I’ve always loved to travel. But when I started traveling with a purpose…to give my dogs the best lives possible…that’s when travel became a part of me. A true part of me. And every place we have visited together the last 14 years has taught us a lesson. Some we would rather forget. Some we hold on to. Some places have a way of changing your life forever. The Cotswolds of England definitely did that.

Last month, we were preparing for the plane ride from New York to London. And honestly, we look almost cancelled that flight two days before. Brickle was not feeling his best. And no plane ride or destination was worth his life. No plans or dreams meant risking his life. We decided to wait a day before making a decision. And I had a long talk with him. I told him it was ok if we didn’t go. I told him his house in Italy would be his house no matter what. And that he would be with us no matter what.

We prayed. And we tried to step back and realistically make the best decision for Brickle. Some how, the next morning he acted better. He ate. And he had a little life in his eyes. I realized that Brickle’s life course would be the same whether we stayed or went. The plane ride with Bark Air was the safest and most comfortable way for him. And so we went. And he was fine. He was more than fine. And I knew we had made the best decision we could for him. And I was at peace.

But I didn’t expect to find magic. London was great. But we had so much jet lag. And it wasn’t until we got to the little villages in the Cotswolds we found our rhythm. Seeing Brickle and Fruitycake find their magic and their individual selves here has been one of the absolute best experiences of my life. Maybe I can’t put it into words fully. But maybe the pictures can. And so I knew I had to put a book together for others to feel the magic. I hope you love it.

I know we all have to make the best decisions for our dogs individually. But this is one time that I’m so happy I gave him this experience.

We aren’t done with Brickle’s care. It’s an ongoing battle. Some days we feel like we get ahead in that battle. Some days we don’t. But we will always try our best. And we have a vet visit tomorrow to make sure he is ok to go to France. Are we worried? Yes. But also, we trust that information to make the best decisions for Brickle.

Thank you for spending time with us here in the Cotswolds. We have felt your encouragement. And we hope we have encouraged you.

If you’d like to contribute to Brickle’s health fund and be entered to win a Cotswolds book, you can do so here! We thank you. So much.