The day couldn't have been better for it as it wasn't too hot. The sun was out and the sky was blue as we made our way to the places where squirrels are. These are places full of memories of Honey and Laci. Laci sort of knew the way we would go as we have walked that way before. It had been a long time since we made that trek. We also did it in a special way since I didn't get upset if Laci stayed to sniff for longer than I liked. This was for both her and Honey.
I took my camera for "kodak moments" as they are what will last longer than Laci may. I am not sure what I would do if I didn't have my pictures of Honey. Even the videos that were taken on digital cameras where you can barely make her out, but you can make out enough of her to bring back memories of our time together and remember what she was like.
Anyway, Honey must have been with us because the squirrels were indeed acting as if they wanted to be chased. We went through the hospital garden on our way to the square where Laci was stalking a squirrel. I wanted a video of her doing that because she has this crouching motion like a wild dog and the squirrel was just standing there like he was posing for the camera.
In the square, there were three squirrels who were just letting Laci chase them. There are only two in the picture of this. But they were just letting Laci chase them. They were back when we returned to head toward a New Age, Mystic Book store so I could buy a candle of something to have a ritual for Honey.
Laci was thirsty and I went down Delancey Street to go to a market to buy a bottle of water for her. I grabbed a little cup that they use for dressing at the salad bar so she cold have a drink and we headed back to the book store, but they are no longer. We went back up to Delancey street to go toward the New Market Headhouse. Laci was happy about that since she knew that there were squirrels on that path, but, alas, they were hiding.
Anyway, I wanted a kodak moment in the headhouse. Laci wasn't being very cooperative when a woman came along to try to help. She told me she had a Yorkie who died, but she replaced it with a new pup. That was the best thing she could have done in her
opinion. Anyway, she told me about taking pictures of her pup for a contest. They just kept taking pictures until they got a good one. Eventually, Laci stood still long enough to get this picture.We walked down to the River, which is something we haven't done in ages. I remember doing it all the time with Honey, but only when I first got Laci five years ago. I let Laci pick whether we would walk down the stairs or the ramp. She chose the ramp. It was funny as she would look back to see I was behind her. There was a large tanker coming down the River as approached. It was really a cool sight.
There were loads of school kids on the walk. Some of them said that Laci was really cute and I thanked them.
Anyway, there was no one on the embarcadero, so I let Laci off the lead to run. She was really happy about that. While it was great doing a city walk, it would have been really great being somewhere Laci could have run. I don't know if Honey was ever let off lead to run, but I imagine she is running in heaven. I hope she is learning to play. Other than a few runners, we were it on the embarcadero. I stopped to give Laci some water and would have loved to have taken a picture. Next time I will remember to take a tripod.
Laci was scared by a float. I am not sure what happened, but she was sniffing behind a storage bin and she leaped. I saw the float there when I walked up.
There was an observation platform at the end of the embarcadero. Laci got there before me. I wondered what she would do. Would she go around and we would have a comic episode as we chase each other around the platform. Instead, Laci waited for me to come around.
When we came to the end of the embarcadero, I picked up Laci to give her love.
There was a couple who were using a camera, I offered to take a picture of them hoping they would reciprocate. The man said something about not being able to see the screen. So we walked on. We went up the stairs to head toward the old park visitor centre which has now become the Living History Centre.
This was a place we would frequent on our walks if only to use the restrooms. I put Laci into the sherpa bag to go inside. They had an exhibit on archaeology and I asked the person there if he had ever seen "Time Team"? He hadn't, but he had heard of it. Too bad as I knew what they were doing from having watched that show.
Anyway, I went into the park and let Laci out of the bag. She was looking for squirrels the whole time. We were both disappointed that there weren't any out, especially at the section where Honey nipped me because I wasn't getting her in quick enough to chase squirrels. That same place had a memory of Laci jumping a small wall like a horse as she chased a squirrel. As I said, I was disappointed that there weren't that many squirrels, but we did find one in the final block of the park before the square. Laci spotted it as soon as we got there. And, like all the other squirrels on this trip, this one wanted to be chased.
We did a final pass through the square on the way to the Whole Foods market. The squirrels were being very cooperative. Likewise, there was one in the hospital garden where we stopped to rest. I let Laci lie down and have some water. I was able to get a picture of us on this trip. We don't look the happiest. I put the camera on a ledge and carried Laci to the bench. Those kodak moments really count when you want to recall the memories.
Anyway, we walked back in front of the historic part of the hospital and I remembered how they once allowed dogs on the grounds, but no longer do. Laci seemed tired and I put her in the Sherpa bag to rest for a bit. I would need to do that anyway as we were going into Whole Foods. I bought some things for tonight's supper.
It was a pleasant walk and a great way to remember Honey. But, I say it a lot, I never really miss Honey since Laci reminds me a lot of her. In fact, Laci is the much better dog. I did well in getting her, but that is the subject of another post, or maybe loads of posts.
Unfortunately, I received a really nasty e-mail from Virginia with this in it in response to my condolences:
You don't share my grief because my grief is real and from the heart. All you have is images in the ether. It is not real life.Unfortunately, I was so pissed off at this I sent it off to a few people to get their opinions. My wife was upset that I said she wasn't adventurous. Funny, but she has never really done the things I did with Virginia. In fact, she comes up with reasons for hanging around the house.
But, that's a whole nother story!
