After chores tonight I walked around with Miss just a bit. As she's aged, our walks change from a purposeful exercise to a leisurely stroll where we both enjoy other's company. When I used to walk over to the barn with Miss, I'd take a ball and throw it for her as we were crossing the field and pasture. We'd get to the barn, she'd drop the ball and we'd do chores. After chores she'd grab her ball and we'd play more ball on the way home. She'd probably run 3 miles chasing that ball on the 1/2 mile walk to the barn.

Now we just walk. Actually we drive over the the barn, then walk around a bit. She sniffs and checks everything out and checking back in with me every so often. The past few months I haven't walked with her a whole lot. She's been sore and the other two dogs are pretty rambunctious. She gets stressed when I yell out to them. I think she's worried that she might have done something wrong. So the past week I've made it a point to get out and just wander around with her.

Tonight she checked out the woodchuck hole under the corn crib. I'm pretty sure there was something there the way she cocked her head. She wandered along the edge of the field nose to the ground, taking in all the smells. She even dropped to the ground to roll in something (I quickly called her off of that!)

Then we just sat. It was a gorgeous evening. Sunny, perfect temperatures. A lovely quite evening to spend with a dear old friend. Missy flopped down beside me and pawed my hand when it wasn't petting her. I wanted to tell her just how wonderful she was and just how much she had blessed my life. She would have listened. But how do you really put it into words?

So I just asked her the usual cooing “are you a good girl?” to which she wagged her tail and pawed my hand again. Her answer was clear - she was indeed my very happy good girl. It made me smile as I blinked back my tears.