In less than a week, Sauerkraut leaves for her Summer Road Tour of the western United States, including New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado.

This will be the first time I’ve traveled for more than a week in… well, in forever. As we prepare for this trip, I have gained a new appreciation for people that travel a lot for work, or that regularly take long trips, even if it’s to a family cabin in the woods. There is SO MUCH to think about when you’re going to be gone. 

And we’re lucky, because we have family that will be living in our home while we’re away, so we don’t have to worry about the mail, the other family pets, or the risk of leaving a home unattended. 

So what does it take to prepare for the Sauerkraut Summer Road Tour? Here’s my list of Unexpected Things to Consider. Maybe you’ve experienced these things too.

• The idea of comfort is paramount. We take so much pleasure from being at our Home Base. The spot on the couch that’s “ours” where our dog or cat sidles up beside us. The one coffee cup we choose every time if they’re all clean and put away. The feel of your own sheets at night. As I think that we are purposefully choosing to leave all those things behind, I start to look for the things on the road that will bring me comfort. So, I will secretly be packing three things: my favorite baseball hat, humom’s favorite travel mug, and Sauerkraut’s favorite bed. Well… guess it’s not so secret anymore.

• Do not let the clock rule you. Any trip, whether a vacation or a business trip, whether it’s 100 miles from home or on another continent, usually comes with a full itinerary. It would be easy to think only about where we need to be next, where to go, when to get there, rush-rush-rush. And while I REALLY don’t want to be Justin Bieber who shows up an hour late for his own concert, I’m going to try my best to not let the itinerary rule my every every waking moment.

• Remember, there’s a Target store in almost every city. I start to think that if I don’t remember to bring this doodad, or that widget, then I’ll be without it until I get home. In honesty, I have to remind myself that other than humom, Sauerkraut, and some key electronics, everything else can be bought on the road if I forget it.

• The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep. There are few things as valuable, especially when being out of my comfort zone, as a good night’s rest. I’m guessing that sleeping in an RV will, at least for the first few nights, provide less than perfect sleep. And on any vacation or trip, we want to see everything, to experience everything. But without adequate rest, even the best of us can become ill, irritable, or unenthusiastic. So from now until Travel Day 1, my mantra is Early To Bed!

• There are more people in the world than we could ever meet. As I look forward to the trip, one of the things I’m most excited about is the great people we’ll meet along the way. Whether it’s at a Meet and Greet, or at a rest stop along the road, we have an opportunity to get to know great and caring people from across the country. So if you’re nearby, come and chat with us!

• Finally, Let it all sink in. Maya Angelou said, “You are the sum total of everything you’ve ever seen, heard, eaten, smelled, been told, forgot - it’s all there. Everything influences each of us.” So as we’re driving, meeting, talking, seeing, smelling, and telling, I need to remind myself to experience it all - to pay attention to what’s happening around me, to look people in the eye and get to know them, and to remember I may never pass this way again, so let it influence me in a positive way.

The purpose of Sauerkraut’s Summer Road Tour is to bring awareness around animal welfare issues, special-needs adoption, volunteerism, and to support these great organizations across the country. We hope to give a voice to the animals that without us all could so easily be forgotten. If you have any tips for a successful road trip, please let me know!

…and wish us luck on the Wide Open Road! 

Sauerkraut loves when I tell her this joke, so I thought I would share it with all of you.

A man is driving around and sees a sign in front of a house that says TALKING CAT FOR SALE. Curious, he parks and rings the bell. The owner takes him into the living room, where he sees a grey tabby curled up on the back of the sofa. 

"You talk?" the man asks the cat.

"Yep," the cat replies. "When I was a kitten, the CIA trained me, then had me jetting from country to country, sitting on the laps of spies and world leaders because no one figures a cat would be eavesdropping, right? But now, I'm retired." 

The guy is amazed and asks the owner what he wants for the cat.

"Ten dollars," the owner says.

"TEN DOLLARS? Why on earth are you selling him so cheap?" the man asks.

"Because he's a stinking liar! He never did any of that crap!”

• Has a Person: Deputy Byrd is always by her side, and they share a bond beyond what most people can understand.  He’s her Person.
• Can go a little wild: if there’s something funny said - something unique, witty, or strange, she’ll let loose with genuine, deep mirth.
• Believes in justice: What’s right is right, and what’s wrong is wrong, and she doesn’t let anyone’s tomfoolery get between her and Doing The Right Thing. 
• Does not put up with BS: If someone tries to fib, obscure the truth, or outright lie, Judge Judy will see it.  She has litigants look her in the eye as they talk, and see can see… into… their… soul.
• Sees it all, and hears it too: Judge Judy doesn’t just see the evidence in front of her, she hears the message behind the words.  She hears the whispers of the witnesses and the people in the peanut gallery. She hears it all with freakish intensity.
• Practices compassion: When someone is genuinely hurting, Judge Judy is kind, soft-spoken, and does everything in her power to convey that she cares.
• Can have a short fuse: If you speak out of turn, if you disrespect her, or if you just do something she considers out of turn, she will smack you down.

And as I was thinking about all this, it came to me…


Judge Judy is a cat.

The empty wine bottles are in the recycling bin.  The leftover snacks and cannoli bites have been put in the fridge.  The paper plates and Red Solo Cups have been cleaned up and the trash taken out.  Last night’s airing of Animal Planet’s America’s Next Cat Star was a lot of fun.  Sauerkraut was surrounded by friends and family as we watched the show, and her online friends commented and posted and sent notes of encouragement and support.

We are very excited for Brimley and his win as America’s Next Cat Star - he’s a great cat with amazing people - and for Bagel, who won the popular vote.  At awards shows you hear it nearly as often as “and who are YOU wearing?” but seriously, it was an honor to be selected as a finalist in the star search.

But I thought it might be interesting to let you know what it was like to be a finalist - a little behind the scenes, so to speak.  Humom and I had absolutely no idea what it would be like to be featured on a show like this, so it all came as a surprise to us.

After a Skype interview with Humom and an Animal Planet producer, we were handed off to a production company that had some forms to sign and additional information for us to provide.

Shortly after that, the phone rang:

“Hello, Amy?”
“Yes?”
“Hi, we wanted to call and congratulate you - Sauerkraut has been selected as a finalist in America’s Next Cat Star!”
“That’s awesome!  So… what’s next?”
“We’re sending out a film crew and producer from Los Angeles.  They’ll be there next Sunday.”
“… Like, just over a week from now?”

Over the following week or so, more updating and touching up and painting and cleaning was done in the house than I thought ever possible.  Humom was a force to be reckoned with, and had this place looking amazing before the crew arrived.

On Saturday evening, we heard from the producer that she was in town and would meet us at the Central Oklahoma Humane Society the next morning to begin filming there, focusing on our volunteer work and Sauerkraut’s humble beginnings.  The producer, a camera man, sound man, and still photographer showed up, and we shot about two hours of interviews and videos (28 seconds made the cut).

Then back to the house.  Check clothing.  Check the makeup.  Recheck the makeup, touch up hair, and rearrange the furniture.  Starting with the interview for the two of us, and a little bit of Sauerkraut, who was feeling somewhat camera shy that day.  It was fascinating, because we’d get asked a question, and one of us would answer, then the producer would say, “That was great!  Now Patrick, can you give the same answer that Amy just gave?”  Or, “That was great! The camera was a little out of focus.  Can you say it exactly the same, again?”  And I’m thinking… what the heck did I say??

We spent some time with our eldest daughter playing the piano and Sauerkraut sitting atop the parlor grand; filming Humom taking Sauerkraut’s picture; recording Kraut doing her (somewhat limited) repertoire of tricks; and going for a walk around the neighborhood.  

The filming took a total of 9 hours, for a segment on-air that lasted approximately two and a half minutes.  I have a brother that works in the entertainment industry - he’s a voice actor, and does commercials, films, animated series, video games, and radio work.  I’d sat in on some of his recording sessions, where he’s in a recording booth, and the producers will say, “That was great, but I need it about a half-second quicker.”  Or, “That was great, but can you emphasize the words ‘taco mailman’ just a little more?”  In the booth for an hour or more for a spot that might only last a few seconds.  After my initial surprise at how long it took to record the segment, I thought about it and realized how important it is for the producer to get what they need in the time they are here - they only get one crack at the whip.

And then it was all the build-up.  She went from being “Sauerkraut, Internet personality” to “Sauerkraut, Animal Planet’s America’s Next Cat Star Finalist.”  The Austin Chronicle predicted Sauerkraut to be the winner.  

…and standing around the container is Sauerkraut and two of our other cats, Molly and Brock.

Well… at least the cannoli bites were awesome! (Thanks, Michaela!)

We talked, laughed, spent time with the foster kittens, and watched the show.  And even though Sauerkraut didn’t “win” the star search, we know the truth: Sauerkraut is a winner in our hearts, and always will be.

What’s next for Sauerkraut and her people?  In less than a month, we leave on our Summer Road Trip!  Keep an eye out for those updates - we’ll be having some fun!