Vignettes un autre fois
A few little things I've seen around in the past little while.
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Doing yoga on the front lawn of Parliament Hill, in the back row with my colleagues, barely able to hear the instructor, and leaning into a lunge or something and looking up over the eastern roof next to the Peace Tower to see a large raptor circling. As it banks, the sun shines off of the brilliant white head and tail of a bald eagle. I point it out to my neighbouring colleague who passes the message along. Amazing. Only for that moment did the raptor grace us with its presence.
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4:00 am... Pup whines urgently at the door and wakes me from my sleep for the second night in a row, as her meds are making her drink and process water in far greater volumes and with far more frequency than usual. I look up into the dark sky to see crystalline stars, a planet - maybe Jupiter? - and the almost full moon beaming down on me.
**********************
At a red light with the pup in the back seat, tired from a hot playtime at the off leash park. Windows rolled down to get the breeze through the car, and I hear a revving from the engine behind me. I look into my rearview to see the top portion of a red pickup truck hood, the windshield and the grinning, Nascar-fan-esque scruffy sunglasses wearing face of the driver. No, I'm not playing your game. I leave the line at the same speed I would have gone without an aggressive driver taunting / bullying me and riding my ass. I have my dog loose in the backseat, ya jerk. Once the cars have spaced out in the lane beside me, he tears around and speeds on up to where the two lane becomes a one lane, pulling into the huge line of traffic only about six vehicles ahead of me. Good riddance.
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At another red light, same day, same situation except this time I didn't see the truck and it illegally flew through the turning lane and cut me off on the other side of the intersection where there IS ONLY ONE LANE ASSHOLE. Driving, with a couch in the back of his truck. Seriously, people? Seriously??!
**********************
Driving back from the other dog park the day before. I really like that park - it has far more trees and no stinky river to entice pups. Taking the long way home, enjoying the drive, and get past an intersection but hearing the sirens of a fire truck. Looking left, I notice it motoring down the road towards me so I boot it to get out of the way. And then it turns onto the street behind me. I have enough of a head start to be able to choose the spot where I pull off - a nice extra wide section of the street, where I calmly turn on my indicator, pull over, and stop, and watch as the big truck comes up behind me. An extra patterned horn blast as they go by my car - recognition of the far-in-advance courtesy or warning for me not to pull out? - and my fingers crossed on the steering wheel. Then empty street and I'm able to continue to my next intersection... when I hear the second truck coming. Luckily, the intersection is empty and I'm able to complete my turn and get the hell out of the way. Again - "Good luck, guys" as they drive by. I have seen a woman cross herself as a fire truck goes by. I think a lot of people share the same sentiment. I also wish all those anonymous bundled people on stretchers luck as they're loaded into an ambulance, or as an ambulance flies by.
**********************
Walking in silence with Subchunker and the pup, in the warm, breeze-filled night. Feeling the rough climbing calluses on his hands, which I find masculine and comforting. Nose and lungs filling with sweet air, warm, tree-laden, river-scented, humid and thick. High clouds obscuring all but the brightest stars and the partial moon looking rusty. Why doesn't the dog do this?
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Shadows creeping into the morning light walk-time. Darker, dimmer - sun rising later. The world keeps orbiting and we are approaching the dark half of the year. It has been a very bright light half of the year, with lots of fire and sun and dry and crispiness.
**********************
Walking in the rain, pup's ears held Yoda-style - out to the side to prevent water from getting into them. This is the hurricane, dragging southern water into the dry north, moistening our parched soil, washing us with honest rain. And still people complain that it is raining. Our society is too out of touch with what our ecosystem actually needs to survive.
**********************
Yoga mat in position. Timer clicked over post-dinner. Cat flaked out at the foot of the mat. Pup at the head, looking partially sleepy, partially confused. Stand with your feet hip distance apart. Breathe. Hands together over the heart centre. Inhale, raise your arms overhead. Exhale, hands back together over the heart. Move into the poses. Wide leg forward bend - hello kitty, muah. Brave warrior. Focus and release - no tension, but tension - balance the movement with the release. Look at the paintings on the wall with soft eyes. Don't notice what you might do to fix that one. Focus on the movement-counter-movement-stillness. Warrior 1. Don't trip over the cat, who is helping by making sure you cannot return to mountain pose - the space between my feet the perfect width for her to enjoy her own moment on the very comfortable yoga mat. Pup's arms make in onto the top of the mat. Lunge. Cat crossed under the bridge - hello. Side stretch - how boring, flicks the cat - humph, says the pup. And then roll the cat off the foot of the mat for baby cobra. Meh! she says as I touch her. Turn over for bridge pose. Vertical shins, feet pressed into the floor lifting the thighs and buttocks off the mat, shoulder blades tucked down, a straight line from shoulder to knee. Stuffed soccer ball bounces off my face because it's a fun dog toy. Never turn your head in bridge pose... Knees up, twist. And while I'm at it, why don't I provide a convenient neck rub for the dog face right beside mine. Twist sitting up, interesting sensations along the small muscles covering my ribcage. Perhaps I should breathe more. Staff pose and seated forward bend. Apparently my feet are delicious as the pup proceeds to lick them as I try to do a forward bend. Then relaxation pose. With a pup crawling under the coffee table, nosing the stuffed soccer ball into my hand, and a cat tail missing my face by millimetres as she contently is happy and about to bite me, again. Stay in relaxation pose for as long as I want. Sure... This is pet-assisted yoga.
**********************
Doing yoga on the front lawn of Parliament Hill, in the back row with my colleagues, barely able to hear the instructor, and leaning into a lunge or something and looking up over the eastern roof next to the Peace Tower to see a large raptor circling. As it banks, the sun shines off of the brilliant white head and tail of a bald eagle. I point it out to my neighbouring colleague who passes the message along. Amazing. Only for that moment did the raptor grace us with its presence.
**********************
4:00 am... Pup whines urgently at the door and wakes me from my sleep for the second night in a row, as her meds are making her drink and process water in far greater volumes and with far more frequency than usual. I look up into the dark sky to see crystalline stars, a planet - maybe Jupiter? - and the almost full moon beaming down on me.
**********************
At a red light with the pup in the back seat, tired from a hot playtime at the off leash park. Windows rolled down to get the breeze through the car, and I hear a revving from the engine behind me. I look into my rearview to see the top portion of a red pickup truck hood, the windshield and the grinning, Nascar-fan-esque scruffy sunglasses wearing face of the driver. No, I'm not playing your game. I leave the line at the same speed I would have gone without an aggressive driver taunting / bullying me and riding my ass. I have my dog loose in the backseat, ya jerk. Once the cars have spaced out in the lane beside me, he tears around and speeds on up to where the two lane becomes a one lane, pulling into the huge line of traffic only about six vehicles ahead of me. Good riddance.
**********************
At another red light, same day, same situation except this time I didn't see the truck and it illegally flew through the turning lane and cut me off on the other side of the intersection where there IS ONLY ONE LANE ASSHOLE. Driving, with a couch in the back of his truck. Seriously, people? Seriously??!
**********************
Driving back from the other dog park the day before. I really like that park - it has far more trees and no stinky river to entice pups. Taking the long way home, enjoying the drive, and get past an intersection but hearing the sirens of a fire truck. Looking left, I notice it motoring down the road towards me so I boot it to get out of the way. And then it turns onto the street behind me. I have enough of a head start to be able to choose the spot where I pull off - a nice extra wide section of the street, where I calmly turn on my indicator, pull over, and stop, and watch as the big truck comes up behind me. An extra patterned horn blast as they go by my car - recognition of the far-in-advance courtesy or warning for me not to pull out? - and my fingers crossed on the steering wheel. Then empty street and I'm able to continue to my next intersection... when I hear the second truck coming. Luckily, the intersection is empty and I'm able to complete my turn and get the hell out of the way. Again - "Good luck, guys" as they drive by. I have seen a woman cross herself as a fire truck goes by. I think a lot of people share the same sentiment. I also wish all those anonymous bundled people on stretchers luck as they're loaded into an ambulance, or as an ambulance flies by.
**********************
Walking in silence with Subchunker and the pup, in the warm, breeze-filled night. Feeling the rough climbing calluses on his hands, which I find masculine and comforting. Nose and lungs filling with sweet air, warm, tree-laden, river-scented, humid and thick. High clouds obscuring all but the brightest stars and the partial moon looking rusty. Why doesn't the dog do this?
**********************
Shadows creeping into the morning light walk-time. Darker, dimmer - sun rising later. The world keeps orbiting and we are approaching the dark half of the year. It has been a very bright light half of the year, with lots of fire and sun and dry and crispiness.
**********************
Walking in the rain, pup's ears held Yoda-style - out to the side to prevent water from getting into them. This is the hurricane, dragging southern water into the dry north, moistening our parched soil, washing us with honest rain. And still people complain that it is raining. Our society is too out of touch with what our ecosystem actually needs to survive.
**********************
Yoga mat in position. Timer clicked over post-dinner. Cat flaked out at the foot of the mat. Pup at the head, looking partially sleepy, partially confused. Stand with your feet hip distance apart. Breathe. Hands together over the heart centre. Inhale, raise your arms overhead. Exhale, hands back together over the heart. Move into the poses. Wide leg forward bend - hello kitty, muah. Brave warrior. Focus and release - no tension, but tension - balance the movement with the release. Look at the paintings on the wall with soft eyes. Don't notice what you might do to fix that one. Focus on the movement-counter-movement-stillness. Warrior 1. Don't trip over the cat, who is helping by making sure you cannot return to mountain pose - the space between my feet the perfect width for her to enjoy her own moment on the very comfortable yoga mat. Pup's arms make in onto the top of the mat. Lunge. Cat crossed under the bridge - hello. Side stretch - how boring, flicks the cat - humph, says the pup. And then roll the cat off the foot of the mat for baby cobra. Meh! she says as I touch her. Turn over for bridge pose. Vertical shins, feet pressed into the floor lifting the thighs and buttocks off the mat, shoulder blades tucked down, a straight line from shoulder to knee. Stuffed soccer ball bounces off my face because it's a fun dog toy. Never turn your head in bridge pose... Knees up, twist. And while I'm at it, why don't I provide a convenient neck rub for the dog face right beside mine. Twist sitting up, interesting sensations along the small muscles covering my ribcage. Perhaps I should breathe more. Staff pose and seated forward bend. Apparently my feet are delicious as the pup proceeds to lick them as I try to do a forward bend. Then relaxation pose. With a pup crawling under the coffee table, nosing the stuffed soccer ball into my hand, and a cat tail missing my face by millimetres as she contently is happy and about to bite me, again. Stay in relaxation pose for as long as I want. Sure... This is pet-assisted yoga.