Catch a wave and you’re sitting on top of the world, Ellie B.
Ellie B aka Dogamous Pyle, meet the Atlantic Ocean.
Our rescue mutt was introduced to really wavy water for the first time in the fourth year of her life, when we woke up on our fifth morning not in Syracuse and decided to drive to Provincetown.
Our smart dog liked the ocean more than she had Cliff Pond the day prior, and I appreciated the scenery to a greater scale, too. My dear wife Karen, she had to hold on to that leash even harder still.
Karen, Ellie and I shared two burgers in this court.
Knowing that we’d be walking Ellie B around the Main Street of Provincetown, I decided to wear the new shirt that Karen had purchased for me in Chatham after I’d lived through the near-juicing incident.
The motto on this one caught my eye in the No Rules store because it pretty much fits Ellie B and I since Jan. 31, 2013. I may be doing much walking, literally and figuratively, but I tend to frequently encounter a wide and bright reward in my path.
Karen agreed, and bought the shirt for me immediately.
We were looking for Governor Bradford’s from last year, having noted its dog-friendly patio, and the hostess waved us in with those very words.
Elisabeth and George, clowning around way down south.
While we were eating lunch — loved the sweet potato fries, but I only ate half and Ellie B just sniffed the one I offered her — my phone buzzed with a text from my wonderful daughter Elisabeth.
Her and terrific boyfriend George are on a trip to Orlando with her mom to visit Uncle Bill and Aunt Midgie, and Cousin Tim and his family.
They visited Gatorland, and she had to text Dad this good one.
Love that sense of humor, kids.
Careful on your real walks down there.
Karen, Ellie B, and the beach at Provincetown, Mass.
Arriving back at the beach flanking our parking lot, Karen and Ellie B discovered that the tide had retreated while we poked around the village.
They only ventured out so far, and then walked slowly in to call it a good day in Provincetown.
Do you have better stories from high tide or low tide? Do share. What’s the most dog-friendly place you’ve ever been, and why? What’s the best T-shirt you own, and what does it mean to you?
Mark Bialczak 
Love your Not All Who Wander shirt, Mark. I have a button with that sentiment and consider it a personal motto of sorts. Maybe it’s a Sagittarius thing?
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I think it is a Sagittarius trait, Liz. I love my shirt, and the sentiment represented, indeed.
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My style has changed over the years. In college, it was cool to wear the Hollister and other major clothing lines (I wore one of those awful gimmicky shirts to run today, dating back to 2002). I wear mostly plain, V-neck shirts now, but have a couple gems. One has a horse and buggy that says: “Amish you were here…” Another shirt reads: “Monday Night Foosball League.”
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I really, really like the Monday Night Foosball League shirt, Chris. Congratulations on that one. Hoo-boy, that’s a winner in my book.
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P TOWN!!!! One of my fave places to go! We have so many stories from there. One in particular is the time that Mr. Brickhouse and I went sans our children during the night. We went to a bar/cafe where the music was hopping and sat down to have a drink. Suddenly, ‘Madonna’ herself/himself approached us. He/She began chatting and laughing with us and soon we were her/his BFFs. He/She introduced us to his/her partner and the four of us were laughing up a storm. Suddenly, ‘Madonna’ noticed that I was wearing those ugly Crocs (good for arthritis) and he/she went crazy. He/She stopped in her tracks and yelled at me for wearing such ‘God-awful’ shoes! After that, they left our side because they could NOT stand being around someone wearing Crocs. Mr. B and I laughed so much and could not believe that this man dressed as Madonna was appalled at my Crocs. 🙂
I love the pic of your daughter! It looks like they are having fun as well. When do you go back home?
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I love your story, Mrs. B. Last year I believed that I wanted to start a new T-shirt line to be sold in Provincetown, anchor shirt to be “Straight from P-town.” Because it would make everybody think. That’s the sort of place Provincetown is. Open-minded. Everybody welcome. Even Croc-wearers, in my book. I am wearing Crocs right this minute, Mrs. B! We are here until tomorrow. It is pouring down rain right now as I reply to your comment. Ah. Movie to see for my blogger review duties. Lunch at the DQ. We don’t have those in Syracuse. Good day it will be!
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That’s what we love about P-Town! Diversity and Fun. 🙂
Rainy days at the Cape are perfect movie going opportunities. I want to see the movie “Words and Pictures” about a woman with RA who paints. I think that is the first movie that features a person with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Should be nice to see how she deals with it.
Enjoy your last days!
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I saw the trailer. It looks awesome. Sort of like how you deal with it, Mrs. B, wear Crocs, deal with the pain, and do everything as always. Well, maybe the painter doesn’t wear Crocs. That part I may be imagining from your earlier comment. 🙂
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Nice trip you had and you have a very beautiful dog Mark 😀
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Thank you, Irene. It is, and we do!
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lovely pics ❤
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Thank you, Leyla!
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I’m glad to see you are still waking up not in Syracuse. I was worried your vacation was over when I saw you had three posts today. 🙂 Your daughter is about 30 minutes down the road from me. I waved out the window to her. I hope she saw. I love the new shirt. I also love that you are finding so many places you can take Ellie B to and that she isn’t stuck indoors. Karen looks like she’s having fun as well! Enjoy! 😀
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We are here until Saturday. Wave to my daughter again. She’s still in Florida, too!
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I’m waving as I type! 😀
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Great post Mark – love the pics (esp Elisabeth and the alligator -Ha!). I used to live in Moncton New Brunswick and there are tidal bores there. Close by is Fundy National Park where the tide rises fifty (50) feet. There are lectures and warnings to visitors. You can walk out miles on the ocean floor, but you had better be back before the tide comes in. They watch to make sure no one gets caught. The picture of the beach with the tide out reminded me of Fundy. When it comes to T-shirts, when I worked as a safety manger in a gas tanker business, we had one driver who kept getting into “situations”. As a joke we had a T-shirt made for him that, on the front ,read “I’m a Fuel \Hauler…” with a picture of a tank truck. On the back it said “..so if you see me running? Do your best to keep up.”
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I can see where people would walk way out on low tide and get engrossed with digging and such and get in trouble with the tide coming in too quickly, Paul. That could be catastrophic.
Yes, my dear daughter and her boyffiend got a good gator shot there, didn’t they?
And your tank runner buddy had a T-shirt line after him. That’s a reputation for a situation!
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I loved your adventures today, especially Karen’s at the beach. I also like how relaxed you are on that patio! I imagine tasting those sweet potato fries and my mouth is again, salivating! Your seafood did this to me, yesterday, Mark! Anyway, love also Elisabeth’s gator experience! What a hoot! (and holler!)
As far as beaches, I loved Sanibel Island for its beautiful and clean beaches. For memories, though, my favorite place to be is Vermilion, Ohio, sitting on a big rock, watching my children swim from my Dad’s property to two houses down, the Showse Beach’s pier and back. Cannot beat everyday Lake Erie, in my life, anyway!
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I am glad that our pictures can bring back memories of you watching your children swim from your dad’s property to Shoswe Beach Pier and back on Lake Erie, Robin. That is success for my blog to me. And I am jealous to hear about Sanibel Island. I bet that Florida getaway is truly gorgeous!
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I’m itching to visit the East Coast now!
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You are welcome, Kerbey!
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Not all who wander are lost – I love that!
I haven’t had many t-shirts with sayings but I’ve had some. One I wore in my 20’s said Sex Instructor, first lesson free, another said, the more I know people the more I like my dog, the one I’m wearing right now and use as part of my pjs says, My favourite position – CEO.
The best one I ever saw said on the front – God is dead. ~ Nietzsche and as the man passed by I saw the back and it said, Nietzsche is dead. ~ God
Diana xo
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I say I love all of those T-shirt sayings, Diana. Indeed.
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Lovely post Mark.
There is a female character in Larry McMurtry’s novel, ‘Texasville’ (A sequel to “The Last Picture Show’) who is married to the novel’s protagonist Duane. Karla wears nothing but T-Shirts with messages. One of my favorites worn by her read:
“You Can’t Be The First, But You Can Be Next”
Gotta love Karla.
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Gotta love Karla and that generation, Lance. Thanks, friend.
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looks great, mark. i have spent some quality time at the gov myself. when in ptown, my daughter and i would walk out early in the morning, during low tide and meet up with all sorts of locals, out there shell fishing/digging. it was a magical time. i love the shirt and it is the perfect one for me too, with my lack of any sense of direction and so happy miss pyle loved the sea )
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Low tide digging for edible treasure. I love that image, Beth. Very nice, indeed.
Yes, two lefts make a right and two rights make a left. One way streets be damned!
Miss Pyle will never be the same after this vacation. How are we going to keep her happy in our little Syracuse backyard now? Oh, no …
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Mark, I’m so glad about all the introductions, here. Thank you! I would now like to introduce you to a post of mine about Provincetown, from last year:
http://annkoplow.wordpress.com/2013/05/19/day-139-what-kind-of-town-is-provincetown/
Notice that I answer one of your questions in that post, almost right away.
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Loved your post, Ann. Yes, what a town Provincetown is. Wouldn’t you like to go that every afternoon tea dance they advertise, just once, to watch?
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Thank you, Mark. I will ask my sister Ellen and her spouse whether they have attended. They love to dance.
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