By the time I reached our cul de sac’s row of mailboxes, I was scolding myself.
How could you forget to pull on a sweatshirt you daft woman? It must be in the single digits this morning!
Already an 1/8th of a mile behind us…
we kept going.
Dry, brittle air, amplified the sound of tires on interstate and brought to mind Tony Stewart in his orange Home Depot NASCAR.
I wonder what birthday fell in that phase of interest…somewhere between Thomas the Train and Pokemon?
We crested the hill
and kept going.
On High Ridge, a car passed us from behind and I imagined the neighbor thinking…
Daft woman! What is she doing dressed in black and purple, walking a black dog in the dark of night without a light?
In our defense, I am incredibly aware of my surroundings and always get off the road when I hear a car coming.
In my neighbor’s defense, that’s what goes through my head when I pass people out walking in the dark—unlit.
I guess I’ve got a double standard going?
Lovely to be aware of the contradiction.
Perhaps my neighbor thought nothing at all?
Turning the corner onto HiLo, I thought…
On the home stretch!…
which really was a stretch because we weren’t even 1/2 way.
No cars on HiLo, but Henny did find the plastic Mountain Dew bottle she’s had great fun tossing and retrieving for about a week now. If I ever need shoulder surgery, we’ll know who gets the credit for that!
Me, of course!
Left on Forestview Lane…
Home stretch!
Henny seemed oblivious to my encouragement.
Does cold air embolden smell and sound?
The sounds coming from her sniffer called to mind Bambi’s friend Thumper.
Right onto Brookside Circle…
Home stretch!
If I tried to crack my knuckles, would my finger snap off?
High Ridge Drive!
Where have you been all my life?
This truly is…
the home stretch!
Down the hill, up the drive, around the kayak (Why is that still outside on the lawn?!), and through the sliding glass doors.
Warmth.
Home.
Am I sweating?
A quick peek at the temperature revealed an auspicious degree…
18 degrees Fahrenheit!
Today’s the 18th...
somebody’s birthday!
For all the flack I give my mind…it really is a marvelous tool, and quite fun to play with!