A walk in the rain

   I got held up at work today, and also on the way home due to a rainstorm, and knew I would arrive too late to make it to yoga class. Bummer. I SO look forward to Britten's class! When I parked in the garage & walked in the kitchen door, the dogs went absolutely nuts. 

First they almost knocked me over...

Then they tackled each other, snarling and ROARING like wild animals!

   I've been working late recently, my hip is gimpy, and with the rainy weather I haven't been able to take them to the park, go jogging, or even walk around the neighborhood. Tired dogs don't cause trouble. When I walked into the living room, the rug & table were piled up against the couch like a tornado had hit. Clearly, their energy levels were boiling over. I HAD to walk them tonight!

   The last straw was when Aki flew by me in a blur with Taylor in tow, terrorizing the poor cats. THAT'S IT!!!

   So against my better judgement (umbrella + lightning = bad idea), I threw on a jacket, harnessed the dogs & set out. I was tired from a long day at work and wasn't thrilled about the prospect. But the dogs... were over the moon.

   The funny thing about dogs is that they can be happy in pretty much any situation. Mine don't like to get wet (well, one doesn't for sure), but that's NOTHING compared to the joy of a long walk. 

   As we walked, I began to get into it, just seeing how happy they were. And I noticed their patterns: Taylor lives in the present. He has his nose to the ground, looking for anything edible (be it mushroom, crabapple or fast food wrapper). He takes things as they come & appreciates whatever he finds along the way. Aki, on the other hand, is always looking ahead: is there a squirrel or a rabbit or a bird up there? Anything to chase? She's extremely alert & ready for anything at a moment's notice. Her joy comes from anticipation.

   It occurred to me how well they balance each other out; how well they get along. You need both facets to be happy: an ability to appreciate the here & now, but also the excitement and optimism about what may be coming your way. So apparently my dogs are philosophers. Who knew?