Dog Mob Returns to Nantucket

The merry crew of miscreants is back in Nantucket for two brief weeks of summer fun. Since not much else is likely to be going on with us for a bit, now we will begin the Our Vacation Slideshow episodes of this blog.

One major improvement on this year's trip over last year's is that Dog Mob has gotten a few more trips under their (nonexistent) belts and so they're much better behaved and -- bonus! -- easier to pose for pictures. Not that either of these things was particularly difficult the first time around, honestly, but now it's downright easy.

So here they are loading up in the parking garage one bright early morning in Philly:

Crookytail hears "Sloop John B" come on the radio. This song opens all playlists for major vacation trips. I would be surprised if Crooky actually recognizes it yet -- he hasn't been on that many trips -- but it could just be he's a Beach Boys fan. Or he likes car rides. Who knows.

Dog Mob awaits their lunch of chicken nuggets outside the Hyannis Port KFC. (I feel obliged to mention for the record that I do not regularly feed my crew junk food... but I do let them indulge on semi-annual road trips and sometimes when Pongu wins big things. Before this, I think the last time they'd gotten fast food was on the drive back from my parents' place in Alabama at Christmas.)

On the ferry. I couldn't keep Crooky from partly blocking the aisle, which kept me self-conscious throughout the ride, but other than that Dog Mob was very well-behaved. Quiet, (reasonably) unobtrusive, never budged when people walked past or over them. Crooky even made friends with a nice family behind us. They'd left their own dog behind on vacation and the kids missed her, so they really enjoyed getting to pet and cuddle Crookytail on the ferry.

Pongu made no friends but at least he didn't freak out at anyone, which I will count as a win for him.

And then, at last, we arrived in Nantucket. Tired and stressy as they were, Dog Mob humored their crazy person for a posed picture on a side street. I love the hydrangeas that bloom on every street here. Nantucket is a paradise for flowers of all sorts.

Of course, being on vacation doesn't mean Pongu is exempt from staying in competition shape! I brought along our practice stuff and he will keep practicing as much as I can manage.

And that was our first day on this trip.