Morning Walk

I'm starting to love mornings. Perhaps it's the solitude. Perhaps it's because I get to wake up and get my brain warmed up in silence. I like sunrises over sunsets, I love to watch the world wake up, I love the first tones of morning birdsong.

Okay. That's all the poetic musing I can muster for now.

I was up by 7 today. Even though I do have a hard time waking up, once I'm finally (mostly) conscious, I do appreciate the chance to start my day quietly.

So I did my devotions and wrote a bit (I got a new notebook yesterday!). Sasha was stirring just past 8, so I got dressed and headed down to get her up.

I've been trying to walk the dogs more often. Sad as it is, they don't go for walks nearly as often as they need to (as evidenced by Hershey perking up and getting excited when the very word is uttered). I took Sasha on a couple walks between the time we got her and around the time she turned 5 months, but only now have I actually made the effort to get her outside. For a while I was reluctant to take both of the dogs at once, though I did feel bad when Hershey missed out. But now that we found his old harness, it's easier.

Still, I debated about whether I should get Hershey up and take them together, or do Sasha first and get Hershey later. Eventually I had to admit to myself that the chances of me taking Hershey later were slim. My motivation level kind of dwindles as the day goes on.

So I slipped into the girls' room (and had to capture Sasha before she jumped on Heather's face) and called for Hershey to get up. He was curled up next to Allenna and looked determined to stay there. Then I asked if he wanted to go on a walk. He shot up faster than I thought possible and hurried out of the room, even skipping his ritualistic morning stretch.

I told him to wait while I ran Sasha outside. She was almost ready to go back in when we heard a noise in the yard next door. Some little black terrier was yapping at us. I don't think I've seen him before. Sasha growled a bit, gave a little bark, and eventually ran back to the house.

Hershey was still pacing around excitedly, and Sasha has somehow learned the difference between me getting ready to leave and me getting ready to take her walking. It can't be how Hershey acts, because when we're leaving he automatically assumes he's coming with us, so he's just as excited.

So I had two dogs in my face while I got my boots on.

Suddenly, Hershey wasn't so excited. One, he had just realized that she was coming with us. Two, he was going to have to wear that nasty head harness. Believe me, if I didn't have to, I wouldn't subject him to the great humiliation, but we've tried going without it and he pulls like he has a dog sled behind him and the 5 other dogs are sitting inside.

I finally got the dogs settled and sitting at the door waiting for me to open it. Hershey hung back while Sasha kept inching forward. I opened the door and stepped out, Sasha on my heels. Hershey wouldn't move.

Dejected is the only word to describe how he looked: head down, ears drooping, eyes pitiful. But I gave the leash a tug and he slowly came out.

Then commenced a round of "Who's following whom?" I'm sure it wasn't me.

We got to the end of the road and saw another dog and owner wandering through the park. It was the neighbor who tried to help our Dexter dilemma, along with his old golden retriever. I pulled up the dogs and had them sit, because if they were walking it would have only been after the poor old dog. Hershey whined and Sasha barked a little. Then they were gone and we were on our way.

Sasha may not have learned to follow me when we're walking, but one thing she has learned to do without fail: sit when I stop moving. And I stopped quite a bit to get the blood flowing again in my hand. Much more of this and my left arm will soon be as strong as my right. (I walk Sasha on the left and Hershey on the right.)

Hershey trotted along beautifully, if a little ahead of me. Sasha dug in and tried to pull the entire time. She also tried to set the pace at a run, though I managed to hold her down to a quick walk. Through the park, around the corner, and back across the park to home again was all we did (I'm still not brave enough to wander the neighborhood alone, even if I have Hershey the tough-looking dog). Even so, I had worked up a sweat by the time we got home, and my shoulder is aching.

I offered the dogs some food, but they wanted to go out, so I put them in the kennel. Here's the thing. Sasha, being the socialite that she is, hates being alone in the kennel. If Hershey isn't with her, it's hard to get her in, and she won't stay for long. Hershey, on the other hand, refuses to go in the kennel if Sasha's there. However, he makes an exception in the morning, so they sat out there while I wrote most of this.

Now, while they're fairly calm, I think I ride the exercise bike for a bit and do some more writing. Too bad I can't write and ride at the same time.