Girls' Weekend With Zoey

A squirrel dashes across the grass, running from tree to tree as he gathers food. He makes a stop at our fire pit before approaching the porch. He can smell my breakfast. I'm leaning against the door to the yurt, Zoey is perched beside me. While I sip my morning coffee, her gaze remains fixed on the small moving animal. This is how we spent our mornings together last week.

While Matt was away at a climate conference in Washington DC, Zoey and I took a little road trip to our favorite southern Oregon yurt. After a run on Sunday night, I told a few of my running buddies that I was going on a trip. They asked if I was going alone and I said no. Nothing makes one sound more like the crazy cat lady that admitting to going on a vacation with the cat!

Each day began with a trip outside. At first, Zoey was timid, crouching low to the ground as her nose twitched with curiosity. Even though Zoey loves being outside, she's always cautious and shy in new settings. By the final morning, there was a kitty waiting by the door when I awoke. Once I slipped her harness and leash on, she meowed in excitement and her tail perked up. She's always loved going outside.

After breakfast each morning, I went for a run. Some runs were on the nearby bike path leading straight from the campground, others required a bit of a drive.

Rogue River Greenway Trail

The campground coyote, via zoom lens of course.

While I went out and got some sunshine, Zoey settled in for a nap, usually forgoing her own bed for mine. Figures.

That giraffe print bed is hers. I even brought the gray blanket in case her bed was suddenly unacceptable.

One afternoon, I decided to explore the Grizzly Peak trail, some thirty miles away. I offered Zoey some fancy canned cat food I bought specifically for our getaway and then went off on my own adventure.

Burn area on the west side of Grizzly Peak.

While my adventure was high on a mountaintop and relatively cool, it heated up quickly in the valley so I made a trip back to the yurt to open all the doors and windows so Zoey didn't overheat and get her a little adventure time too.

Zoey meowed a bit on the trip home so I stopped and let her out of the carrier. When I began driving again, she settled in on my lap as I drove. We returned home and when I went to bed, Zoey settled in next to me and slept there for the night. After this trip, I'm convinced that this girl likes me more than the typical cat-like indifferent tolerance to her human companion.

Taking selfies with a cat is much harder than expected.

Having a weekend getaway with my little kitty was wonderful. Since Zoey is so easy-going, it's not terribly stressful on her either once we arrive at our destination. Sometimes I have moments of loneliness when I travel alone, but with my sweet furry buddy, I never experienced that.

It wasn't until this trip that I realized how much she trusts me to keep her safe. She wouldn't venture outside unless I went with her. Then, she sat down next to me and waited until I walked over to the grass before she joined me.

She got to go outside and explore a new place for the first time. She got to watch her first squirrel without a window blocking all the smells. I like to think she enjoyed this opportunity to bond as much as I did.

I'm already planning and looking forward to our next girls' weekend together!