I've got the rhythm

Each day is blending into the next: shortish walk for the dogs, followed by coffee, then it is time to put out the awnings and Grace, and then wash the windows and screens to get rid of the millions of midges that stick everywhere. After all that exertion I squint my eyes to see my tablet's screen as I sit outside for freestyle writing practice, and I often start my blog after that. And so the rhythm of the days proceed, interspersed with a swim and maybe a visit from Bill and Brenda.

They are easy days, free from anxiety and feelings of depression. I think the great expanse of water that does a 180 in front of us relaxes me. I've started a reading book which is a compilation of essays from Gourmet magazine, but I haven't gotten far. My brain seems to be on vacation too - a vacation from worrying, a vacation from negative thoughts, a vacation from creativity. Instead I sit with idle thoughts and look out over the water or watch the passers-by.

Unfortunately sometimes those passers-by have loose dogs that run all over the place. Also unfortunate, my dogs react to the free-ranging dogs more vehemently than they do those that are more orderly. Maybe they sense that they are rule breakers and could cause someone to get hurt. We saw one family with a small dog on leash, a big white dog running everywhere, and two rats on the woman's shoulders.

Several years back while we were camping here the spot next to us 'turned over' and we welcomed Jack and Mary as new neighbors. After a few day had passed Jack (who passed away recently) and Mary said they groaned when they first saw our fence and three dogs… but that our dogs were some of the best behaved dogs they'd seen and also that they liked the way we walked our dogs. In the campground area they have to walk by our sides and not sniff and pee on everyone's site. Jack and Mary have not been the only people to give us similar comments.

It is 34C in the sun - I was sitting in the shade, and with the wind coming off the lake almost put on long-sleeves. That seemed ridiculous so I went inside, put on some music and cleaned until I'd worked up a sweat. Then, of course, it was time for the first swim of the day. Late in the afternoon we meandered down to the causeway. The dogs were lethargic and didn't want to go very far, so I let them dip their toes in the water then we came back so that we could have a swim ourselves. Brenda visited us for a while, but Bill is too ill to leave the trailer.

The rhythm of our day was much like the gentle swell of the lake.