that there is pretty much nothing to rush around for. She says life is going to happen, no matter what you do. Whether you rush to get there or take your time is your choice. And I think you know my choice. Since the roads back to that Florida place aren’t going anywhere, we aren’t staying on the trail. In fact, we keep getting off of it.

So we are going to another wine region…surprise, surprise. And then, for years, Girl Person has talked about something called a french fry burrito that is in somewhere called San Diego. In case you didn’t know, french fries to Girl Person are like pancakes to me. Peanut butter cookies to Brickle. Nachos to Boy Person. And french fries are a valid excuse to spend our last days in California. Enjoying something we all love. I can love french fries too. I know it. Can you put maple syrup on them?

If you had to choose which one of us out of Brickle and I sticks to the trail, I suppose you would probably guess it would be me.

Actually, I know you wouldn’t pick me. I just tried to throw you off. The trail. Yes, truth be told, I never want to stay on any trail. I never want to stay on any road. And I never want to go in the direction that I am told to go in. I will go the opposite. That is my trail, in fact. And you know what? The older I get, the less I care about what direction I am told to go in. I have earned these foxhound strides to go where I please, much to the distress of Girl Person lately and her hurt arm. Guess all those years of pulling her off mountains, down mountains and off trails have taken their toll. But if she would just let me go in what direction I want to go in, it would be a lot easier. But just for a second, because then I would go the opposite way.

Some trails are happy ones,
Others are blue

Girl Person says that perhaps I should have had a job as a trailblazer. I don’t know what that is, but if it entails blazing trails by peeing on Brickle’s head, I have that covered. She says that is not what it means, but that it would be discovering new trails. Well, in my opinion, because I am a dog of just enough words, and they have about run out today, I am the best trailblazer in my own way! Trails to me are only one path you can go. There are so many others around it and off of it, still waiting to be discovered. If we only stick to one path, and don’t go down the ones we want to explore, how will we know if we like it? How will we know if our true destination is the opposite way we are going? Only if we try to go down that path. We can always turn around.

And so, if you have stayed on the trail for too long, it isn’t too late to go down another. There is still enough daylight left. Get off the trail.

It’s the way you ride the trail that counts,
Here’s a happy one for you.

-Deputy Digby Pancake

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