It's a Dog's Life for Sure!

Have dog....will travel!
Let's just say that Buster is certainly enjoying his retirement years.  You'd never know by looking at this photo that he will turn 15 in November, would you?

We are once again staying at the Strasburg Hotel enroute to southern Virginia where we plan on having some quality grandchild time for a few days.  The staff here is quite taken with Buster, as he has become one of their frequent visitors.

Although most people think he's a puppy, his age shows while walking up the stairs.  The flights are about twice as long as the typical set of stairs, and he gets about half way up before he starts panting and just stops.  So, we pick him up and carry him the rest of the way.

And, since we're on the 3rd floor this time, Marty and I are certainly getting some exercise, although I'll admit that Marty gets a lot more than I do. :-)

But that's probably a good thing because he needs to work off that Tall Fat Tire!

No.....I am not insinuating that my husband is fat.  That's the name of the beer.

Had you going there for a minute, didn't I?

Firehouse Fun

When I texted the kids to let them know that we were on our way for a weekend visit, I was greeted with an invite to tag along with the Mom's group for a tour of the Squirrel Hill Fire station.

Now, how could I pass on that adventure?  Little did I know just how enjoyable the event would be.

The fireman were extremely welcoming and entertaining and they did their best to make the kids feel comfortable.

Each one of kids had the opportunity to sit inside the firetruck.

Pose with a fireman

And hold the water hose

There was a demonstration of just how a fireman puts on his layers of clothes, complete with oxygen tank and gas mask. This can look quite daunting to little kids, and the purpose in having the demonstration was to show the kids that even though a fireman may look scary behind the equipment, there is really a friendly fireman underneath.  

While the kids were being entertaining, I was enjoying the architecture of this station, built in 1906, which still boasts the ornate tin ceilings and many of the original tall windows frames and doorways.  Unfortunately, the pole that the men would have slid down in years past had been removed as the fireman facilities were all on the ground floor of the building.  Shucks!  That would have been fun to watch.

Being the inquisitive type, I found a friend in one of the fireman who was eager to answer all of my questions, and he surprised us all by asking us if we'd like a tour of the inside of the building.  

Thanks to this grandma, we soon found ourselves walking through the kitchen, den and sleeping areas.  Pretty cool.....don't you think?

These guys did a great job making the experience a fun time for all involved. 

My favorite part of the tour was when the fireman asked the kids, "So, what do you do when the smoke detector in your house goes off?

One of the kids answered, "You take out the batteries!!."

You can well imagine the reaction to that statement.  

Entertainment at its best.... and how lucky am I to have been invited to be part of the fun?