Date: 2014-05-10
From: Waynesboro, VA

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Day 59: Saturday, 10 May 2014The Mum nad FAHthur here. We arrived in Bakersfield, CA, on Friday, at about 4:30pm. We found our way to the Olive Garden where Susie and John were having their rehearsal dinner. Susie's two daughters Suzanne and Katie, and grandkids Jayce, Cole, and Mason were there, along with her mother Connie. John's Best Man Dave and his wife Janice were there, and we'll be staying with them tonight at their house. A few others were also there to make a good-sized group of about 16 people.We left with Dave and Janice, following them home. They're dog-friendly, having 2 dogs of their own - a larger German Shepard mix and a small, indoor terrier mix. After our Warrior Princess Bully Chena made her presence known, the three small dogs got along great.The four humans spent the rest of Friday evening and Saturday morning talking, either around the kitchen table or in the living room. Dave made a fabulous breakfast for us - scrambled eggs with home fries and toast with homemade jam! We'll have to make reservations here again sometime! The dogs provided the entertainment with our two starting their game of chase, well, the Warrior Princess Instigator starts the game with MacGyver, and any other dogs are usually welcomed to participate. I think it was a bit much for Dave and Janice's dog because he threw up a couple times. We also watched as MacGyver was able to catch Chena, running on carpet, and she was bookin', never looking back to see if he was there! She KNEW he was quite literally on her tail!Well, Dave being Best Man, he needed to be at the appointed place earlier, so we all got ready to leave at the same time (about noonish) Saturday morning. Marty and I will be heading south after the wedding so we packed up to move out. When Susie had told us about her wedding back in Denver, our one concern was where to keep the dogs during the wedding, knowing that Bakersfield can be hot. Then, when we decided to leave from the wedding to go to Idyllwild, having the dogs close was a necessity. Last night at the dinner, Susie suggested that we can keep them in her office. The wedding is going to be at the retirement home where Susie works, the residents making up a good portion of the guests!Leaving Dave and Janice's place, Marty was loading up our stuff and let our dogs run out in the fenced-in yard with their dog. Unknown to us, a couple of Dave's chickens were in or got in the yard. Their dog is oblivious to the chickens, but ours, and especially MacGyver, the Dachshund, went on the hunt. We all left the house in our wedding best, calling for the dogs. Where's MacGyver? Dave reached into the bushes to rescue one of the chickens from MacGyver's mouth. I don't know if the poor thing was dead but it was definately in shock. Then Chena chased one under the fence where it appeared to be half stuck. A very pleasant evening and morning turned south very quickly, thanks to our dogs. I don't have the necessary writing skills to express how Marty and I felt to see those poor, little chickens at the mercy of OUR dogs.Dave was distraught, to say the least. These are his babies. He did say that another Dachshund had gotten into a cage and killed 5 baby chicks. That doesn't make us feel any better, but our dogs weren't the first to go after them.When we got to the wedding site, Dave came over to us and told us not to dwell on the incident. Today is about Susie and John, and that having chickens run free is a risk, whether it's dogs or coyotes. Thanks, Dave. You are very kind to help put us at ease after something like that.The rest of the afternoon was beautiful. A large canopy with tables was set up; everything looking casual yet elegant with drinks, cheeses, crackers, and fresh fruit. Susie's co-workers volunteered to organize everything and the residents even helped make the favors/toasting glasses - a small, decorated canning jar with paper-thin wood roses that Susie bought. How cute! The wood roses also made up the bouquets/corsages/buttonears. John's younger brother is in a Bluegrass band and they provided most of the entertainment. Susie's son Scott and his three nephews provide the rest of the entertainment on the dance floor! The residents left soon after the ceremony, creating a small, intimate gathering. We eventually sat with Susie's family, chatting with her mother and sister Shirley, who was Susie's bridesmaid.Time to roll for The Mum and FAHthur. We left the dogs in the car, finding a shady spot, and there was a breeze. We also checked on them in the middle of things and they were fine. So now dressed in our "Sunday Best", we're off to Idyllewild.The Mum of...