Kashi and I went to Huntley Meadows to walk this afternoon. Huntley Meadows is a wetland preserve in the heart of Fairfax County that is more than a thousand acres. Once you step onto the walking path, you can forget about the outside world...unless a plane flies overhead. It is rather remarkable that the government has preserved this area, and bird specialists from all over the US come to walk out on the boardwalk that extends out over the water and allows visitors to hang out among the wildlife there: deer, beavers, otters, ducks, geese, turtles, snakes, frogs (oh so many colorful varieties), birds (include king rails and blue herons), etc.

I have been walking with Kashi, trying to be more consistent in his exercise. Usually, I just throw the ball to him in the backyard until he is exhausted. I also try to do the same inside at least once a day, with either his ball or one of his babies (Kashi's word for his plush squeaky toys). But today I thought it might be better to get the both of us out of the house. I am languishing on the couch, and he is sleeping entirely too much.

We spent just over an hour walking the paths there. Kashi wanted to investigate the foliage just off the path every few feet or so to see if he needed to mark it as his territory. I took my cell phone and made eight 30-second movies of our journey, along with a few photos. Filming my puppydog with the small camera on my phone reinforced just how much I want a camcorder. Thanks to my loving friends and family, I have enough funds to purchase one since my birthday, but I held off because I am, as you know, quite unemployed. Back in June, I thought perhaps I would have a job by the end of August. It is now October. So...it is good that I have kept those funds in reserve, right? I am not so sure. I am missing the chance to record the bits of life I struggle to remember. I do not want to waste the time I have before the cheese-hole in my brain become too numerous to work around.

Kashi is now crashed on his bed, too tired to do more than raise an eye-lid now and then.

He is a contented dog this day.

~~~~
NOTE: I found this website http://garyjean.zenfolio.com/p417884714 that has photos from the flood that occurred in my neighborhood. If you click on the slide show button, you will cycle through the rather long selection of photos that shows the damage and the folks who came in to help.