Notes from the Road (Stephenville Edition #2)

As promised, here are some unusual observations from this weekend's roadtrip:

• I saw several unique mailboxes along the way, the best two being the one shaped like a horse (which had its back to the road, so one would have to open the box by pulling on the tail) and the one that had tractor wheels on it.


• Something that's not likely to be seen in Dallas: A sign on a store in the small town of Bluff Dale said WELCOME DEER HUNTERS. Indeed, I would see several people decked out in camouflage in the Hard Eight; I would at first mistake them for military personnel, until I realized that it was hunters' camo (the haircuts gave them away).


• Another "we're not in Dallas anymore, Toto" moment came when I read a sign that pointed to hay being sold on Campbell Road. Such a thing would never happen anymore on "our" Campbell Road in Garland/Richardson/north Dallas. Thirty years ago, maybe, but not now, when a shopping center or telecom building would be much more common.


• A sign outside a flea market advertised some of its wares: MAGIC SCARFS (sic), SEQUIN PURSES and PUPPIES. Wait--puppies? That doesn't exactly go with the other stuff being sold, but I guess that's where this particular flea market gets its fleas...


• And finally, in the "Huh?" department, a sign in the town of Cresson read "OUTSIDE YARD SALE INSIDE."

I've done a post about a trip along this route before; here's the first set of Notes from the Road (Stephenville Edition) from last time.

I think somebody forgot to pay the barking meter: For the first time in a long time, I had trouble sleeping in my hotel, because a dog in the next room barked incessantly for the entire first hour after I went to bed. I saw a guy walking a dog (the little yappy kind) out by the pool area when I got there, and I thought at first that they were still in the courtyard area. I poked my head outside to see where it was, and at that point, the desk clerk walked by with another guest. I asked her where the dog was, and of course, at that point, the barking stopped. We all stood there in uncomfortable silence for a moment (especially me, since I didn't want anyone to think I was crazy) until the barking resumed and we realized it was coming from next door. The desk clerk looked surprised and assured me she'd get on it after she finished helping the guest she was with at the moment. The barking would keep going for a while, which made me guess that perhaps the owners just left the dog in the room while they were out.

So here's my little rantlet: If you're going to take the dog on vacation, either a) don't leave it alone for prolonged periods, or b) ask for a room far, far away from any other guests. And if you're the hotel owner, the question of the day is whether or not it's possible to be pet-friendly without stopping being people-friendly in the process.