This past weekend was a shining example of why I prefer to live in Florida. The weather was absolutely stunning: clear, blue skies and highs in the upper 70’s. When stepping outside feels like springtime, it is hard to remember it’s only February and some areas of the country are still expecting snow.
Weekends tend to be the time I pack as much living as I can into the two free days I am given. During the cold winter months, I am more apt to hide inside and wish the time would just pass quickly. When the sun begins to warm my skin and I can comfortably walk barefoot through the grass, I desire to stay outside as much as possible. I am also more prone to seek adventure, as is Buster, which contributes to our unique compatibility. Our summers are usually spent traveling around Florida to snorkel in the springs, ride scooters in St. Augustine, and dining on the beach in Daytona. We rarely spend our free time hanging around the house, and when we do, it involves grilling outside or engaging in some apartment improvement project. Even though Buster was occupied with school the earlier part of Saturday, we still managed to cram in a quality amount of adventure and relaxation before Monday reared its ugly head once again.
Saturday morning I awoke bright and early (actually it was still dark) in order to drop Buster’s car off for service, take him to school, and make the 1.5 hour drive to Deland, FL. Laurie Dana, a longstanding member of the central Florida agility club, Dog-On-It, arranged a fundraiser for her nephew who was recently diagnosed with cancer. A fairly large group turned out at the home of Gail Waller, who has her own little sanctuary of woods, a swimming lake, and an agility field. I could happily live nestled away in her little slice of heaven, except for the fact that she has no indoor plumbing. That would be a deal breaker.
Kaylee, Kirby, Xander and I all enjoyed several hours of play and practice, while photographer Marty Wyatt snapped some great pictures of all the participants. I rejoiced that it was finally warm enough to sport my Vibram Five Finger “shoes” once again, and the dogs enjoyed a brief swim in the cool, refreshing waters of her little lake. There was puppy playtime for the youngsters, some good contact and weaving practice, and fun was had by all. Filthy from the combination of swimming and frolicking through the woods, I decided to take them to the park for more swimming and a proper bath. We made the drive back from Deland and diverted off to Nocatee, the community between Jacksonville and Ponte Vedra Beach, where we visit Davis Park. A free, off-leash park with a large swimming area and bathing station, Davis Park has long been our choice for off leash fun. While I tend to avoid the area on Saturdays, as it gets too crowded and increases the chances of unfriendly encounters, I decided that late in the afternoon might be safe.
Kirby commenced to his usual whining as we turned down the familiar road. While I lived and worked in Ponte Vedra back in 2008-2009, we spent nearly every day romping in this park. Xander basically grew up there. Signs warn of gator activity, but I have never seen anything more dangerous than an armadillo, and there is far too much activity on a daily basis to make this park appealing for a gator. Pulling into the parking lot, I noticed a disproportionately large number of shelties, and vehicles adorned with sheltie paraphernalia. Two of my students, Mark and Nancy, own three shelties and regularly attend monthly “Sheltie Meet-Up Groups.” I came to find that this month’s location was chosen by Mark, the club’s new coordinator, and I had indeed stumbled into their meeting! It was fun to see that many Shetland Sheepdogs in one place, and to be recognized by Buddy, Cody, and Daisy, my sheltie students.
After 45 minutes of Frisbee retrieving, swimming, and for Kaylee, enjoying the all-you-can eat buffet (in spite of my screaming and hurling the Frisbee at her), we decided it was time to get cleaned up. Unfortunately, I soon discovered that my dog shampoo had leaked out in the supply crate I keep in my car, so they had to settle for a thorough hosing instead of an actual bath. By the time we returned home, I had three profoundly exhausted dogs. Xander was like a small, over-tired child, and yipped irritably until I put him in his crate for a nap. That boy does get cranky when he’s tired.
At this point, Buster returned from his day of school, car servicing, and having his windows tinted. He now has roof racks, new tires, and tinted windows, which almost makes it seem like he’s gotten a new car! In honor of his sporty new wheels, we decided to make an adventure out of the evening. St. Augustine tends to be our go-to for a quick evening adventure, but we decided to go a different direction this time. After a scenic drive up to Amelia Island, we found ourselves at Brett’s Waterway Café in downtown Fernandina, at the suggestion of Chris and Carol who actually live there. While I had seen this restaurant on the water many times while attending the Fernandina Shrimp Festival, it had never occurred to me to actually try eating there. The ambiance was amazing, and the food was even better. There were a number of appealing places along the quaint, downtown street, which should provide us with several more memories in the future!
Sunday morning found me at my friend/student’s house where I groomed her three dogs. This helps me pay for my agility habit. The dogs enjoyed a quick romp in the sun at our school park across the street. After that, Buster introduced me to the world of Nascar, as we watched part of the race, and listened to the remainder while sitting outside at the community grill.
As we relaxed and enjoyed the gorgeous weather, we decided that instead of being married at the courthouse or something along those lines, we would like to be married in a style that exemplifies our personalities: on the beach wearing casual, resort style attire, in April, year to be determined. Now when someone asks me about the wedding, I will at least have something to say to appease them rather than glaring irritably and dodging the question.
Monday morning comes all too soon when the weekend is filled with fun, but at least I have my classes to look forward to this evening. Another week will zip by, and we will find ourselves enjoying another adventure. Next week, Monster Trucks!
Stay tuned!
No comments:
Post a Comment