Pedalling On ~

When Butch had to leave on the morning of the 28th, I watched until Traveler disappeared over the hill.  I closed the front door to a house where the feeling of emptiness was intense...  Doing what I do - I started cleaning.  I'm thankful for two very good friends, both of whom were determined not to let me stew in my sorrow...  

1-28 Butch leaving~

Doris called & suggested donating Nika's things to a local rescue organization.  If I would bring them to her house, her daughter-in-law would pick them up.  I washed everything & gathered up all the items of a dog's life well-lived.  I hope her little Thunder Coat will help another dog who's scared of thunder...

Tuesday, I loaded it all up & spent the afternoon at Doris's - drinking hot cocoa & sharing stories of pets loved & lost.  It was a very tough week.  

By Saturday, I was back in the woods, with another fire going.  As annoying as Nika's bark could be - the neighborhood seems all too quiet without it now...  

Mari Jo called.  She'd been watching the weather report & suggested a ride at the lake for Sunday afternoon.  

Smoky ready to go~

Our timing was again perfect.  We arrived within a minute of each other.  Less than a half-mile out, I decided my summer tights were NOT going to be warm enough.  I turned back to change; thankful I'd had the sense to bring my warmer ones along.

Mari Jo at the old campground~

Fifty degrees sounds warm, until the wind comes up.  I didn't feel like riding the entire route chilled.  It was a totally beautiful day for early February!  After days & days of frigid temps, the park had a decent turnout of people more than ready to bask in the warm sunshine.

At the picnic area~

We traveled right along, Mari Jo setting her usual fast pace.  I convinced her to make a short stop at the picnic area.  Amazingly enough - there were people out on the ice fishing!  Neither of us could believe it!  I could see water on top of the ice all the way out to the middle, where these people were.  I expect they had much more experience on the freeze/thaw cycle of the lake than I do.

The slightly defrosting lake~

You can just see the fishermen in the photo above.  We finished off the loop in good time.  The lengthening days are getting more & more noticeable now! 

I knew it was going to be very hard, coming down the street & not seeing Nika waiting for me, so I drove in from the other direction.  It was still hard - because she would always wait by the fence while I put the bike away.  When I came out of the Cabin, she would race around the house & be sitting on the deck by the back door waiting to greet me.   Never again will I get to experience her happiness at my return home...

It was quiet in the house; I was thankful when the phone rang & it was Butch.  It was time for our evening conversation.  Nika's tree is setting its buds & even after an extremely cold, dry winter, the promise of spring isn't far off.