Quiet Walk

I used to listen to music or audiobooks or a podcast (interviews with authors and artists on NPR or Pod Save America or Behind the Bastards, which alternately make me laugh and get my blood boiling. SO many bastards you wouldn't believe it), but lately I’ve been walking alone with my thoughts, 

letting the dog do her sniffs while my mind wanders, trying to think of the next line in the book I’ve been trying to write for two years or the topic for today's blog post 

Five Good Books I read in the past few weeks (Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, Consent, Grief Is for People, Between Two Kingdoms, and Idaho.) 

Or 

Things I Love about Working at the Library (Over 2000 people participated in the summer reading program at our small branch, and we're giving away free school supplies, and every Friday Ted brings donuts.)

Or

Notes from the Garden, and how the cucumbers are finally petering out, but now we’re overrun with tomatoes, and look, there’s a random moonflower popping up in the corner, which always makes me think of my father-in-law (he gave me the seeds and I scattered them around without knowing what I was scattering. He told me they were pretty, "purty" was how he pronounced it, and he was right, and every year when they come up, I am surprised and grateful

and 

Speaking of Grateful

the unexpectedly pleasant weather, the sun warming my face, okay, I am getting old and sometimes I am sad or cynical or stressed out or pissed off, but all of this leaks away in the silence that isn't really silence with my sneakers slapping the ground, the cicadas rattling, the kids whooping it up as they ride past on their bikes, the dog prancing along beside me. Listen

remember how I told you she lost her hearing and how sad I was about it--no more coming when I call her to come or wagging her tail when I gush at her what a good girl she is, no more playing with the squeaker toy because she can't hear it anymore so why bother--well, 

I taught her two hand signals! (Come, with my hand curled, and Sit, with my palm faced down.) It only took two days of gesturing and effusive petting and treats, and now she is a pro, an old dog learning new tricks, 

like me.