Monday morning, 7am.
January is shivering and no birds are singing in this apocalyptic sky, like we’re in an upside-down bottle of darkest navy ink, only the ink is on the outside.
So dark you cannot imagine the sun coming out again. Ever.
It’s the first walk of the day for Bella and Lily. The first walk of the working week.
And it feels like both a tyranny and a release.
It’s a tyranny because it has to be done and it’s a release because I soon find myself enjoying it, and them.
A new world awaits them each time, as they whimper and twitch at the door as I fetch their harnesses.
We shoot off down the path, breaking our momentum dead every so often for them to plunge into yet another thicket or tuft, if allowed.
There are these trails and scents, see, that just have to be sniffed and investigated. Right now!
Every sinew strains at the harness and very sense is on full alert as they venture down this scrubby pathway with the pioneering fervour of a Christopher Columbus or Marco Polo.
Every time.
We have finally cracked the toilet training thing with Lily, it seems, and the positive aspects of this bounding, bumbling, joyous creature can now be enjoyed properly.
Discovering large lakes of pee or vast tracts of poo would hardly have done it for Columbus or Polo, and encountering these first thing every morning on the kitchen floor had strained the bond between this man and his best friend.
Bella and Lily have developed as a double act.
Bella is the older, cranky one, who growls if Lily encroaches on her territory.
Which big-hearted, live-for-the-moment Lily does with glorious abandon.
They are annoying, the pair of them, if we leave them in the front room. Bella takes up a position on the arm of the couch in the corner, beside the window, from where she scans everything going down in the hood.
She growls, actually more of a low buzz, like a lawnmower starting up, when anyone comes within about 50 metres of the house, but if they come to the door, or she spots a dog, or, Jesus wept, a cat out there, she stands and yelps herself into a frenzy, and long-bodied, short-pawed Lily comes galumphing over to join in.
Bella’s yapping and Lily’s baritone bellow at top volume cannot go unchecked.
They stop, but we forget, of course, and Bella is soon back again, and off they will go again …
They’re a regular Statler and Waldorf (look them up, kids), commenting on everyone going by.
Lily is so delighted when any of us walks into the room she trundles over, all wagging buttocks, thumping tail, and slavering tongue.
And will be just as enthusiastic the next time. Whether it’s in 10 seconds or 10 hours.
What an attitude Lily has, this constant expectation of delight and affection.
I’m thinking how great it would be to go at life with that kind of zest.
Okay, a bit more discernment might be advised, since rancid chip bags or fresh cat pee can send this pair into paroxysms of rapt intent.
I’d wish some of it, though, for myself, of course, but more immediately for my daughter.
The worries and stresses of the world are on her uniformed shoulders as she grabs her lunch and growls her way towards the front door.
If I engage, there will be words to regret, and if I don’t she will have charged the air with tension anyway – and gotten away with this rudeness. A special rudeness reserved for those closest to her.
She has been called gosh knows how many times for her lift to school, and her exasperated Mom is about to take off, as K slams the door behind her, muttering and cursing as she goes.
It would be so much better for her — and us — if she could learn to appreciate the many positive things that are in her life, instead of dismissing them, or taking them as read, and then railing at all the perceived negatives stacking up against her.
But I turn and Lily’s fervent brown-eyed gaze locks on to mine, and I smile as I bend to rub her wiry black head, and my thoughts turn to that coffee cup filling, some buttery toast, and then tackling my blog.
There’s both tyranny and release in that, and plenty to think about later … like a dinner to prepare that will please everyone.
And thinking that part of that enjoyment is an expectation of delight.
In both the writing and the cooking.
It’s as much cultivating an attitude of appreciation as it is the routine sorcery of words bubbling and stirring, or vegetables, condiments and the rest blending and simmering in the pan.
It has to be done, and pleasing all palettes isn’t always easy, but there is also the release in getting those words down, and later laying out the chopping board out and putting together something I hope we will all enjoy.
Dinner will be at 7pm.
After Christopher Statler and Marco Waldorf have come back from their second-last exploration of the remains of the day.
- Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed what you have just read, try another one! Try them all! Seriously, follow my blog and you won’t miss out again.
EndaStories 
You are such a talented writer you can make walking the dogs a very enjoyable read! 🙂 Dogs do become part of the family, don’t they? My geriatric mutt Benji loves to go on long walks. He gets 2 each day.
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Why thank you Laurie. They are indeed a huge part of our family.
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Thank you, I am satiated by your post, and it’s not even dinner time yet! These are the Endastories I love, turning the every day into a feast. I’m glad Lily is finally ‘going’ in the right place, and yes it would be nice to share some the dogs zest for life, or to inject it into those finding life more difficult. I hope K finds life easier soon and decides to shine. I have a daughter too, that I avoid talking to for fear of making things worse. But when she’s happy she’s a delight. Life can be so difficult for some, even the every day mundane things are a battle. I love the photo, Statler and Waldorf for sure!
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Hi Anne.yes it would make it a lot easier for all concerned! A complicated girl, she can be lovely too. And reasonable!!! Yes, Lily coming into her own. A beautiful nature. Even if she is quite possibly the hungriest dog I ever met. Always lolloping around the kitchen looking for food!!
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Our Gatsby eats no less than 7 or 8 meals a day! Full meals, more than our combined feed for our former two pugs, Atticus and Elijah! Food food food. More, more, more #blogcrush
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Lily lives for food too. she is a food hoover!! Hehe
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Good stuff.
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Thanks Paul … really enjoying your postcards from LA
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So I looked up Statler and Waldorf…ahh so those are their names! I just call them the grumpy old muppets! May you have more days filled with sunshine, more scents to smell, and more “strangers” to comment on and observe, Bella and Lily. #GlobalBlogging
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Ah thanks Carmela!!!
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This is so well-written. How cute are Bella and Lilly? #TriumphantTales
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Thank.you Rosie. They are indeed really cute. Bella asleep beside me as I type!!
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Tell me you write novels and then tell me where I can buy them? A delightful read as always. Wish I had your writing talent. Also your dogs sound very like mine – a double act of sorts although mine are boys. Find them joyful and frustrating in equal measure. You care about your daughter and that’s good – she knows that so she knows she can push boundaries. Or that is what I think for what it is worth #TriumphantTales
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Hey Kate. You know you are a lovely writer. Own it! Dogs are great, most of the time!!! Lovely to get some straight up affection when it isn’t forthcoming from elsewhere!!Thanks for the gorgeous compliment
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Oh, dogs, always making life so much more interesting. Yours are adorable!
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They are!! And lovely … most of r time. Thanks Stacy
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A lovely reflection Enda on the routine parts of our day. But it’s all those little moments that make life interesting isn’t it? At least I think so anyway! Another highly enjoyable read that is fast becoming a part of my week! #globalblogging
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Ah thanks Tracey. I agree totally … it’s the little things that can make all the difference. Thanks for your lovely compliment. Much appreciated
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Thank you again Tracey for your lovely comment.
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I’ll be there for dinner, set a plate for me! Also, I reserve the spot on the couch where Lily can sit on one side and Bella the other and then I’ll cuddle them both. #GlobalBlogging
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I think they might enjoy that!!! Hope you are not vegan or vegetarian!!
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I am not! Animals are my friend and my food!
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Perfect! Bring the wine!!!
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I really miss walking my German Shepard dog since suffering a stroke, enjoyed reading about yours though #blogginggoodtime@_ksrendennis
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Thank you Karen. Much appreciated
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Oh Karen, that must be awful. So glad I can walk ours.
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Popping back from another linky #thatfridaylinky@_karencennis
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Sometimes I feel like I’m going a little insane here with the teen girl and then I read one of your posts and feel like mine is just normal and I go from concerned and grumpy to cracking a smile of solidarity and recognition. It would seem that your writing is one of those things that can brighten up a day for someone else too. BTW I love that photo of Bella, it’s true that dogs have a simple joy that we’d do well to emulate at times. #blogcrush
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Yeah … apparently there are loads of them like this … it’s like an outbreak/. Forget your sci-fi movies, let’s write Attack of the killer teens!!! And yes, it’s official, they are both cute. Lily is not the brightest but she is just so lovable. Especially now she seems to have sorted the peeing thing!
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Popping back via #BlogCrush and in response to your comment on my comment, I resolve to own it but still think I am nothing on the scale to you or perhaps it would be healthier to just say we are both great writers just different and that’s ok. May be developing sanity rather late in life!
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Sanity is overrated … like Chico Mark said, there ain’t no sanity clause! Hehe
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I’m coming back through with #DreamTeam
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It’s the mundane things in life that actually make it interesting I always think fascinating read Thanks for linking to #Thatfridaylinky hope to see you next week
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They so do Nige!! Appreciated
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It’s as much cultivating an attitude of appreciation as it is the routine sorcery of words bubbling and stirring, or vegetables, condiments and the rest blending and simmering in the pan – yep – am working on that 🙂
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I love it when pets come together and become a gruesome twosome – our cats are rather mischievous when left to their own devices!
Thank you for sharing this with us at #TriumphantTales. I hope to see you back next week.
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Thanks Lianne😀
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I love these two ladies of yours! And oh my, what it would be like to greet the day with the unending passion and exuberance of a pup! Unconditional love is defined by them. Enjoy those walks, and keep us all up to date so we can smile along the way. Gatsby too, he’s quite the talker. Very opinionated indeed. #blogcrush xoxo
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They are fab … Bella so cranky and yet so lovable, and Lily the lovely klutz They are great. Thanks Lisa. Gatsby sounds brill too
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Pingback: #DreamTeam link up 142… | Shank You Very Much
Thanks so much for your always positive and fun feedback, Heather
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You’re writing is so enjoyable to read, I look forward to stopping by each week x Thanks for linking to #ablogginggoodtime
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Thanks Katie. Very kind of you!
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Awww an Enda special for us here!! Making the mundane magical with words alone! I often look at small girl full of enthusiasm for everything she does, the girl cannot walk from a-b she has to leap and twirl , then glance at her 15 yr old big sister and wonder when that all runs out and everything becomes a bit more miserable ! #blogcrush
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I always loved that when our kids were smaller … that hopping, and skipping just for the hell of it … and then they stop doing it. Miss it so much!
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I know !! It sucks once they stop!!
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Ah, you kept Lily and Bella quiet Enda! What a lovely pair. They sound like the perfect anecdote to stroppy young ladies. Got to have someone to lick the wounds after a classic door slam eh?! As Kelly said above, the skipping along is a joy that we all want to hold onto forever. We seem to have milked it considering we should be entering the dark days – I hope that doesn’t mean we are in for an extra large door slamming. Thanks for sharing with #tweensteensbeyond
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They are a great antidode, Nicky … most of the time. Lily is a beautiful dog, and gorgeous with people, but I can’t let her off her leash whenh other dogs are around … she is, let is day, unpredictible!!! Older girl is doing her mock exams (prepo for the real thing) and thast has been interesting. Really see her vulnerability, and feel for her
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I’m getting my anecdotes and antidotes in a twist here, I just realised 😂😂. Ah, good luck with the exams. All of you!
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Loved this – I have seen a pattern of several parents with pre/teenagers getting a dog – to compensate for the indifference of their children, no doubt. I’m thinking about it but getting through the Lily stage is a worry!
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Lily is fantastic, just somewhat impulsive!!! There is a great quote from the late Nora Ephron, of Sleepless in Seattle etc screenwriting fame: ““When your children are teenagers, it’s important to have a dog so that someone in the house is happy to see you.”
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So wise – gorgeous dogs by the way!
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Ah, thanks, Beth!! They are gorgeous, no doubt!!
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