Morning Ride, Appaloosas, and Downpours

Wrapping up a full and relaxing Saturday, sprawled on my couch with a soft and tired puppy face across my lap, a cup of Chai tea steaming on the ottoman next to me, and a room full of creamy white candles flickering their soft light on my ceiling. Djembe drums and ocean waves nearly lull me to sleep as I write this.

I started the day being woken by that same soft puppy face, not quite so tired at seven-thirty in the morning. Although, in truth, it's not so much the face that wakes me, as it is the tail swishing itself vigorously across the carpet. And the jiggling bed, of course. It's a tough thing to ignore. And who would want to?

After Shadow's breakfast and his morning pee, we returned to bed for Saturday morning puppy-cuddling, complete with belly scratches, ear rubbing and much too much sneezing on his part, for my comfort.

Eventually, I managed to motivate myself out of bed and jump on my bike for an early ride. I've been managing to do twenty or twenty-five miles at least once a week, but I'd like to be able to get out two or three times. For now, once is enough. This morning, I was able to combine exercise with house-hunting, checking out a couple of local new ones on the market. One looks promising, and is worth checking out again later in the week.

For anyone who likes long bike rides, you know that part of the appeal is meandering slowly through places you don't even notice when racing by them in your car, and taking the time to see the world in much sharper detail and at a much more contemplative pace. I had an amazing experience years ago, on a pre-dawn ride through Boston, taking in all the scents and sounds of an intimate city waking up. I can't say this area offers the same experience, but on a bike, there are always small, unexpected treasures.

It's late, and I haven't even gotten to the appaloosas yet. More tomorrow.