The Always Happy Rusty Is Ready To Be Adopted

The always happy Rusty is our Mutt Monday dog this week and is ready to be adopted. Do you need an exercise partner? Rusty will be happy to hold you accountable! She loves to run, hike, walk, chase...you name it. Always happy to meet you, Rusty will be an excellent best friend. She is a one year old, 52 pound All American girl who will do best in a home with no small children. Rusty loves to play fetch with a tennis ball and catches it like a champ!

Every Monday we highlight a dog that is available for adoption at Pet Pal Animal Shelter. Lucky is our Mutt Monday dog this week and he is available at Pet Pal Animal Shelter in St. Pete. Pet Pal's Mission Statement is, "Our mission is to rescue dogs and cats from shelters that may otherwise be euthanized due to time limitations, illness, injuries or lack of socialization and training. We are dedicated to educating the public about the pet overpopulation crisis, the importance of spaying/neutering and responsible pet ownership."

Finally, Pet Pal is open from Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. They are closed on Sunday and Monday. Pet Pal is located at 405 22nd Street South in St. Pete. They also have a thrift store that supports the efforts of the shelter.

Chances are minimal that we'll see a white Christmas in Florida this year. Actually, Tampa Theatre is playing White Christmas that week, but that's probably not going to make you bust out a sweater and mittens... do you really own a pair of mittens?

Here are some good deals I found from Tampa International Airport for Christmas week. All of these flights are for a 7 day stay leaving the Wednesday before Christmas on December 20 and returning to Tampa on Wednesday, December 27. Definitely avoiding travel those last few days before Christmas and the day after Christmas will save you some cash. I usually fly on Christmas day itself. You save a bundle and won't have to deal with insane crowds. If you get an evening flight, you'll still get to spend Christmas morning with friends and family.

None of these cities will guarantee you a snowfall on Christmas, but if you've been nice this year, Santa might work some magic. Here are 5 of my favorite picks that are an easy 2-3 hour flight from Florida. And most are priced right at the moment from Tampa.

While you don't always see snow in the city itself on Christmas Day, there are usually plenty of options a day trip away. I'd suggest heading up into the mountains of Vermont. They're amazing in the fall but my Christmas, those colorful leaves are long gone so you won't see those. But there are a ton of scenic routes to the ski resorts where you'll find all the snow you need - even if it's not natural stuff. As a Floridian, you won't be able to tell the difference. Portland, Maine is another great spot to spend Christmas. Do some shopping at LL Bean or just watch the lights sparkle in Portland's Old Port while you devour lobster rolls.

The windy city means crazy wind chills. But you can always warm up with a big deep dish pizza at one of my favorite spots in the world Lou Malnati's. There are locations all around the Chicago area and I've yet to have a bad pizza at any of them. Catch a Blackhawks game while you're there too. As great as Sonya Bryson is when she does the Star Spangled Banner at Tampa Bay Lightning games, the national anthem experience in Chicago cannot be topped. It'll rock your world.

While politicians don't conjure up warm fuzzy feelings for the holidays, DC can get its fair share of the white stuff. A couple years ago they got more than any of the states in the northeast. Plus you're a short train ride away from lots of other great spots to visit for Christmas like New York and Philadelphia.

This one's the priciest flight on this list, but I love visiting Montreal. You're almost guaranteed to see some snow during a December visit. But don't bring just a Florida-level winter jacket. December in Montreal can be brutally cold with temps below freezing at times. Even though I hate the team, a Montreal Canadiens game is a must if they're in town while you're there. The loudest hockey game I ever went to was a WATCH party for the Habs when they were playing the Rangers in New York City.

This last one I can't tell you a single thing about. I've never been to Watertown, New York. It made this list only because it's so darn cheap. Flying around Christmas to one of the northern most parts of the U.S. for under $200? That's a deal. And I'm sure the hot cocoa will taste just as good as it would in Manhattan.