Mussette is an old friend, and when I was talking with Chris about the missed opportunities to try to escape to a cottage or trailer over the summer, he suggested that I talk with Mussette. We got in touch, hastily made the arrangements, and these are just some pictures that were taken over Thanksgiving in 2012. It was the kind of no-hassle weekend that I was looking for, so I'm glad to have made the trip.

We met some nice people. For example, one time that I took Kitty out for a walk, we passed by a house where the owners have a big front yard, and two dogs. The two dogs were out there to check Kitty out, but there was a bush that was in-between us, and the owner said that they won't leave the property. He told me that they are friendly, so I walked back to his driveway, and we introduced ourselves to each other. Ken's two dogs were lots of fun. One was a lab, and the other a sheepdog. The sheepdog was the boss. She sat down from about 10 feet away, and watched as Kitty and I entered the area. Got up. Came closer. Slowly made her way up to me, and then sat down with a lean against my leg. Watched Kitty the whole time, with interest, but no fear or aggression. I finally stopped petting her, and we all just started meandering. To the back of his property, as it turned out. Kitty and the new dog-frineds sniffing up a storm. Kitty, taking a pea, seemed to please Ken in that way that a person recognizes a dog that is comfortable. It's too bad that I didn't have a camera with me.

Ken told me a story about his neighbour, who apparently is so unhappy about dogs next door, that he lures them to his property, because there are only trees and brush separating, no fence. Then he calls the animal services to take the dog away. Which means Ken then has to drive about an hour to pick up the innocent dog. Ken tried calling the police once, who agreed that by following the tracks in the snow, the neighbour appears to be bringing the dogs right to him, but can't lay any kind of charge. I suppose that it goes to show that people are people, no matter where they live, and how close together they are. Ken and his neighbour have a good 50m or so between houses, so the dogs really had to be lured to get them over, Ken believes. And I can't help but agree, based on the fact that even though Kitty was walking by the front of the yard, the dogs wouldn't get within 3m of the property line. Or Kitty, I guess. But they resisted the urge to come to the dog to meet them.

We went inside so that Ken's wife could meet Kitty. Ken's wife, whose name eludes me, was very pleased to have been woken up from her nap to meet Kitty. Kitty also met the household cat, and the two of them got along just fine. I'm glad that our dogs can happily co-exist with dogs. We miss our cat Hepplewhite.

Mussette doesn't have any internet or cable service, but they have a large enough selection of DVDs to spend some time, and we did do that. We also brought up some DVDs of our own. We watched the first season of The West Wing. We also watched a few Jason Statham movies, like The Bank Job, and War. I'm not sure that I'm a fan of dominoes.

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Danforth barrels at me.
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Danforth barrels past me.
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Kitty checks the property out..
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Kitty checks the property out.
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Kitty checks the property out.
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Kitty checks the property out.
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Kitty checks the property out.
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What a shock, Danforth barrels.
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Danforth and Kitty have a lot to explore.
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Danforth and Kitty have many smells to learn from.
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Danforth and Kitty are learning in the same direction.
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Kitty explores on her own.
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Kitty is always fine to explore independently of Danforth.
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Danforth barrels, pt 1.
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Danforth barrels, pt 2.
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Danforth barrels, pt 3.
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Danforth barrels, pt 4.
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Kitty on the deck.
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Danforth and Kitty wait to be fed. Will there be bacon? Maybe tomorrow.
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Kitty is being coy.
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Kitty is not being shy.
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Danforth stares out the window.
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Danforth is playing the role of neighbourhood watch.
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Danforth, the adorable look.
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Danforth checks out a bed.
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Kitty, Sarah and Danforth.
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Kitty.
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Kitty, looking like she's considering what to say.
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Kitty.
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Danforth being shy? No, he's incapable. Just checking things out.
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Kitty. She came to us with just a hint of grey on her muzzle.
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Danforth's curiousity can be cute.
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BACON!
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Kitty and Danforth check out the world
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Sarah, Kitty and Danforth on a walk.
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Sarah, Kitty and Danforth on a walk. Danforth rarely walks when he's off-leash.
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Kitty climbs a hill on a walk.
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Kitty explores a hill on a walk.
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Danforth goes prancing to Sarah.
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Danforth just comes running.
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Danforth, alert for bacon.
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Danforth checking for bacon.
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Kitty looking for attention, while Danforth follows his instinct.
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Kitty. What a cutie.
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Kitty isn't checking out the dirt-bike track.
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Kitty and Danforth.
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Kitty.
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Kitty.