Saturday Morning

So, Saturday has come. I got myself up, not quite so early this morning, and made myself go out again. What kind of crazy lunatic(redundant?) awakens early on a Saturday to torture her tired, sore body with something that is going to continue to make her tired and sore? The answer is, 'This crazy lunatic'! This morning, Thomas decided he could bless me with his presence. I have to confess, I skipped yesterday, (I was awake from midnight to 5 am) so my justification for skipping was to make myself go twice as far this morning. I am loving this weather. It couldn't have been more than 50 degrees this morning. Some people think that is cold but I think it is glorious. Autumn has always been my favorite season. In recent years it seems that we have gone straight from summer to winter but we have had great weather this last month, aside from the monsoon and flooding that Ike brought to us. I love when the leaves change color, the brisk temperatures, and even the smell of autumn. I think camping this season is great too. It still gets fairly warm during the day, but not hot, perfect for a good hike. It's also cool enough to appreciate a good campfire. The insects begin dwindling too, that's a super bonus.

Back to our morning 'jog'. We headed out in the same direction, it felt different because it was dawn. My usual 'cover of darkness' gone with the rising of the morning sun. :) There is a pasture that I pass every morning, and it is usually too dark to see whether the horse is out or not. He was there this morning and he has to be one of the most social horses I have seen in a long time. He ran up to the fence, I threw him a little clover over the fence (I'm sure he had tons of it in his beautiful green pasture). But he dutifully obliged me and ate the clover I tossed. He let me scratch the side of his head for a minute and then he looked to see that Thomas and Rosie(our dog) had gone ahead. He playfully took off in his own little race with them. Rose will dart in and out of the pasture, a little nervous about this huge playmate, and the horse acts almost like the dog is his long lost friend. We were nearing what was about the halfway point for double my usual distance and I told Thomas that I couldn't watch him anymore. He was walking faster than I was jogging! Isn't that a little like rubbing salt in an open wound?? Oh, how so very sad and pathetic! I was joking with him, even laughed when I said it. He, however, took me seriously and began walking behind me. I think that's when he took this.

At the point where I turned, I told him to go ahead and get some running in, I would turn and start for home. He asked me if I was sure....Am I sure I don't want to go any further? YES! Will it hurt my feelings for him to go on ahead of me? Silly man. The dog however, was confused. As Thomas continued on and I headed back towards home she stood there in the road looking back and forth between us. Thomas began to call her and she began inching in his direction with an obvious uncertainty still giving me curious glances. He called her one more time and with a few gruff barks in my direction she shot off towards him.

Now I was just walking, with the airy vocal stylings of Berlin and 'Take My Breath Away" coming from my headphones. The big orange ball of the sun just clearing the horizon on my right. The bean fields with their top leaves just beginning to turn yellow and a little morning fog white and hazy over parts of the fields. There were even a few mourning doves and swallows out greeting the day. A great environment to put Wall Street, and our current gas and grocery prices out of my head for a time. Then, Billy Joel and "Downeaster Alexa" came on through my headphones. There is enough beat in that song to make me THINK about doing more than walking... But, that's all it was, a passing thought. Then as I came back upon the horse, who was just as happy to see me again, and nibble a little more clover. Carly Simon and "You're So Vain" came on. I don't know why, but I really do love that song. An apricot scarf and watching oneself gavotte! I could never be that creative with lyrics! Somewhere in the middle of the song Thomas caught back up with me. HE'S SOOOOO SLOW....Oh yeah, I can't fool you if you have been reading this up till now. After his run, (yes, he can still actually run, unlike his wife!) He was more than happy to keep pace with me during my walk home. As we neared home, "You Can Call Me Al" came on and, being a nerd from the eighties, I couldn't have been happier. Being heavy, and exercising in public embarrasses me. Imitating Chevy Chase performing on the sax does not, go figure. Thomas took a picture of me, forgot to save it...bummer! Great Saturday morning out in the fresh air. "I feel good, knew that I would now, I feel nice, sugar and spice!" My brother in law used to say something like, "Why couldn't every day be just this good?" Well, Dewey, "Ditto"!