Buh-Bye, Dog Days

Another summer is in the books. The Dog Days of Summer are behind us, and Fall is presenting itself. You know how I know that? Let’s all say it together: Pumpkin Spice. The U.S. has been overtaken by Pumpkin Spice.  Geez. Give it a rest, people.  Pumpkin Spice Everything Everywhere All At Once is here. It’s in so many products, I’m surprised they haven’t invented Pumpkin Spice Underwear. That being said, I just bought a Pumpkin Bonfire scented candle, because, ya know, Fall is in the air. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.

But, before we move too far into Fall, I have a few stories that happened here or there over summer. You might find them interesting. Or not. I can’t please all of you. But, repeating what happened helps solidify memories in my tired-ole brain, so bear with me as I recount several minor events from Summer 2025. Pour yourself a Pumpkin Spice Latte, and then get ahold of a nice fall-inspired Apple Cinnamon Brown Butter treat, or whip yourself up a batch of homemade Caramel Corn. Snacks ready? OK, settle in for a few minutes as I begin.

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--------Game Over--------

I have completed my Summer License Plate Game. For good. The final installment. Over. Done.

Quick recap: When my kids were young, I printed out a sheet of all 50 U.S. state license plates. While on the road, we tried to spot a car from each state so we could mark them all off. My kids were like, "meh," but I thought it was a cool game. Unfazed by their disinterest, I ignored my spoilsports killjoys duds underacheivers bores, um, children, and challenged myself to play the game every summer. Each year, when my school let out for summer, I printed a brand-spanking new list of license plates and began monitoring the roads. I attempted to spot all 50 states during summer, before the end of Labor Day holiday in September.  It was a 3-month summer game that I looked forward to, and thoroughly enjoyed. My family was like, "There she goes again."  The game was hard, and it had been, maybe, 15 years since I had found all 50 license tags. I was always missing 3 or 4 when time was up.

But, this year was different……I found all 50 states on my Summer License Plate Game! I spent weeks looking for my last state—Vermont—when suddenly it appeared right before my eyes in a restaurant parking lot. If you recently heard someone's earsplitting scream:

**VERMONT!!!!!**

that would have been me. I was, how shall we say........Excited. Rob, who was driving the car, and our friends, who were in the back seat, are still paying for audiologist visits to try to restore their damaged hearing. OK, not really. But, I was thrilled, completely thrilled. And loud. Sorry, not sorry.

Having hit the gold 50, all states captured, I have decided to retire the game. After 25 or so years, it has run its course. Time to cool it. Next year, no Summer License Plate Game for me. Going out on a high note. Game Over. My family is like, "WHAT?? You’re not going to play anymore????"  As if they care.

-->Coming clean: Technically, I stretched the rules a little this summer. Seeing that I was in Hawaii one month before the game officially started, I appealed to the Game Master (me) and got approval to take advantage of the multitude of Hawaii license tags and check off the state of Hawaii, even though it was a tad too early to get real credit for the find. I figured that bending the rules was justified because I asked so nicely. I have no regrets.

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--------Just Down The Road--------

Rob and I went to a small concert in Brevard, North Carolina, on the campus of Brevard College, a liberal arts school with an emphasis on music education. We heard Mavis Staples, aged 86, an American rhythm and blues and gospel singer and civil rights activist. She rose to fame as a member of her family's band The Staple Singers, of which she is the last surviving member. (per Wikipedia).  You might have heard songs from the 60s & 70s like I’ll Take You There, and Respect Yourself, or more recently, like Down in Mississippi. She’s a multi Grammy winning icon in the music industry.  She’s got that deep guttural voice that belts out with edgy tones. And, she’s a trip on stage. Brimming with personality. Her set was short, but it packed a punch. We loved seeing and hearing her perform.

But, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to The Forum Concert. Brevard, North Carolina is in the beautiful densely forested Blue Ridge Mountains. Excited to leave the hot Atlanta suburbs behind, we decided to get to Brevard early, and enjoy the cooler mountain temperatures by hiking and discovering numerous waterfalls in the region. We packed lunch, prepared our gear, and started driving to a selected trailhead, marveling at the gorgeous surroundings as we went. There was still evidence of damage from Hurricane Helene in this part of North Carolina, but nature was doing its part to recover.

Driving towards the hiking trailhead, we turned off the paved road to navigate down a gravel access road. That's when a big storm came out of nowhere. It hadn't shown up on the weather predictions, or on the weather radar app. It started raining Like Cats and Dogs, pelting our car with intense, violent sheets of rain. Expecting it to let up soon, we continued down the gravel road, parked, and ate our sandwiches in the car. After 30 or 45 minutes of waiting in the car, the rain finally stopped. We theorized that the steep hiking trails would be muddy and slippery and way yuckier than we had planned. So, we decided to axe the hike and drive back to our hotel, where we might go to the pool, or take a nap, or window shop in town. It was going to be about a 10 minute drive back to our hotel in Brevard. Or was it?

Just down the road we encountered a police officer who was turning cars away. Seems a huge tree had fallen and blocked the road during the unexpected storm. No one could pass. Not knowing the area, and with limited cellphone service, we asked the officer how we could get back to Brevard. He said, and I quote, “Ohhhh, you’re not going to like this…”  Mountains being what they are, there are limited roads in western North Carolina. Following his advice, we drove in the opposite direction, connected with the National Park Service Blue Ridge Parkway, circled around, did the Hokey-Pokey, and arrived back at our hotel an hour and a half later. What should have been a 10 minute drive. Sure, the scenery was spectacular, but we were concerned about the time, and whether we would have enough of it to change clothes, eat dinner, and make it to the concert on time. So, we were slightly stressed.  Thankfully, it all worked out, and we had a lovely evening with Mavis Staples at Brevard Music Center.

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Dog-gone it, I had more stories to tell. But, I can hear you slurping the last sips of your Pumpkin Spice beverage, so I’d better wrap it up.

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-------Love Me, Love My Dog-------

As the Dog Days of Summer passed into the rearview mirror, I caught sight of an adorable scene that I had to photograph. Matching window stickers. That’s my (messy) car on the right, and a fellow dogophile on the left. "Tell your dog I said hi." Looking at the cars side-by-side, I can't help but add conversational inflection to say "Tell YOUR dog I said hi." OK, and "Tell YOUR dog I said hi." Sweet.

With all the animosity and vitriol we encounter in this Dog-Eat-Dog world, it’s nice to know there are some people out there I can relate to. There's still a little kindness going around.

I'm Sick As a Dog of hearing all the hate that swirls around these days. Dog Tired of it. Our country has really Gone To the Dogs. It's just a Dog and Pony Show with people Throwing Each Other to the Dogs, hurting others, literally and figuratively. A bunch of Glory Hounds looking to be recognized at the expense of others. So many folks are acting Mean As a Junkyard Dog.

I don't want to go Barking Up the Wrong Tree, but maybe I could Work Like a Dog and start an Underdog industry making and selling stickers that say “Tell Your GRANDMA I Said Hi”, “Tell Your MOM I Said Hi”, “Tell Your DAD I Said Hi”, "Tell Your AUNT I Said Hi”, “Tell Your NEIGHBOR I Said Hi,” and so on. Those stickers might casually remind us to think of each other as real people authentically involved in real relationships with others. People who have much in common with one another. Not enemies, just people.

Acknowledging our similarities, maybe we could all calm down, Teach an Old Dog New Tricks, and turn this ill-fated ship around before it's too late. We could Call the Dogs Off, shutter the Dogs of War, and start treating one another with respect and decency. Maybe Fall of 2025 is the perfect time to start. I Double Dog Dare us as a nation to try.