You win some you lose some. Yesterday Chica and I lost, when our master and mistress opted not to take us with them to Palmetto State Park, named for the dwarf palmettos that inhabit its swampy self. Perhaps it’s for the best as the place is alive with reptiles, some being of the poisonous persuasion.
Today Chica and I won, when Mary took us to Brackenridge Park for our weekly walk with the ladies. There were seven again this week and they covered a lot of territory—and subjects—over an hour and a half. Topics ranged from the Pam's daughter’s graduation on skis at Middlebury College to the number of Phd candidates at Renee's nursing school graduation at the University of Texas (a lot—this is UT, right?). There was also talk of tributaries of the San Antonio River, which runs through the park, thanks to River Authority member Sally.
When it was over, Mary Lil checked her pedometer and announced that we had taken 6,199 steps, totaling 2,333 miles. Because less than a sixth of the steps were in the moderate range, indicating more energy expended, the calorie count was a mere 159 burned. As she put it: “have a blast with a piece of bread.”
In Mary's case, it was some flaming hot chips leftover from the park outing. In Chica's and mine, it was a couple of extra doggie treats.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Monday, March 12, 2012
Of Hay and Spray
Seems like it’s either feast or famine with the Brackenridge Park walkers. Last week no one showed up but my mistress. This week, there were seven.
It was a misty morning and we had planned to head into the interior of the park. But a maintenance man warned us that there was a pack of wild dogs, so instead we walked around the periphery of the zoo to the so-called Donkey Barn, where two walkers who had gotten a late start met us.
The rock structure with an Alamo-like façade is so named because they used to store hay in it for the donkeys that were used for children’s rides in the 1920s. My mistress told the others her mother recalled the rides, but what Mary remembers is sitting on a huge stuffed jackrabbit at the Zoo entrance and having her picture taken as she sat in its saddle. From there we ambled back to the zoo. Three stalwarts mushed on to the Sunken Gardens, which looked and smelled glorious with all the blooming flowers.
Back home, Chica and I crashed for a while but now we’re pumped for the next adventure. Providing Mary brings pepper spray, that is.
It was a misty morning and we had planned to head into the interior of the park. But a maintenance man warned us that there was a pack of wild dogs, so instead we walked around the periphery of the zoo to the so-called Donkey Barn, where two walkers who had gotten a late start met us.
The rock structure with an Alamo-like façade is so named because they used to store hay in it for the donkeys that were used for children’s rides in the 1920s. My mistress told the others her mother recalled the rides, but what Mary remembers is sitting on a huge stuffed jackrabbit at the Zoo entrance and having her picture taken as she sat in its saddle. From there we ambled back to the zoo. Three stalwarts mushed on to the Sunken Gardens, which looked and smelled glorious with all the blooming flowers.
Back home, Chica and I crashed for a while but now we’re pumped for the next adventure. Providing Mary brings pepper spray, that is.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Was the White Shaman worth it?
When is this going to stop? Yet again my mistress has left me and Chica to languish at the vet’s. It was only for a weekend, but any time spent in those cages is too much. I’ll have to admit that they are clean and roomy and that the folks take us out every day to stretch our legs. But we want to be at home in our own bed--even if we do have to share it with our master and mistress.
So where did they go to justify leaving us like that? To see the White Shaman. In case you're wondering, he's a stick figure on the wall of a shelter near the Pecos River out of Del Rio. Don’t ask me why people hike down a slippery slope to see squiggly rock paintings. But they do. And after we got sprung from the vet’s, we had to hear our master and mistress natter on and on about what they thought the drawings meant.
Better they ponder what we dogs are thinking-- especially when they leave us behind. But never mind, we’re home again and enjoying the spring weather. On Monday, Mary had intended to walk without us in Brackenridge Park since the vet wasn’t open. Since every single member of the walking group had conflicts, ranging from emergency health crises to car repair issues, she sprung us early at the vet’s and we had an hourlong meander through the neighborhood. After that, all was forgotten--and forgiven.
So where did they go to justify leaving us like that? To see the White Shaman. In case you're wondering, he's a stick figure on the wall of a shelter near the Pecos River out of Del Rio. Don’t ask me why people hike down a slippery slope to see squiggly rock paintings. But they do. And after we got sprung from the vet’s, we had to hear our master and mistress natter on and on about what they thought the drawings meant.
Better they ponder what we dogs are thinking-- especially when they leave us behind. But never mind, we’re home again and enjoying the spring weather. On Monday, Mary had intended to walk without us in Brackenridge Park since the vet wasn’t open. Since every single member of the walking group had conflicts, ranging from emergency health crises to car repair issues, she sprung us early at the vet’s and we had an hourlong meander through the neighborhood. After that, all was forgotten--and forgiven.
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