It was a joint effort. We shared a common goal--keeping the other entertained. Our secondary goals were not shared: Robbie wanted to run after the ball. I planned to rake leaves. But we came to a truce.
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| Robbie keeping his kisser wet |
As I'm here "in" Boston visiting Karen, Robbie, her Cairn Terrier, has become my new best friend. Such devotion could only be hoped for. He greets me in the morning with pure love and admiration accompanied by bounding about, little yips and wet kisses. I blush.
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| Ball delivered relentlessly to my feet |
Since the sky was blue and the air fresh, getting some exercise is one of the
Things I get to do today. Rather than do jumping jacks on the deck, raking leaves appealed to my practical-Pat personality. Robbie had promised to keep me well entertained while I scratched the earth with my bamboo stick by constantly allowing me to kick the ball. He basically said, I know that's dull stuff you are doing. I know that kicking the ball is fun. I'll make sure the ball is always at your feet to kick to relieve the drudgery of all stick work. And if you don't see that the ball is ready for you, I'll dance about and yip, yip until you snap out of the dull and back into fun.
He was exactly right. Kicking the ball was fun. And he was vigilant in his promise to keep the ball at my feet, allowing me only moments to experience the routine motion of the rake.
A pile of leaves was not to be wasted. Robbie would dive in with the ball and burrow through, emerging triumphant from the other side with curled leaf decorations over his entire head and the big, blue ball in his mouth.
Robbie played ball. I raked leaves. We were both very well entertained.
And who really cares about the sights? It's the smells can't be passed without a thorough appreciation.
