My First Official Summer Weekend

Summer has officially started, and this was my first weekend of many at my chalet in Quebec. Although I now live in the city, this is where I grew up, and I always love coming back here for as long as possible.

It just so happened that this time my brother Oakley was with me! How fun is that?

Now I know many of you are probably expecting another adventure of BATDOG & Robin, but hey, even superheros need a break now and then. Plus, there’s not many wiener dog babes here to impress, so it’s like heck, what’s the point?

And to kick off the weekend there was carrot cake waiting for us when we arrived Friday evening. By the way, I am quite an expert at baking carrot cake myself – read about Cooking with Crusoe – Carrot Cupcakes here.

Saturday morning I was up nice and early to go do my absolute favorite summer activity – fishing. I asked Oakley if he wanted to come, but he just mumbled something and hid back under the covers. Oh well, more fish for me.

Here’s me in my super-cute fishing outfit.

I then cast off with my Uncle Jack in the little fishing dinghy to go find a good fishing hole.

You see, when you go fishing with me, the trick is to find a fish quickly. I get so excited and anxious (and pretty vocal), so it’s better to catch one before I scare them all away. I know my technique is not ideal, but I truly cannot help it. It’s just so exciting.

Here fishy fishy fishy…

Within only 5 minutes of cruising in the little fishing boat, we hooked what was the biggest Lake Trout my Uncle Jack has ever caught on this lake. Call it luck, or call it my natural fishing ability (most likely the latter).

I’ve described many times before how I excited I get when fishing, but here’s my first proof on video!

(Make sure your sound is on).

That was so exciting, but it unfortunately came to a quick end. Only seconds after this video finished, that big trout managed to snap the line and escape. So much for my trophy shot with that bad boy..

It was fun while it lasted, but maybe it’s a good thing it ended rather quickly. Let’s just say you better be pretty darn patient to go fishing with me – and I don’t mean for the fish. However, if you’re into cute dachshunds, you’ll probably do just fine ; )

Ain’t that the cutest fisherman’s butt you ever seen?

Once we got back to the dock, Oakley was there waiting for me, and perhaps a little jealous (and skeptical) of the grand story I had to tell. Luckily I got most of it on video to back it up.

I felt a bit bad that he didn’t get to experience that little adventure, so I decided to cheer him up with a little quality time.

Here we are sharing a stick together.

It was then that I decided I would lead him on an awesome expedition to make up for it.

So later that day, we went on an epic 2-hour expedition through the untamed interiors of Quebec’s vast and uninhabitable forests.

Oakley was a little reticent at first to follow me, but I assured him that if he followed in my paw-steps, he would be safe – to a degree. Because after all, what is an adventure without a little danger to stir things up?

Here we are exploring this fast-moving stream like the two adventure wieners we are.

I should probably mention that just another dozen or so meters down the stream from here, there was a hundred-foot high waterfall (by my judgement). Now that’s living on the edge.

I then decided to show Oakley how to do my iconic ‘inner-balance’ pose on a stump (I have many iconic poses). So I hopped up on the stump to show him how. It’s important to bolster a look of confidence when doing this pose – and to flex of course.

Then it was Oakley’s turn.

We placed Oakley on the stump with all four of his paws on it. I’m not sure why, but perhaps he just wasn’t ready for this one yet, Oakley slumped down and took some lower footholds on the stump in a rather feeble attempt.

What a silly guy, and just as a disclaimer here, the actual top of the stump was flat and he took this position himself, so it didn’t hurt him. He was helped down though!

Actually, it kind of makes sense, as Mum and Dad always comment that whenever they pick up Oakley, it’s like trying to hold a piece of cooked spaghetti – soft and floppy. While I on the other hand, am solid as a rock (hence my chiseled physique).

I told Oakley it was okay if he couldn’t do the pose, but that he should at least face the camera and attempt to look confident at what he was doing. I’ve always said that it doesn’t matter how well you do something as long as you look good doing it.

This was how his next shot turned out..

Oh well, I guess sometimes you just have to let things be…

When we returned from our expedition, we were so revved up that we were in the mood to do some crime fighting. So we tossed on our superhero outfits, but before we knew it the effects of the hike had kicked in and it was nap time before we could make it to the bat-bike.

We didn’t even have time to take off our outfits.

So much for savin’ babes.

Keep fishin’,

~ Crusoe