Hops and Hounds

 JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: This past week, I went to DC to help my sister Barb at an event put on by the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, Paws in the Park (which, until I checked the website for their link, I have been calling 'Bark in the Park' for two years. Oops.)

I flew down with Youngest, who had a lively time of it herself - visiting friends from her US Senate Youth Program days, seeing the pandas before they get shipped back to China (amnesty for Tian Tian, Mei Xiang and Xiao Qi Ji!) and attending Evita at the Shakepeare Theater. Sadly, she was SO busy, she didn't take a single photo I can share with you! (I know, she's not your typical Zoomer.)

But before work, we got to play, at Snallygaster '23, an amazing twist on Oktoberfest. Tickets get you into a huge space created by shutting off a five-block area of Pennsylvania Ave; once there, you collect your small official tasting glass and have access to over 175 brewers from across the nation and from Germany and Belgium. It was packed!

 

 There were also bands (yes, I did a little street dancing) and amazing food trucks from all over the capitol area. 

By the end of the event at 6PM, I was feeling a little, well, Voll wie drei Russen, as they say in Bavaria.

 We walked to a great local Mexican place and got our legs under us with guacamole, fish tacos and beans. I stuck to water at this point, and was glad I did.

Then it was off early on Sunday morning to set up Barb's tent(s) at Paws in the Park.

 See that little black and white terrier with three legs in the picture above? That's their dog Trinity!

This is the second year Barb has had a presence at the event; she raffles of dog toy-and-treat baskets and offers free photos with Snoopy - Snoopy played by a boy scout from her husband Dan's troop. 

Last year, both their sons were available to help out:

But this year, they're both away at university, so it was just the three adults, and we were HOPPING. Dan counted over 130 visitors who came to get photos with Snoopy - which is why the only photo I have of Barb and I comes from last year:

Barb chats with visitors to the tent and hands out info on her Realtor business. She specializes in finding homes and rentals for people with pets, so it's a great place for her to meet potential clients. (If you're looking for a place in the DMV area, give her a call!) 

Here are some of happy customers:

Some dogs thought Snoopy was a little sus

An adoptable pup with a AWL volunteer!

 Then at 4pm we broke everything down again. By the time we headed home, I felt like someone had beaten on my legs with a lead pipe.

There were also several walks to the park with Barb's three dogs, shopping for a 'welcome to your new home' present for her clients who were closing that week, and some impromptu Hallowe'en decoration. I didn't take any snaps, but here's a video of the same type of Creepy Child who Sings in Piping Voices who turned on EVERY TIME I stepped out of the front door (she has two, a boy and a girl.)

We had to get up for the flight home at 5:20am. Insert sad-face emoji.

 

 Whew! happy to collapse at home with my own puppers, who had been well cared for by the Maine Millennial's roommate. What traveling have you done recently, dear readers?