Out and about

What fun it is to have dogs.  We love all of our animals, but dogs get us out and about!  My mom always used to say, "You never know who you'll meet when you're out and about."  It's true...especially with our dogs.  We walk our dogs in the woods, in town, on the beach, along the road near our home and anywhere that gives us pleasure. 

Somehow, with dogs, people are open to saying hello.  They stop us to ask their names.  They shout out from their passing car,"THOSE DOGS ARE BEAUTIFUL!" They pull over to the side of the road to ask their ages.  Once in awhile, we'll meet a dog kook who has a litany of information to share....the proper leash, having 2 dogs, Golden Retriever history, their dog's issues whether they be food related, allergic reactions, social anxiety...whatever!  

You never know who you'll meet or what tid bits (of information since sometimes it seems to be an unspoken rule not to offer their doggie a treat...without asking since they (the doggie) may be dieting, on a strict food plan or like Fitzy, the dog may want to follow us home for more treats!

You never know what friends you'll meet.  We have dog friends. Friends who love our dogs. Friends who like to meet for dog playdates and other dog friends who walk on the same schedule. Kids who live nearby who are entertained by our dogs. 

We met a dog friend of the two legged variety while shopping one night.  Like long lost friends, we chatted about our dogs and their latest adventures. We used to meet Lucy, the German Shepherd, in early morning as we meandered along the trails in the woods. They moved last spring and now they're no longer on the same route.  They had big news. They  adopted a new dog and named it Ricky. Get it? Lucy and Ricky! Gotta love dog people.  Really, with dogs, you have to have a sense of humor.

Thanks to Fitzy's frequent getaways to their house, we were grateful that they were of the nice dog people variety.  It was like the call of the wild  when it came to Fitz and the love of that family....really the delicious trash stored at their back door....but Fitzy, ever the actress could show affection to gain love rather than a scolding. Lucy seemed to be thrilled to have company arrive on the scene.  Lucy's owner was understanding and always gave a call to let us know Fitz's whereabouts.  Some days, we would see Fitzy escorted home in luxury in the back seat of a blue Volvo ...talk about nice dog friends.

  

Today, as we approached the woods, a lovely woman stopped her car for a moment to pet the dogs.  She was loving their gentle nature. She had no food in her car so Fitz was on her best behavior!She told me about their family days with German Shepherds.  

This morning we met Cay, a lovely woman of 76 years who was delighted to take a moment to stop her car, pet the dogs and chat.  She loved their gentle nature. She had no food in her car so Fitz was on her best behavior. She had just had a piano lesson.  She said she wants to keep trying new things in life.

She talked about her age.  At 76, she wanted to stay active and attempting some of the things that she never had the opportunity to do in her life.

As she pet the dogs, we laughed at their delight. She asked about their age and their names amd their personalities. She was such a lovely lady with a calm, sweet voice that the dogs sat quietly as she spoke.  We talked about our town. She has lived here for almost 50 years. Cay talked about her late husband, her 5 children, her life growing up and some of her travels. She told me about her lunches with her kindergarten friends that still get together for lunch once a month. They call themselves "the lunch bunch,"  

We may have chatted for 15 minutes, maybe a little more. I was just out to get in our walk...just the dogs and I....out for exercise, fresh air and some time in the woods enjoying the beauty of the fall colors.

I got much more than that.  I met a lovely woman of another generation who was interesting and interested.  She had a different perspective at her age.  She was with it. She had the confidence and strength of a woman who had rich experiences in her life.  It was a pleasure to spend time with someone who has lived and seen so much. 

Cay changed my day. She opened my eyes. She shared. She smiled. She laughed. She told some stories about her life and family. 

We said our goodbyes as it began to rain. Daisy, Fitzy and I walked into the woods. I was filled with a new perspective of a woman of my mom's generation. She changed my day. It's wonderful to step out of our own world once in awhile and hear about someone elses.  As mom said, "You never know who you'll meet when you're out and about." Thanks to our dogs, we meet lots of nice folks.