I’m Dreaming Of Lake Como. My Bag Is Not Packed Yet.
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This is Fruitycake. I have been thinking about going to Lake Como. I have not been packing for Lake Como because Girl Person says we do not know for sure if we can go yet. Apparently, thinking about something and making it happen are two different jobs. I have volunteered for the thinking part. I am extremely qualified.
We hope to visit an animal rescue in the Lake Como area on September 3. There are still things to figure out before we can make the trip happen. Girl Person is trying. Boy Person is trying. And I am looking at them with the expression that says I believe in them, but also, did anyone remember to pack my snacks?
Not that we are packing yet. I have been informed.
Lake Como is a place I have heard about for a very important reason. Brickle always thought he was handsomer than George Clooney. Not a little handsomer. Not handsomer in certain lighting. Handsomer as a fact that did not require a discussion.
George Clooney had Lake Como. Brickle had his face. Brickle considered that a fair distribution of assets.
I do not think Brickle would have needed a fancy house by the lake to feel important. He could stand on a patch of dirt and make it look like the patch of dirt had been very fortunate to meet him. Some dogs wear a collar. Brickle wore confidence. The collar was there for everyone else’s convenience.
If I get to go to Lake Como, I will not be trying to settle the handsome competition. That competition was settled by Brickle a long time ago. George may not have received the paperwork.
I would like to see the lake, though. Preferably from a boat.
Now, I know what you are thinking. Fruitycake, do you not hate the water?
Yes. Thank you for keeping up.
I hate the water. I love riding in boats. I love kayaking. These are perfectly reasonable things to feel at the same time. The whole point of a boat is that someone looked at the water and said, “What if we could go over there without getting in that?” Finally, a person with a good idea.
Water underneath me? Beautiful. Water touching me? We need to discuss what went wrong.
I can picture a little boat ride, if we get there and the chance comes along. The breeze in my fur. My persons beside me. Me looking toward the shore, wondering which building has sandwiches. Girl Person might be admiring the scenery. I would also be admiring the scenery, depending on whether the scenery serves lunch.
But the reason we hope to go is bigger than my boating dreams.
There are rescue animals we hope to meet and persons we hope to learn from. Girl Person and Boy Person want to get their hands into the work again. They want to understand how rescuers help animals here, what is difficult, what works, and what lessons they can carry into the work we hope to do back in the States.
They want to help you learn alongside them, too. Animals need help everywhere, but the ways persons organize that help can be different. Listening, asking questions, and working alongside others can help us figure out where our own efforts will do the most good.
Brickle and Digby are part of why that matters so much. Their lives helped give our family a purpose. There are still dogs waiting for someone to notice them. Still stories to tell. Still good that we want to do.
Girl Person needs to feel close to that purpose again. I think sometimes, when you have spent a long time trying to get through the day, remembering what you want to do with your days can feel like a little light coming on.
Right now, Lake Como is a hope. It is a date we are working toward and a trip we are trying to make possible. I cannot tell you we will be there. I can tell you that I would like to be.
And I am learning that you are allowed to look forward to something before you know how every part will work out. You can leave room for a different plan without putting your dreams away.
For now, I will keep dreaming about that little boat ride. But even more than that, I will dream about the dogs we might meet—the ones who do not know yet that someone could be on their way to tell their story.
Maybe that is the best reason to go anywhere. To remind someone they have not been forgotten. And maybe, along the way, to remind yourself that you still have something to give.
Girl Person says we will see what we can do. I will stay close while she figures it out. Sometimes, helping your person believe in tomorrow starts with sitting beside them today.
My bag is not packed yet. But there is a little space in my heart for a lake, a boat, some new rescue friends, and a day that helps my persons remember why we keep trying.
If we make it, I will look out over that water and think about Brickle. Still handsomer than George Clooney. Even from very far away.
And George? If I make it to Lake Como, please understand that I am visiting on behalf of a very handsome legacy. Brickle would want me to make that clear.
Fruitycake
Fruitycake’s Affirmation Today
I can have hope while the details are still uncertain. I will take the next step I can and be gentle with myself about what I cannot control. A dream does not have to be a promise to give me something good today.
P.S. From my paws to your heart: We are still working to make our September 3 rescue visit in the Lake Como area possible. If you would like to help us get there, learn from the rescuers, and share the animals’ stories, here are a few ways to join us:
🎷 Get my August 28–30 Jazz Weekend Adventure Workbook—three activities, three recipes adapted for dogs and persons, and a certificate! Share your adventures with #2TDHappiness so we can see them.
💛 Get my September Affirmations Workbook—a month of encouragement for you and your dog, with activities, recipes, and a certificate.
🐾 Donate any amount toward our rescue visit and project.
🛒 Help with our everyday necessities while we work toward the trip and keep our daily work going.
You can also help through Venmo @travelingdogs2 or Zelle: rachael@2travelingdogs.com. Add a note if your gift is for the rescue visit.
Both workbook purchases support our rescue efforts and the work we are building for the future. If giving is not possible, sharing this blog helps, too. Thank you for giving our little family reasons to keep hoping—and ways to keep helping. ❤️
