Hey, Frendz! Your fave scoop-sniffin JournoDog has just survived one of the most terrifying yet rewarding investigative assignments of my canine career.
Just when I thought my Up North tour couldn’t get any better than my time in the spring as a Deck Dog, Ma and Dad packed up and took us to Summer’s Lakehouse in the Northern Thumb.
This was a special trip dedicated to bringing tail-wagging cheer, snuggs, and good doggo company to my sweet older gal-pal Summer, who I first met earlier this season at her house with a big clear water bowl and boiling hooman stew tub in the backyard.
For this Northern Thumb trip, it was a wild weekend packed with dodging hazy Canadian wildfire smoke, late night hooman card games, resisting the sandy sinking ground and angry white-capped waves, mastering Summer’s genius “treat-per-doorstep” protocol, and hitting a 6-out-of-6-paws jackpot with meat cubes at the local brewery.
Smoky Skies and Scary Ferocious Waves
The weather wasn’t a good boi.
News reports said the sky was all hazy and smelled like campfire because of Canadian wildfire smoke blowing across the big lake of waves. It covered up the big bright ball in the sky for part of the weekend, so we stayed inside and only went to the waterfront once.
At that point, the smoky haze had cleared up a bit, but it left behind very windy conditions. And that is when the torture began.
After walking down metal stairs with teeth that tried to grab my clickity click paws, I made it onto a wobbly sandy beach that shifted and made me sink with each step.
When I looked out at the massive water, there wasn’t another side and just looked like an infinite void of wetness.
Then, Ma and Dad tried to lead me down onto the wet quicksand beach and drag me right into the scary water!
The liquid earth was screaming and ferocious angry waves were coming to get me and pull me into the watery abyss!!!
No thank you. Hard pass. I slammed on the doggo brakes. The sand was still shifting under my paws, the wind and waves were howling at me, and those big white water monsters kept roaring toward me. Scary stuff!
Dad stayed with me at first and kept trying to pull me toward the furious waves and into the scary water. Ma tried, too. But I said No and thwarted their torture.
To make matters worse, Ma, Dad, and our New Ma and Dad Frendz actually waded right out into the choppy chaos. From my safe spot on the beach, I watched the whole scene in total shock.
They were getting tossed around by the wild tide, trying to dodge the waves. Out past them, other hoomans were floating in the deep water, waving their arms in the air and yelling.
To a trained doggo reporter, it was obvious they were experiencing pure panic. I stood my ground on the wet sand, determined not to let the liquid monster pull me into the depths of the big natural never-ending water bowl.
Summer’s Lakehouse Vibes
Once we safely escaped the beach trauma, we retreated inside the Lakehouse for some well-earned relaxation.
While the hazy smoke drifted outside, the hoomans relaxed while Summer and I sniffed around and traded stories. We also took a snooze.
This is when I discovered old gal Summer is a true genius. I uncovered her absolute best lakehouse habit and had to join in for rigorous journalistic reporting validation.
Summer has trained her hoomans to perfection.
Every single time she goes OUTSIDE and steps back inside, even if it’s just to sniff a sniff for two seconds, she gets a little cookie treat. Every. Single. Time.
Once I realized this rule existed, I immediately began my hands-on-reporting. I will try to implement this mandatory policy with Ma and Dad permanently once we’re back home.
Meat Cubes & Bestest Day Ever
Speaking of treats and good scoops, another highlight of the trip was time in the town, in what I am officially calling the BESTEST DAY EVER.
We headed into town to a local brewery with a great dog-friendly patio (solid ground, no crazy waves).
Now, hoomans go to breweries for the bubbly drinks in glasses. But this JournoDog was there wearing my food-critic doggo hat.
As the hoomans chatted, Summer and I relaxed, surveyed the scene, and just looked pretty. Every now and then a stray snack from a hooman, and many stray hoomans also gave us good attention, pats and praise as they strolled by.
That’s how we met the coolest brewery lady ever. She took one look at my handsome face and instantly understood my dietary needs, serving up meat cubes:
- Steak Bites: Juicy, bite-sized pieces of absolute perfection. I didn’t even have to do any complex mathematical finking about how to chew. They just melted in my mouth.
- Salmon Bites: Flaky, savory, and smelling like heaven. I deployed my most powerful hypnotic “feed-me” eyes, and the pay-off was glorious.
The fact that they had a cool water bowl stationed at our outdoor table was a nice touch, too.
My JournoDog verdict: the Thumb Brewery deserves 6 out of 6 🐾 🐾 🐾.
With bellies full, we left to claim some more trees, shrubs, and wall corners around town before the smoke began to drift back in.
So we got back into the big silver transport van with a ramp for Summer as she’s older with fussy hips, and headed back to the Lakehouse.
Relaxing into the night
We all took a rest and Summer and I dozed before the next phase of adventures.
Later after the excitement of the meat cubes had simmered and trauma of the water and waves had faded away, the hoomans gathered around the table to play cards.
I took my rightful place right in the middle of the action underneath the center of the table, making sure no snacks dropped on the floor unnoticed.
Every now and then I made sure to remind Ma and Dad I was still there, and they gave me some love before I found a new spot to relax.
There were more cookie treats, of course, but mostly the hoomans laughed and played cards loudly as us doggos just waited for the next breaking story to develop.
JournoDog’s Thumbnail Verdict
The Lakehouse was great for hanging with Summer and watching card games, but getting those steak and salmon meat vibes from the awesome brewery lady totally made the trip.
Oh, for background: it’s been a really tough time for Summer lately. She recently lost her brother, Max, and her doggy heart has been so sad.
Being at her Lakehouse for the weekend, I knew I had a big journalism job to do.
Between my company, some shared lakehouse sniffs, love and attention from my Ma and Dad, and a change of scenery, we got her tail wagging.
Seeing her cheer up and have some fun was better than any treat!
Until next time, JournoDog out.
Remember, love your pets. Support local journalism. Avoid shifting sand and angry ferocious waves. Make sure to negotiate for meat cubes and extra treats, and always try to find smiles and happz for your heart every day.
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