Morning Walks

When my health problems started in the spring, I set out to be on my computer less and to be outside more. We started walking the dogs every single morning after the morning chores. Because we have Great Pyrenees, in the summer, we had to get up very early before it was too hot for a Pyrenees to be out for a walk. Now that it’s cold outside, the dogs are in their element on these morning walks. It’s very cold outside, and it’s perfect Great Pyrenees weather. The joy from our pups is contagious.

Every morning, pretty much without fail, we take Bairre and Boudica for their walk after morning chores with the chickens and ducks and a cup of tea for me and coffee for Ron. It’s adorable. Bairre loves these walks and gets very impatient while we drink our tea and coffee. He comes to the table and stares at us with the most impatient looks. Ron holds up his coffee cup and says to him, “You have to wait until I finish my coffee.” Bairre understands, walks away, but comes back after a while if we take too long.

These walks are pretty much the best to me. I love the time with Ron and the dogs, especially Boudica. I walk her because, for the most part, she’s easier to walk. Bairre like to explore way too much, so Ron walks him. Boudica is pretty chill–unless a neighbor dog barks at her even once. Then, she turns on a werewolf bark, and I grump at her about this. Still, she assures me her vicious bark is needed to keep me safe.

Mostly, Boudica and I have the best time. She’s magnificent, like the most beautiful dog I have ever seen maybe, and she reads my mind. Just the other day, there was ice on the road, and I was slipping a little and feeling a bit nervous. Last year, Bairre ate my winter boots, and I haven’t replaced them yet, so I was sliding around. Boudica walked so, so slowly, so carefully. She worried about me the whole way. At first, I just thought she didn’t want to walk that morning, which seemed odd, but when Ron took her to walk, she would go back to walking normally. When I took her back, she would slow down again. That girl is the best.

She is sitting next to me on the sofa right now as I write this. I give her pets between thoughts and tell her how magnificent she is. I hope she knows how much I love her. She can read my mind, so she has to.

I hope to have many more years of morning walks with Ron, Boudica, and Bairre. They are good for me in all the ways.