Sunday Morning in Washington

Yesterday turned out to be a pretty good day.  Hope today is as pleasant.  Weather could be better, but I'll take cool and crisp over wet and sloppy any day.

Yesterday took Retta with me, and Keith had Jaz.....we went down to the lake park here in Toledo and did the mile and a half walk around the lake.  FIRST time out on a flexi like that for Retta.  She's just 5 months old and a bit of a squirrel, so didn't know how that was going to go.  That was the reason for Keith coming along with Jaz.  NOTHING rattles that dog.....not geese 10 feet away or fisherman, other dogs, cars, trucks.....he's just solid as a rock ....  except he has one BIG mouth.  Acts like he weighs 900 pounds and is indestructable.  He is......kinda-sorta.......getting better.  Only takes us 2 minutes instead of 10 to shut him up. <lol>

Retta was in "drag me only" mode for the first 100 yards or so, then decided MAYBE she would walk a bit in between flopping down and refusing to move.  Second couple hundred yards were better and by the time we got 1/4 mile done, she was actually trotting along (mostly anyway) and looking around at the big lake, birds, just stuff.  When she was really good, she got to come to me for a tasty little "watch!" snack of string cheese, so life wasn't all bad. 

She got pretty good and went into tall grass I didn't think she would even approach.  FINALLY put both tail and ears up and was actually acting like she might possibly be having fun?  She did really well till we got out by the road across from where we parked the van.  She seems to have an unusually high panic level for autos.  Don't know why, because she's never been frightened by one.  I see a trip to WalMart parking lot coming up this next week.  LOTS of treats from LOTS of people.....and wandering around between LOTS of cars....parked and moving.

Have to tell ya that 3 months ago, I wouldn't have made it around that lake.....or would have been so winded it would have taken most of the day to recover.  We didn't walk slow, but kept up a brisk pace, and I felt great......actually could have done it around again, but Retta had accomplished what I wanted, so we went home.  Keith and I both had a protein shake,  and life was good. 

Nuther half pound this morning....that's 1/2 pound shy of 40!  I realize it will probably vascillate back and forth for a few days, but this 40 pound mark is a milestone for me.  That leaves me 20 more to go to goal #1.  May not be a big deal to most, but it sure is to me!  Yippee!!!

I have to go to town around noon today, so am planning on taking just Retta with me.  When I'm done with my errands, she and I are going to go over to the big Lake Sacajawea park in Longview, Washington, and make the trek around it.  I think it will be good for her, since there are usually lots of people (big and little) and there are cars going up and down the streets all around the park. 
We'll see how it goes.  I won't push her too far, but we need to get past some of her bugaboos.

Kinda deary here this morning, but they say it's supposed to clear off a bit and be an average day. 

High of mid 50's.  Maybe that ain't "average" for your part of the world, but I guess it is for here.

We don't get our  summer till most of you guys are roasting in late summer heat.  sigh....  BUT...we do staya green ALL YEAR.  <neener neener>

Later.................