stray |strā| verb [ no obj. ] move away aimlessly from a group or from the right course or place: He strayed a few blocks in the wrong direction
A vacation in the Marigny — home of Jelly Roll Morton, brightly painted houses, and the occasional stray dog…
I know it sounds crazy, but sometimes dogs choose their people. It can happen with a single look, even from a photograph. They grab your heart and won’t let go. Sometimes a dog just appears on your doorstep. Sometimes it follows you home.
It was a quiet morning at home, and my phone screen flashed on a message via Facebook to New Orleans Lab Rescue. A stray had followed a tourist back to her Airbnb and she didn’t know who to reach out to, The Shelter was closed and the humane society has a wait-list for taking n strays. They needed help.
I was thinking, yeah, its summer, the shelters are all full. Someone must be missing their puppy. She needs to get it scanned for a microchip. So, I started messaging about where she could do that. Gary and I drove over to the Airbnb to help. The poor puppy was exhausted and dehydrated. It had no collar, and it turned out no microchip. She was willing to keep him, but she was flying back to Ohio the next day. She tried to figure out a way to take him on her flight, but he was too big for the allowable under seat carrier. Well, I’m from Ohio, and I was planning a trip home this summer anyway, so we decided to foster him until I could get him to her.
She named him Nola.
It turns out that she has another rescue dog, Bentley, from The Greater Dayton Lab Rescue. She is a social worker, and Bentley is a therapy dog that goes to work with her. How awesome is that? How could I not help her?
How cute are they? You can follow Bentley on Instagram @rufflifeof_bentley
So, we brought Nola to The Cecchine Hotel for Dogs just in time, because a Tropical Storm was heading towards us, and it rained, and it rained, and it rained. All I could think was this poor puppy would have been soaked and hungry and miserable.
Instead, he joined the ranks of the not yet potty-trained puppy guests. He became one of the pack. It has been a joy having him with us. He is an adorable little Catahoula-Pointer mutt with a fierce independence. He likes affection, but doesn’t ever ask for it. He has the biggest bladder, and the least control ever (well, since Ollie, who was also going for some kind of pee volume record.) Nola loves to play with the other dogs. He loves to chase toads and shred banana leaves. He hunts butterflies. We adore him.
We are going to miss this boy, but we are so excited for his future in Ohio. So, ROADTRIP! Here we come LA-MS-AL-TN-KY-OH!
This is my first puppy delivery. It coincided with the return of Bernie. Bernie’s new family are traveling and I volunteered to puppy-sit while they are away for a few weeks. Nola and Bernie were buddies, so I decided to bring Bernie along. It was a great idea. They kept each other company in the back seat and probably made the trip a little less stressful for one another. We had fun playing at every rest stop along the way. Bernie and Nola were excited to meet every single stranger at every single stop. We even met a woman whose name is Nola, and then saw her again at the next state rest stop – small world!
We made it to Ohio and back to the one he followed. We think he chose well. Good job Nola!
Darling Aria, (daughter of my big sister’s daughter) loves puppies. Puppies love Aria. Win-Win. (My son said that I should have brought more dogs for her.)
Hmmmm…maybe. 
I love to see people’s faces light up for a dog. It is totally worth the drive.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Nola is happily playing with her new brother, Bentley, and we are so happy for her happily ever after ending. Love you Nola! Keep in touch!