Metro to Mountain Journal

Today was a great day. The temperature was only in the low forties but there was little wind and the sun was big and bright.

I tried to arrange my work (wait remember I am unemployed, anybody need a slacker?) so that I would have some time in the middle of the day to play.

One thing about owning a golden retriever is that you always have a playmate. Any time you want to engage in a frivolous frolic - the goldens are there. If you throw it they will chase it and chase it and chase it. We had a few flying squirrel catching sessions in his backyard, as we enjoyed the day. My dog was happy.

I didn’t run my dog today as I am letting him recover from a (paw) pad injury. Instead I went alone and was therefore able to go further from the house. What a treat it was to follow some of the old routes I used to run regularly until I became focused on training the dog. It was such a nice day everyone I met seemed happy.

Back home, my dog and I sat in the backyard as I cooled off. I could hear a screech owl and was wandering if he had found a new home. Last year our neighbors cut down a dead tree which the small owl had made his home. Today was the second day I had heard him and I spent some time looking for him. I didn’t find him, but he sounded happy.

Later in the afternoon as the sun was making its winter set, I took the dog on his long walk. The dogs we met were happy. The children in the playground were happy. The parents were happy. The other runners and walkers were happy. We were happy.

Hmm. I wonder if there is some correlation here? The sun on those special days brings an urban magic. Bodies and souls of beasts and children are healed by it’s warming rays, the power of the sol.