Adventures of canine walking

I sometimes call it a chore.
I sometimes wake up and drag myself out of bed, really not wanting to go, really NOT WANTING to go.... it might be because I'm tired, or it is cold, or just too plain early in the morning.
Regardless we have had some great adventures on our early morning walks.... and honestly I will miss them in the summer when the boy is home to take over the dogs.

There was the morning that two cars stopped us to inform me that there were coyotes up ahead, and not just one, but a few of them... in town.
We regularly hear the coyotes in the morning sing songing to each other informing to everyone that the sun is going to be coming up soon, we have never seen them.
There is a resident owl living just up the street from us and he too sings to us as we walk past each day.
The rabbits are a lovely sight... oh... this is said with much sarcasm in my voice. These white bunnies pop out of nowhere and bounce down the street with me in tow behind a couple crazy dogs fixed on catching said rabbit.
Yesterday in the freshly fallen snow there were deer tracks that set the dogs off, however we did not see sight of these smart fellows that quietly hid out of sight seeing my two fellow walkers.

My favorite moment came this morning..... minding our own business, me deep in my quiet thoughts the dogs busy picking up various scents of the past when out of the darkness flies a young man dressed only in boxer shorts... yup.. ONLY in boxers, no socks, shoes nothing. He had been getting something out of his car when all of a sudden a women and her two dogs appear from the morning twilight. Needless to say he made a hasty retreat across the snow covered front yard... leaving me chuckling all the way home.

Also this afternoon Hubby had three of the dogs on an afternoon walk when a cat, a silly stupid cat (I apologize to those cat people, but when you own as many dogs as we do, cats are a pain in the ass on walks.. worse than rabbits)... a stupid, silly cat came out of nowhere and lured the three dogs into a corner... it was all Hubby could do to keep the dogs off... in fact Molly received a souvenier, a lovely scratch across her nose that did not even phase her.
Well the cat was spared by a retreat to the roof of a garage, and Hubby was spared by having to deal with said pussy cat all over someones front lawn.

Yes the adventures of walking dogs.

Geriatrics

I feel old..... well.... maybe not THAT old.

No, it's not that I feel old,,,,, but I'm 'getting' old.

Could it be due to the fact that my baby girl just turned 22?

Or that my son turns 19 this week?

Or that I now am desperate to colour my hair as there seems to be a multitude of these un-coloured (grey) hairs on my head?

Or that I don't sleep well?

Or that in less than a month I will be over my mid 40's and heading into LATE 40's?? (ugh)

OR could it be that I now go to functions where I used to be the same age as everyone or younger and now find myself realizing that I could be their mother????

So.... does this mean I will now start walking in a slouched position?

does this mean I will start having to wear adult diapers? (although there could be benefits to those at times)

does this mean I will become crotchety and miserable, kicking small animals and young children?

does this mean my hair will turn blue?

does this mean I will smell like moth balls?

Nope... I don't wanna get old!

I refuse... I'm gonna wear my blue jeans forever.... I'm gonna smoke pot in public parks....I'm gonna listen to heavy metal and ska always.... I'm gonna dance like a stripper... I'm gonna wear lacy bras.... I'm gonna act like a kid... always....

Nope... I'm not gonna get old... no more birthdays for me!

It got me

advertising gimicks that is.....

I'm a Pepper, she's a Pepper, he's a Pepper.. wouldn't you like to be a Pepper too....

.....drink Dr. Pepper

Spring has Sprung already??

I've had an amazing winter.

Traveled over 300 miles behind the backside of some incredible furry friends in temperatures ranging from -5 to -40.

I've raced my first ever sprint with my own furry friends.

We've introduced a new friend to the pack.... a fast Alaskan changing the dynamics of our family.

My son on stage, growing into an incredible talented young man.

My daughter finding love outside of her family... the beginnings of her 'own' family.

I cannot believe that the snow is almost all gone, that the mush, dirt and slop has arrived.. that dog sledding is finished for the season... we still had one more race to go, but the frozen lake is no more.

Makes me so sad to say goodbye....

I love winter, the cold icy breath that hovers around my head with ice crystals forming on my fur laced hood.

The energy my babies let off in the cold is catchy, the joy on their faces when they see the harness, their love and trust of me, my trust of them.

How many days until winter returns?

All By Myself

I sit at home, once again, alone.

I spend a lot of my time alone these days...
time to relflect, time to feel sorry for myself too.

I try not to feel sorry for me... I have a great life... only it is spent alone most of the time.

I am surrounded by friends, yet I don't have any either.... does this make sense to you? It does to me.
You see I have so many people in my life that I can call a friend, from the age of 16 all the way to their '80's... they have all told me to call them if ever I need anything... anything.
They all come and will talk ages with me in my store.... and I to them.

But at the end of the day I have no one I can really call on if I'm feeling blue, or lonely... I do not seem to have that one close friend... no one close to me anyhow....
I have a few friends, Ontario, Calgary and England whom I can call 'best' friends... those friends I can call on in a real time of need.... but I no longer have that one true friend just around the corner anymore...... makes me so sad.... and lonely

Once Again

I thought that Saturday was cool.

I was given an 8 dog team to run..... we ran 30km.s in -30 weather (if not colder with wind chill)

What an incredible experience... I feel so lucky to have this opportunity.

Even the slight frost bite on my toes wont keep me from heading out again (although if I never run in -30 again I wont be sad)

Rick and Dena have been wonderful, patient and terrific role models... I can see why my son was so hooked.

Could this be my Heaven?

Amazing, that is the only word I can describe what it was like.

I ran 6 dogs for 24km with Mr. Musher and his family yesterday.... it was bloody cold.... it was bloody brilliant!

There was no noise but the sound of the sled across the snow, the occasional bark of an impatient dog as we maybe were not going fast enough at times and the rush of the blood running through my ears.
The cold was something I've never experienced like I did yesterday, I think it was because I was so aware of everything around me. It was a -36 with wind chill kinda day.

Yet I wasn't cold... my big toes and thumbs got a little numb at times.. but would warm themselves up if I started peddling to keep my limbs moving.... but icicles hanging off my eye lashes was something I've never experienced until today.

Until you experience it yourself it is something hard to describe.
My only regret is that it was not my dogs I was running, I think the bond between us would deepen for sure.... I love Mr. Mushers dogs.. I just can't remember all their names!

I now look forward to the next run! Oh yeah.. today!!!!