E is for Everywhere

Traveling to somewhere. He's so ready.

This is not a Michelle Branch song. Baxter has not figured out how to time travel, and literally be everywhere at once (although if he did, that'd be pretty cool).

E is for Everywhere because I try to bring Baxter everywhere. He's traveled to: Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, Georgia, and many states between. He's lived in Michigan, Massachusetts, Maine (twice now!), and North Carolina. He's made friends from other countries (including but not limited to: Ecuador and the Phillipines). He goes to New Year's gatherings with me, Thanksgiving feasts with friends, Neon and Glow in the Dark themed proms, and when the job allows it, work. When I do my public speaking gigs at middle schools, he's usually in the backseat.

He isn't afraid of a 14 hour car ride, but with the 18-20 hour rides, he starts getting fussy (still a champ, but more reluctant to get back in the car for awhile).

Waiting for my car to finish with its oil change.

Many of my friends know that if I'm coming, Baxter is, too. Many will already have bowls down on the
ground, one filled with water, and one waiting to be filled with the food that I'll bring. The truth is, I don't like being separated from him. Four years was quite enough, thank you.

However, this traveling can sometimes be problematic. Like that time a deer decided to T-Bone my car, explode the window, rip off my side mirror, and all around jack up my car.

Baxter was in the backseat. his snout was covered in glass. I had glass down my shorts, down the back of my shirt, pretty much everywhere. When I looked, I was grateful that it was my window and not his that had exploded (last time I'd seen him, his face had been pressed against his window).

After the deer accident

All we were trying to do was get some frozen yogurt from the new shop that had opened up. Geeze.

My sister was (thankfully) in the car behind us. After the cop did his report, Laura looked at me and said, "Look, I don't appreciate him drooling all over my car, but I don't want him standing in all that glass, I'll take him home."

Since then, it makes me nervous every time he gets into the car with me because though I can control my driving, I can't control deer, or other drivers, or snowstorms, or falling trees. I limit the times he'll ride with me (if conditions are bad, he stays home and glares at me.) It's already been a bumpy ride for us. I make a silent prayer that the car rides won't make it any bumpier.