Dog Lovers - the understatement

What a fun week for us! It's been great for homesick me. The last few days felt like being in Dallas. There's good and bad to that. Bad (or Grant might argue good...) - we have plans every night this week. Good? They are mostly with TEXANS!! Cav (Lauren Cavender) has been in town hanging with us, there was basketball watching with Austin a few days ago, dinner with the Ravenesis last night. And Jon Tauber is coming this weekend! So fun! But in the midst of the last couple days, in a completely unrelated and random realization, I have reaffirmed what was quickly noted when moving here. Coloradans are obsessed with their dogs. They LOVE them! Not saying I hate it. We love Sage way too much and treat her like our child. But it's a whole nother level here! For example...

Grant and I had breakfast at our favorite place on Tennyson a few days ago. It's a cute little yellow house converted into a restaurant. Afterward, we decided to walk the strip and see what shops were there. In the process of four blocks, we passed two vets, a pet adoption center, and two dog accessory stores. But my favorite? Mouthfuls. It's a pet shop complete with toys, a million different colored collars and leashes, pet clothes, outdoor dog gear (backpacks and shoes), organic pet food, a ton of different flavors of dog treats and bones, and an entire snack bar with dog cookies covered in icing and cut in cookie shapes i.e. eggs and bunnies for easter. The best part? The store was packed with people and the cookies go fast! I'm not dogging the store (no pun intended!). I actually was a sucker for huge wall of dog toys and if Grant weren't with me, probably would have bought some! Check it out!  http://www.mouthfuls.net/

Then Monday, before meeting up with Britt to work out (hooray for a workout accountability partner!!), I took Sage to the dog park a few blocks away. This park, Berkeley park, is a 2 acre dog park on the edge of the lake. It's always packed. Even on my way to work in the morning (at 7am!) there are four or five people there, and when I took Sage around 5, probably 70 dogs. Not exaggerating! And of course Sage LOVES it! So many friends for her to play with!

And the kicker....going to restaurants. We've eaten out a lot this week since people are in town. Every restaurant in the Highlands, and several downtown, have dog bowls and faucets for water on their patios. We went to a bookstore the other day in the Highlands and there were two people with their dogs IN the store. Most of the stores on Tennyson and 32nd have dog friendly posts on their door. But the newest and funniest/coolest thing I saw last night at Parisi. Dog parking!! They are little hooks on the wall in a designated part of the parking lot outside Parisi, right next to the bike racks (which we used since we rode bikes to dinner!). The hooks are made special for you to attach leashes to. They literally are labeled Dog Parking Spots with little signs! Hilarious! I love it! Wish my dog was a little more behaved so we could take her in stores and restaurants. Maybe if we are here long enough she'll calm down someday...

On a side note, we had a blast with the Ravenesis and Cav! So good catching up with them and we were so glad they came to stay with us for a little bit! I can't wait to visit Matt and Jenny in Lake City, where they run Sky Ranch! Their stories are amazing as they are living solo on the ranch until the summer campers come. They even saw a mountain lion the other day! Crazy! Here's a pic of the largest calzone I've ever seen from Parisi last night! And I'm impressed to say that Matt ate every bit of it - and gelato after!

And what did we do when we got home after dinner? We played with the dog.  And then she slept with us in our bed. We fit right in I think!