Dog Park

  Going to the dog park right before dinner on a Monday takes about thirty or so minutes from my house. The walk to the lake where the dogs swim, roughly ten. Hannah, my daughter comes too and we always talk to the passing dogs while their wary owners glare at us without smiles. I always feel like a stalker going to the park especially since we don't bring a dog, but it's fun to watch them run and chase each other in the water. Eventually, the owners warm up to us and engage in small talk, not much, but this place is everyone's quite spot. An inexpensive getaway that melts a day's stress in seconds. Today the sun sat on the water, sending a beam of blinding light to our faces. Maybe we should have waited another hour to come here but just when I snuggled my body into a perfect crevice on the rocks, closing my eyes to the sounds of happy splashing, it happened! The sneak from behind lick in the ear surprise. I was loved twice, by a white German Shepard mix with black tipped ears. The love was contagious, more dogs circled us for kisses. Show offs~ trying to outrun the others to the water and back to us. We were escorted up the steep hill to our car by Trinket, a nine year old Beagle who walked like a really really old man while his owner tried coaxing him away. Weren't we special? Then I saw Trinket from the car's mirror chasing three younger dogs back down the hill. Out of sight out of mind we were! Oh, to be like a dog. It was a good day.