The Drive, The Tribe, The Cool-Blue Ride

The Drive

We were cruising over the Causeway top-down and jamming to the music of ACDC "Back in Black," the notes enthusiastically riding the airwaves and trailing along. My husband sometimes blares the genre "hard rock" on our road crossings; it brings us back to high school, when we were once young, free-spirited, and still had a lot of hair. Traveling then in this beautifully vented road carriage, what's left of our hair was flying uncontrollably, whipping in all directions. And the same for the young ones in the back, still with loads of locks (our daughter Sophia at the time 8, Brandon the Yorkie 3, and Grouper the Goldendoodle 2. Sometimes it can get highly gusty with a wicked cross breeze flowing from the Gulf of Mexico on one side of the Causeway to the Intra Coastal Waterway leading to the Pine Island Sound or the Caloosahatchee River on the other. We were heading into town, which for us was Fort Myers, Florida. A little over five years ago, we moved to the beautiful Island of Sanibel. The Causeway gets us "to and fro," the intimate island of the natural wild preserve. One of our many reasons to move there besides the incredible beauty of this place was the school. It was and is rated number one in Lee County for Elementary-Middle School. Our daughter was about to start Kindergarten, so it was an easy choice. Our fur babies came a short time after we settled in. Grouper the Goldendoodle came; first, he arrived into our lives a little over four years ago. It was a blessing.

The Tribe

We bought him at a well-known pet store. I realize purchasing a pet with many of these types of stores is like promoting the puppy mills they use. I get it. But my reasoning is this, they have a right to have a beautiful life too. It's not their fault. And not all pet stores are engaged in this type of activity, but the one we found Grouper in was red-flagged for this type of behavior. So, of course, he had pneumonia, really bad. You wouldn't have known it by the energetic love that he showed us the first time we met. We knew immediately he was the one. But our new baby puppy almost died before his little life even began. The pet store did step up, and they paid for all the vet bills. We kept going 3 to 4 times a week for months and months, trying to get his lungs cleared out. There was permanent scarring, and to this day, he breaths heavy all the time. I try not to think that he is struggling to breathe. It's heartbreaking. Moving into a more positive frame of mind (trying to anyway), he is a happy puppy and very much loved by his family. His brother Brandon the Yorkie loves him too well, the jury is still out on that one, but he at least tolerates him. He was a rescue, and so he can live with us, he has to wear diapers. The story told was he was left in his crate most of the time as his previous owner traveled extensively. I've tried everything to get him trained, but with no success. So, diapers it is. Grouper and Brandon play all the time. Brandon jumps on Grouper's back and bites his ears, but he loves it. Sometimes Grouper grabs his diaper as a power play; it's too funny. Watching them play tug of war is hysterical; Grouper pretends that Brandon has a chance. Grouper weighs about 100 pounds, and Brandon 5. They are quite the odd couple. Funny seeing them side by side. But Grouper is so gentle with him, I never worry. He is such a mild old soul, so well behaved. I've never had a Goldendoodle before, but now that I have, I probably always will. I, we love him so much, and the little burrito- (a.k.a Brandon) too.

Cool Blue Ride

My husband had always wanted a cool car, something Frank Sinatra would be cruising around in, top-down, dark sunglasses, slick hair moving, cigarette clutched in his one hand on the wheel and a martini in the other. So this is his vision, minus the cigarette and martini, but you get the picture. One of our good friends sells cars as a side gig (I know, who does that?). One night we were at his and his wife's house for a barbeque or some party (they like to entertain), and there was a little martini action going on, and we were having a grand old time as usual. When out of the blue, someone yells-"You just bought a Bentley?" Sure enough, we were the proud new owners of a very delicate baby blue (just like old blue eyes) Bentley Convertible. I thought only wealthy people owned cars like this. That night was frankly "Unforgettable!"—Frank Sinatra.

In The Moment

So on this day, driving our amazing new ride, top-down and feeling so much joy, bringing the fur babies and great tunes echoing in my ears, I want to capture this moment of bliss. And there it was, that beautiful instant with my babies, Sophia, Brandon, and Grouper, in the back seat and loving life. Dad was driving old blue and keeping us safe on the weary road. "Snap," I took the shot. As I peered into the image I had just captured, I was amazed. It was almost as if, at this moment, the wind just took Grouper's spirit by the hand and danced whimsically with it to that cool hard beat blaring in the background. Dunt. Dududunt. Dududunt. Grouper looked courageous in his stance, looking over at his siblings, like a fierce yet gentle Lion King protecting his tribe. King Grouper. Fitting, Indeed.

What We See, We Feel

So through this lens- we feel the strength of music, the spirit of the wind, and the love of family on this very picturesque Southwest Florida Day. I know this moment will last for generations forward. I envision years from now, this image held in the eye of one of my distant relatives, feeling that eternal vibe of Grouper the Goldendoodle, old blue, and the rest of the tribe Paulus.

Written by:

Kimberly Paulus