News: Man Bites Dog; No, Dog Walks Man

It has been hard to read Superdawg lately. At times, she acts like she can barely stand up, and when she does she staggers around with a bad limp. But when I open the back door and she sees a squirrel on the bird feeder, she lights out after it.

Early this sticky morning, with the heat index already in the 80s, I thought we would bag the morning walk. I really didn't want to walk. But Sadie gave me the we-must-walk look, and so we headed out: Dog walks man. She was so eager, I didn't even have time to grab my sunglasses. Fortunately, there were some puffy white-and-dark-mixed clouds skittering by and occasionally blocking the sun. That cut down the glare, and also made the conditions a little less uncomfortable. But Superdawg insisted on a long walk.

Along the way, we saw a young lady roller-skating while her dog walked on a leash. You don't see that everyday. And an old bald-headed man kept flying by us pedaling his bicycle furiously. No helmet. You wouldn't want to cross his path. The carnage would be terrible and I have to think the walkers would take the worst of it.

By the time we got back home, I was drenched in sweat. Sadie lapped up some water, then settled down for a long afternoon's nap.

Tonight she is limping badly again. When she goes in for a bath and nail clipping next week, I will ask the vet to check her out. Maybe she stepped on a sharp rock, or perhaps some nasty creature bit her out in the woods.



                         ©  Robert G. Holland