Last days on the lake, and time to head for home

Dwight Peck's personal website

Melvin the Doge and Choupette

A small collection of poignant photos of fairly cute cats, extracted from other webpages on this site.

You may not find this terribly rewarding unless you're included here, so this is a good time for casual and random browsers to turn back before they get too caught up in the sweep and majesty of the proceedings

Last days on the lake, and time to head for home

The joys of sitting out on the lawn by the lake on a fine day, but . . . reading's more difficult when the cats want in on it. 2 September 2023.

Something has caught the cats' attention.

Choupette is scowling.

Melvin is scowling. (They don't appreciate being disturbed.)

The water level's way down -- the hydrobike's essentially in drydock now. Melvin may be contemplating joining us but . . .

. . . he'd always rather just watch.

Thinking 'bon voyage' in cat talk, and . . .

. . . pausing for a drink.

Choupette pretending to be asleep, 9 September 2023

The day begins with the customary Eternal Vigilance.

Much later, settled in, awaiting the evening TV time (or awaiting someone opening that box of Greenie cat treats on the table; those are nightly simultaneous events)

Look who's noticed that there's a suitcase out. Determined not to be left behind. But this isn't for the Big One -- we're just going down to Wausau for the annual Birds in Art exhibition. Back soon.

Back up north now, to wonder why Melvin the Doge persists in treating septic tank lids as his regal throne

Emery and Choupette are playing about on the trampoline, when . . .

. . . Choupette tackles a project of her own.

-- What you lookin' at, Buster?!

[ -- Back off, don't antagonize her. ]

[Four photos apparently taken by Emery's mom Meryl]

Now we're on the road again, with bored cats. We're in Ignace, Michigan, by the Mackinac Bridge, and we forgot to tell them when we'd be back from dinner.

The next morning, Choupette is anxious to find out what's going on outside.

Too much traveling and stress has made Choupette wary, perhaps -- she's reluctant to come out.

That said, she has always been an appallingly bad or a not quite so bad traveler, but on this entire trip she has been very nearly perfect -- like Melvin, settling down and sleeping through 5 or 6 hours.

The next day, across Ohio around Columbus, on I-70 around Wheeling, WV, and a bit of Pennsylvania, and south to Morgantown, WV. We're not great fans of Morgantown, but the Cranberry is just a few miles east of the downtown on I-68 and we've stopped here several times, once with a few days for some local hiking in the Coopers Rock State Forest.

-- We're going out to dinner now, guys, don't be anxious; we'll be back soon. That's a promise.

-- You'd better be!

As we pull out for home, we must be careful not to leave anybody behind.

Back in Staunton

Careering down the Interstates over 4½ days, we've made it to the Old Y in Staunton, 21 September 2023, and the cats are resuming their acquaintance with their favorite catnapping accessories.

Melvin's adopted a new favorite hideout.

Choupette is constantly seeking new ways to frighten the old dad.

It's usually Choupette who begins these frequent bagarres with a speedy ambush . . .

. . . which usually ends in a standoff after a few minutes.

It's not easy to tell, but Choupette is happy to be home and contentedly up on her perch.

Or grabbing a quick snooze on the side of the bathtub.

She's been a little more wary and watchful very recently, as if . . .

. . . she suspects that all of this elaborate luggage packing might not include her. 'Don't leave us behind!'

But we did. We're in Italy now for a month.

Fun with Melvin and Choupette