I do this every day

mercredi, le 06 juin 2012

I was catapulted into making this lifestyle choice a daily routine three years ago. I would lie if I said I enthusiastically dragged myself away from whatever I was busy with to take The Princess for her walk in the local park every day. But in true Pavlovian style, she reminds me every late afternoon that it is time for us to go. Such is my loyalty, commitment and dedication to anyone but myself, that I willingly oblige.

There are early morning walkers and late afternoon walkers. There are joggers and cyclists. There are big dogs and small dogs. There are pretty dogs and ugly dogs. There are dogs that swim and dogs that don’t. There are dogs that chase balls and dogs that don’t. There are dogs on leashes and dogs who roam free. We’re a motley crew. Some of us have a lot in common and some of us nothing at all. But the glue that binds us is our undeniable love for our dogs.

Over the years, both The Princess and I have forged wonderful and lasting friendships in the park. The park has been kind to us both.

The Adventurer

dimanche, le 01 avril 2012

Around 10 this morning I took the last picture of The Adventurer as she turned the corner and drove out of sight on the heavily laden Dax heading for the fairest Cape of them all.

I swung my camera over my shoulder, bent down to hug The Princess and stepped into a sea of mixed emotions and feelings. There she goes. Again. On an adventure. Alone.

A piece of my heart slipped into her baggage. Heaven knows where it found space. But there she goes. Again. And I turn back. Alone.

It is that time of year where the darkness starts rolling in earlier and as it does so, it steals the last bit of heat from the weakened sunrays and brings with it its own chill. Tonight there isn’t only a definite nip in the air, but my house and my heart seem to have assimilated that same coldness that emptiness brings.

The Adventurer will be setting out from Agulhas, the southern tip of Africa on Saturday, to become the first woman to circumnavigate the second largest continent in the world. For more than 36,000 kilometers it will just be her and Dax, her trusted BMW Dakar motorbike.

Number Five

lundi, le 02 janvier 2012

I have now successfully procrastinated myself to the end of the second day of yet another year.

A part of me is adamant not to merrily go down the waterslide of this year and, when I come through the last bend and suddenly see the inviting cool blue water in front of me, have a mild anxiety attack because I didn’t really appreciate the view on the way down and I didn’t really make the most of the ride.

As I am swimming away from the ride on 2011’s waterslide, I’m looking forward to doing some things differently in 2012.