Teddy is home!

 We picked up Teddy today. Before departing there was just one more thing I needed for Teddy's album... A picture of Ross and Leslie. For without whom there would be no Teddy.

This is the real truth: To produce well-rounded, nicely adjusted, adaptable, low anxiety pups you need a Leslie. It takes a boatload of energy, care, knowledge and passion to do this job. Leslie planned everything from conception to birth, she slept on a cot near the pen for weeks, sacrificed a lot, cleaned up a lot and bathed in an environment of never-ending grunts, high-pitched barks and whines. It's easy to think this is so cute that it makes the job easier. Nope. It's cute AND it's still hard. So yes, we are beyond grateful for her effort, energy and enthusiasm, for without Leslie, our Teddy would not have realized his 8 week old potential. 

She even bathed him last night!

Ok, so Teddy and I took our spot in the back seat and settled in while Mark drove the first leg. He was a super quick to settle. Maybe in part because Leslie had "prepared him" with potty time outside, play time, food and a last wee drink of milk from mom, Lola. Yes, all that for us and him, by 7:30 am.

It was a pretty day and forecast to be not much more than partly cloudy most of the way home. We stopped about every 90 mins for a little stretch of the legs.

At Rock Springs it was discovered that Sheriff's were enforcing an I80 road closure and hundreds of semi's were lined up... parked. The closure, due to 95mph winds over the pass resulting in zero visibility from the ground blizzard, was estimated to last 9-11 hours.  Eek... that's not going to work!  We asked Google to find an alternative. 

That's when we found ourselves headed through Medicine Bow wilderness from the NW corner of Colorado. The roads were unpaved, icy and deserted - except for the free-range grazing. This wild space was gorgeous and without such a wrinkle in our plans, we likely would have gone a lifetime without seeing it. 

Bathroom breaks were frosty. This one was around Medicine Bow or Arapahoe National Forest or somewhere in between!

Teddy slept on.

Rest stop at Craig, Colorado and hallelujah, back on paved and well used roadways!

After this, it got dark. We passed through Steamboat Springs, Kremmling and then into Silverthorne. All in the dark on icy roads. But at least there was other traffic with us now. (I was driving, so no pics.)

Arriving home near 9pm, we were exhausted and oh so happy to be here. Both cats greeted us and Teddy. Rusty then made a beeline for his spot under the sofa, out of sight and reach. Wrigley hung out though... social distancing of 3 feet was enforced with hissing. They are going to be tight. I can tell.