Key West welcomed us with the kind of tropical paradise you see in daydreams! We reached the literal end of the road at America's southernmost point, where we visited the southernmost Pet Supermarket on our tour (everything here proudly claims that "southernmost" title!). At John Pennekamp State Park, we discovered an unexpected dog paradise – an endless supply of lightning-fast lizards darting between palm trees. Blanca transformed into our Chief Lizard Patrol Officer. Despite dozens of strategic ambushes and comical pounces that had us in stitches, her success rate remains firmly at zero – but her determination never wavered and worked to tire her out.What else…well driving on a freeway under construction, with no shoulder to pull over, and suddenly—BOOM! What sounded like an actual cannon going off was our outer rear tire blowing out. Not just a flat, but a full-on explosion with the tread completely separating and becoming an improvised missile that destroyed our coolant system underneath the bus. Tim navigated us safely to the shoulder while I held my breath, four sets of worried dog eyes watching from the back. After a roadside patch-up (turns out all those bus-building skills really do pay off!), we limped to a repair shop, and the next day got six fresh tires. We were lucky, so I’m grateful for the reminder to enjoy the journey, and stay safe, no matter what the road throws at you. That and know more about DOT tire ages before they explode!

Between store visits and wild road adventures, I’ve been busy on the video chats with everyone back at the Makery working on some new formulations, finishing up our quality audit, and doing my best improve our Instagram—if you haven't visited lately, come join our little community as we share stories that'll teach you something and hopefully make you smile too!