Day 434

Safety in numbers was the theme at our house this afternoon during an impromptu thunderstorm. Pictured here are Gus, Sammy and Queen Lilly on her throne. Ranger is not in the picture since he was sitting in my lap! This pack sticks close together when nerves are in play. They also crave nearness to their humans when they are uneasy.

We are quite similar in our needs. Today, we had the maiden voyage of the SS MacKechnie on Briggs and Julia lakes. Being unfamiliar with the pontoon and the lakes, we asked our beloved friends, Don and Libby, to join in on the adventure! More than once, their calming presence made the experience wonderful.

Solo adventures are certainly not for everyone, but the handful of brave people I know have my respect forever. Hiking the entire West Coast (Annie), lengthy car adventures (Gina), following a dream to Burbank, CA (Jimmy) and a few other intrepid souls will forever be champions in my eyes!

For myself, and most everyone I know, safely in numbers is the way to go! I find that the combination of knowledge, creativity, security and simply knowing you're not alone, makes an adventure more enjoyable. Even though I have had a couple of "solo adventures," my nerves got in the way of true bliss!

As for my Goldens, they were born to be a pack. Perhaps it comes down from their ancestors, who needed others to survive in the wild. For humans, safety in numbers has its merits...if for no other reason than to share a memory with great friends!