Driving Miss Zoe

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¿Quién necesita ID? Tengo gafas de sol.  Ahora uno más, y hazlo rápido.

June is a great month.  The academic year is done (for college folks anyway), and the threat of the coming year is oh so far away.  There's some respite before summer teaching begins in earnest, and there are vacation days to be spent.  But first, a little sustenance from the local cantina. 

Man, two Negra Modelos and the Zoster's coordinating on the floor!

The favorite -- and reversible -- dress is this snazzy number from Aunt Alice and Uncle Paddy.  It gets wee Zoe piles of compliments for good reason: she wears it well.  Particularly when the little one is rolling about the floor on her fantastic blankets.  However, the summer is short, so it was time to hit the rookie road: 

Papa's been working long and hard teaching Zoe how to give someone the ol' hairy eyeball.
 The lifted classes and tilted head are just icing on the cake. 

First things first - up to Lakewood, the most perfect stopover point ever.  And they have a lake! And a stream - or was it a river?  A creek?  Not sure exactly, but Zoe had a great time at the park while the cousins took turns in the kayak.

Papa -- look where you're going!  Iceberg, right ahead!!!

Speaking of boats, the clan made one last quick trip up to the river.  (For the summer that is...)  Strange that - a final river trip in June.  Hmpf.  Regardless, boatrides never fail to please the whole fam.

Conveniently, someone has erected a plaque noting the difference between the United States and Canada.

This being Tommy & Cara's fourth anniversary, they did what any loving parents would do:  Leave the kiddo with the grandparents and flee the country!  All of about 5 miles away is a nice little pub in Rockport, Ontario called the Boathouse.  They could tell you more, but then they'd have to kill you.

While a fancy dinner was had by the not-so-newlyweds, the Zoster was kept safe in a box.

Back at the O'Costelloe Ranch, they tested the non-toys-are-more-fun-than-toys theory, and once again it rang true.  This box fit Zoe Mae quite well, and she adored being pushed around the technicolor dream-carpet in it.  With Rocco giving chase of course.

Precisely how many noses are in this picture?

Anatomy lessons continued, with the furball joining Zoe and Rocco for some quality reading time, to be followed immediately by tickling.  Then a brief lesson about the chronology of Save the River t-shirts.  

Which of these things is not like the other?

And before the family knew it they were back in Lakewood for a doggy obedience class.  Rocco's classmates were stalwarts for the rules.  Rocco, on the other hand, admonished them and attempted to spread the gospel of fluff.  The clean shaven dalflations would have none of it.

Coming up next week: Cara and Tommy go west and try to tame a mustang in the mountains, but are interrupted by a snowball fight and a focus.