with mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come

That peaceful easy feeling has descended on me again - a welcome change from the anxiety ridden mood I’ve been in lately. Yes, the first day of camping always seems to generate PEF. I don’t know if it is the change of scenery, the adult beverage taken out in the sun, or the release of all the stress of getting ready, but gosh darn it never seems to fail. 😊

It’s Adia’s first camping trip and she’s doing pretty well. It took her awhile to get used to being tied up - something scared her so she spooked and broke the cable tie clip, which scared her more… a sturdy rope and better clip and some treats and time settled her down. I can’t say she loves that aspect, but I’m certain she’ll get used to it. 

She loved walking around the park. So many smells and sights - it was a lot for a young dog to take in, but through it all (as long as I was paying attention) she walked on the leash beautifully. Last night we took her somewhere she could run a bit and visited the same spot as the sun rose over the misty St. Lawrence for a few minutes of crazy dog zoomies. She had a good time!

Oh, and best of all, she used the bell this morning! I started teaching her this last week and was amazed how quickly she figured it out. Well, I brought them with me and hung them in the bedroom. I showed them to her twice and wasn’t holding out much hope… but ring-a-ling-a-ling this morning! What a memory.

There is a bit of a crash landing though… she howls when we are gone, which gets Spike barking and howling as well. We have to figure out a way around this or our camping trip will be abbreviated… any quick working ideas? Bella, Kabira, and Spike, never made a peep in all our years camping - I know because I always asked the campers around us. They were such good dogs… I miss them.

Oh, and going to the bathroom in a strange place - it’s happening, but it takes ages. I’ve been walking and walking trying to get her to go, but gosh, it takes a lot of steps! (7600 today already and it’s only 1pm).

Spike is managing okay but he isn’t up for the hour long brisk walks that we used to take. I guess his age (11 ½) has caught up with him. So sad to see as he loved his walks. He just potters along with his weird shuffling amble. It’s nearly impossible for me to walk them alone - Spike lags and Adia drags - not a good combination.

I’m wondering if I might fire up some sparklers tonight - I don’t have 57 but maybe one or two big ones would do the trick :-) It’s funny - when I look in the mirror, I don’t see a 57 year old woman, I don’t feel 57 either. Perhaps the calendar is playing a cruel trick on me.

Life is pretty good though - I feel happy and content - blessed -  even when I’m not, if that makes any sense at all.

“With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come.”

~William Shakespeare

“The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.”

~Arthur C. Clarke