Hurry to the Creek and Back

August 19, 2010.  Thursday.

Situation:  I have to work tonight.  Moi, I assume, took Mwayla out to fetch stick early in the morning (but no walk), then went off to work.  Several times this morning Mway has looked up at me with sad, longing eyes, as if to say “Is it time for a walk now?  Huh, time for a walk now?”  Moi has come back from work, announcing that she has completed her (temporary) job.  Now she and Mway are in their bedroom taking a nap (“I’m looking forward to a nap,” Moi says, “I haven’t had one in – let’s see, since, mmm.”  With Moi finished with her job, I now have to take in account her naps when deciding when it’s most convenient for me to take Mway for a walk.  Ideally today I could take her for a walk at 2, which gives me a ½ hour for the walk, ½ hour to write it up, and ½  hour for a swim or a shower before going to work.  But already it’s 1:41 pm.

State of the Path:  It’s 2:35 by the time I let Mway out of the bedroom (she’s standing, waiting for me) and set out on the path.  Dawdle for a moment to pee at walled garden; Mway rolls in something. Then it’s hurry down to the creek and back.  Walk as fast as possible, give me less to write about, enough time for a swim.  Brush past goldenrod, briars, giant ragweed, a black swallowtail butterfly.  Trip through brown grass at bug land.  Mway keeps pace with me. Little purple flowers still beckon to be named.

State of the Creek:  Hardly look at the creek.  Probably no change anyway.

The Fetch:  Toss stick as fast as I can.  Mway keeps going and going.  I throw stick toward “chokeberry,” Mway has trouble gathering, stick probably caught in bindweed, some sort of weeds in her mouth when she brings stick back.  Hurry up, I think.  End up playing “Put it down.”  Finally I just turn around and head back to the house, Mway passes me on path.