#7 Take a Walk

#7

On my list of things to fight the winter blues.

Take a walk.

Blessed with a day that is not considered, “Dangerous conditions?” Then you should take advantage of it.

If the sun is shining just bundle up and walk. Grab a friend. Discover things you would never find driving in a car. Make new acquaintances. Appreciate nature. Stroll around town. Visit the shops. Or a local park. Read the historical plaques.

I live in the Northeast. Basically, that means a person never really knows what tomorrow’s weather might bring. Have to enjoy the good days when you can!

This was yesterday.

But the rest of the photos were taken the day before yesterday. Or sometime during the previous week.

Our Thumper. Loving life. Every single minute.

Mussel heaven.

Barrington.

Swans on thin ice in Warren, Rhode Island.

The swans started bickering with each other. This one had enough and hightailed it out of  there. It’s like seeing a giraffe fly. Never gets old.

Dinosaur bones. Okay, found these a couple of months ago. Not last week. Poppasquash, Bristol.

 

Tankers and ships are a common sight on Narragansett Bay as they head into the Port of Providence.

Donkey and sheep in Bristol.

Bristol Yacht Club.

Clam digging.

New England scene.

Last week I saw sheep, clam diggers, tankers, swans, mussels, a donkey and so much more. In the middle of winter.

Share your discoveries!

Happy walking!

 

 

 

 

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Swallowed Whole

Had the oddest dream the other night.

I was in a store but it was sort of like a warehouse. Not exactly Costco but more like the back garden section of Wal-Mart when they have empty shelves. In between seasons.

For some reason, Thumper (my Jack Russell) was with me.

There was a guy there. Tall and lanky. Think of a younger Sam Elliott with dark hair. But a bit scruffier. If that’s possible.

Anyway, he’s leaning against one of the shelves. Above him, on the top shelf, I spy an animal looking down at us. It looks like a small ferret but it’s black like a weasel.

I ask, “Is it yours?”

He replies, “Yes.”

I continue, “What is it???? Is it a ferret???”

His shrug is noncommittal.

I’m like, “It’s yours? And you don’t know??? Is it a mix of ferret and something else? What is it???”

I don’t get an answer.

The ferret or whatever it was suddenly jumps down to the floor. Opens his mouth and begins to swallow Thumper. Brought to mind one of those nature programs where the snake swallows something so much larger than itself-like a deer or a refrigerator.

I’m horrified. He’s got half of Thump in his mouth!

The guy says, “He’ll never be able to swallow all of him.”

No sooner were the words out of his mouth when the ferret gulped down my Thumper.

Swallowed him whole. All of him!

I’m sickened and rooted to the spot.

Then, all of a sudden, the ferret opens its mouth and spews out Thumper. Like a cannon ball shot into the air!  Couldn’t hold him in apparently.

Whew!

Next morning I’m telling my husband.

Asking, “What do you think that dream was all about? What on earth??? Is it the world being swallowed up? Is it me? Is it you? Nothing can hold Thumper down? What????”

He laughed and said, “I just don’t know, Mary.”

Do dreams have to mean anything?

I can only vividly remember two other dreams in my fifty two years of living.

One was when I was a little kid and the dream was about a strange man giving me a heart shaped box of candy. But I didn’t know he was a stranger because he was wearing a mask. Of my grandfather’s face! I think we can all safely assume a “Stranger Danger or Don’t Take Candy from Strangers” campaign might have planted that seed. It was absolutely horrifying. I thought I was totally safe because I was following the rules and not taking candy from a stranger. Shivers.

The other one was when I was teenager. I was driving a car on one of those highway bridges and suddenly the road just ended. Nothing. Just a cliff like scenario. I plummeted. The good news is that I never actually hit the ground because I woke up just before I did. With the bed sheet over my face. But the trip down was downright terrifying. Not sure what the genesis of that dream was but I suppose teen angst could have played a role.

Anyway, nary a clue as to the back story behind Thumper being gobbled up by a ferret. Just glad it was only a dream.

Do you remember your dreams or nightmares? Crazy as mine?

 

 

 

 

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Streets

About four years ago, in California, my Annie conveniently found a lost dog at a local park. We ended up taking it home with us. She wanted one in the worst way. After having this jumping, spastic, barking Jack Russell Terrier for about six hours I secretly vowed never to get a dog. While vacuuming tons of hair the little rascal shed all over my black leather car seats I secretly repeated that vow.

Anyway, that day I was trying to figure out a way to find out where the dog’s house might have been. I think there were tags on the pup but when we called the telephone number there was no answer.

I saw a mail truck in the distance and thought,”Now that is a person who would know everything.” Couldn’t catch up to him.

My parents have had the same mailman for years. Charlie knows everything. Who died, moved or got divorced. How many pets, kids and vehicles.

So no one would know the homes or streets better than them. In the old days it would have been the milkman. How many phrases originated from that occupation?

“She’s been around the block more times than the milkman.” Or if a child doesn’t look like the father who got blamed? “It’s the milkman.”

Sometimes we just have to look at the obvious. Usually right under our noses.

I was reminded of this today when talking with a group of ladies about getting lost. About how I don’t use GPS here in Kuala Lumpur and find myself lost time and time again.

One time, I drove by the same prostitute three times prompting Annie, “Mom, is that a stripper?”

Well, in a way.

Anyway, I relayed the story to the group and one of the women from Louisiana shared a story of her own.

Her mom (with the kids in the car) got lost. She saw a prostitute and was stopping to ask her for directions.

The kids were like, “Mom! But she’s a prostitute!”

While it could have been a lesson in humanity sometimes it’s not the right moment. She turned around toward the backseat and told them, “And no one knows these streets better!”

Truth.

Sometimes the obvious is right under our nose.  Just have to look for it and use a little common sense.

Oh, one more thing. Two years later we became owners of a jumping, spastic, barking little Jack Russell Terrier mix that sheds all over the car seats.

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