with just a touch of sun flickering on their soft bellies

Usually, if I have at least an hour gap in my schedule I gather all of my books, laptop and headphones and find a quiet place.  I tidy up my lists, listen to new music and then, sometimes rather magically I find myself writing. 

Often times I start out writing a blog and it becomes something entirely different.  Occasionally what I write is strictly blog material or I find that I'm not in the mood to write and then I browse blogs and attack my reading pile.   It's a very indulgent and cathartic way of writing.  

Very rarely do I find myself in a state of agitation, sadness or exasperation (I call it funk soup) when I sit down for these little respites.  More often than not I am so giddy at the prospect of a writing/reading respite that I can barely sit still and am simply overcome with silliness and delight.  

So this morning I made my little book fort.  I had a fine cup of coffee courtesy of my pooty pie man (Like Hobbes, I am sincerely overcome with terms of endearment).  And I sat down and started on my book lists while listening to Mali Music, which is very happy stuff, and the writing just never came.  Not only that, but I felt like I just couldn't sit there one more second.  I could feel funk soup sneaking up on me.   

So I put my books away, dejectedly closed my laptop, grabbed a pair of my socks and smushed them into Ella's face, who was soundly sleeping.  I'm sure all dog lovers have strange rituals they share with their pooches.  

Before I take walks with the girls I often wave my socks in their faces or rather onerously rub their snouts.  It is one of the necessary components of Walk Excitement.  Sometimes as soon as the sock drawer opens they are at attention - is she going to attack me with the socks?  YES!

So we did the sock ritual and I grabbed their collars or necklaces as Robert calls them because Rose and Ella are his princesses.  They got properly excited and we rushed out to greet a warm October day.  Almost instantly, they started falling behind, probably a bit more tired than usual due to a 7 mile walk they took with Robert and Aimee two days ago.

I was properly agitated and encouraged them to match my pace.  They started ganging up on me, veering into my legs every few steps on both sides of me.  I surrendered and attempted to walk a bit slower.  Suddenly Rose started edging into the busy street.  Normally a very devout sidewalk user, Rose's jaunts into the road threw me completely off.  To her dismay, I gruffly pulled her in close and scolded her.  Ella chose that moment to take a rather large poopsy.  As I picked up the poop both girls sank to the ground in their customary are-we-done-yet-because-we're-tired flop.  We had barely walked two blocks.  

With a sigh of defeat I took them home, briefly saw Robert who dance-hugged me in the yard before leaving for another job, and discovered that I had more than enough time to get ready for work.  

So I decided to groom the girls a bit.   And you know what, as the girls sprawled out on the deck, with just a touch of sun flickering on their soft bellies, I couldn't help but notice that we were all a bit more peaceful and relaxed.  I trimmed their feet and hineys with very little protest and when I brushed their horsey backs they contentedly stretched out and edged closer to me.