…is it early fall? In any case, lovely weather. Lovely weather, yes, but little in the way of accomplishment.

Even loaded the bike on the bike rack and drove to a trail-head just to realize I’d forgotten my helmet.
Still and all, a ride around town, later, was not all that bad.
On our morning walk Pax and I visited an out-of-the-way spot of wildness on the edge of campus, between a cemetery and the utility plant. In what to me was waist high growth, Pax got on the scent of something and was off on the hunt—tail up, springing high and pouncing, just as quick and capable as ever.

Here’s a little Pax appreciation written a few days ago.
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Pax and I had a brisk walk to the post office this morning—at least as brisk as my stiff right leg would permit.

On familiar ground Pax likes to move, faster than I do. But, off the beaten path, he frequently pauses to consider things, to read the landscape, so rapid advances are interspersed with lingering pauses, which makes for erratic progress but provides respite for the leg muscles.

On some walks, both the brisk straight forward and the dawdling zig-zag give way to a more frenetic advance, and this means business. Pax is surprisingly modest in his dutiful behavior, always trying to get as far from observation as possible. Often, when he begins to tug, I let him off lead, and that sometimes makes it difficult to find the results of his exertions. In prairie or wood I don’t bother, figuring nature appreciates recycling.

On the way home from the post office this morning I let Pax decide the route, as I do on many walks. His way is not always my way, but who would like a life in which every decision is made by someone else? His directional decisions are not based on scenery or the amount of shade along the route, but rather on more subtle factors. However, we go, we always end up home, usually just about the same time we would have if I’d been steering.

Today thunder rumbled not long after our return, and then the rain came. Pax chose to leave it behind and shelter in the basement. Though I love weather, I refrained from pressing my opinion, and accepted his. At his age, and in appreciation of his many accomplishments, he is, I believe, entitled to manage his own time and make his own decisions.

Today he resurfaced just as the rain stopped, around 5 o’clock, which, by-the-way, happens to be his regular dinner time.

Pax has willingly accepted my mantra of ”freedom with responsibility.” He has lived up to it, and deserves recognition. What a dog.