March 21, 2017: A Day in the Doggie Park #Chincoteague #dogs #dogwalk

Ever since Max died, I have thrown myself into giving Booder (aka Cody) more attention. Every now and then I'll designate the day to being a Booder Day.  Today was the day.

As the island is limited to where you can take your pooch, I opted for the Island Nature Trail (we call it the doggie park). The Island Nature Trail - which I have talked about before - is a paved winding trail through the woods. There are benches placed strategically to where you can rest if need be.

This time of year, you'll only catch a few passersby with their own doggies. I passed a lady and her husband I'm figuring carrying a beagle. I was carrying Booder too because I have to watch it with his arthritis. As we passed, we exchanged hellos, then I said to them, "Lazy dogs." They both laughed. But that's about it.  It was just the woods, Booder and me.

I let Booder walk a little but he never took eyes off my legs. If I stopped, he climbed up them, but he was a good sport and walked some and I was a good sport and carried him when I thought it was too much for him.

We stopped at one of the last benches so I could try for the millionth time to get a picture of him looking at the camera. He's a quick little doggie - it took a million times for sure but here he is wearing his Love Machine hoodie.

We walked the full length of the trail and I treated him to a McDonald's cheeseburger (don't be hating on me). I think he had a good day. I know I did. BTW, in this picture, it looks like they're clearing out the dead trees from storms so forth from over the winter. They've got a lot of work to do that's for sure.

March 20, 2017 - I almost died yesterday...

I need to write this down so that I will be reminded of it in case I'm still alive to read it. My life almost changed for the worse yesterday. I wanted to Facebook it but I'm going to tell you about it here so people don't think I'm a drama queen of which I'm not and they have the choice to come over and read it here if they do desire.

Since this blog doesn't have dates at the top, for the record today is March 20, 2017. It's a Monday and the sun is shining. I look out my window and wonder if yesterday was one of those moments when you thank God you're alive. I know I'm not a spring chickiedee but I have a lot of life left and I truly believe that I have a lot more to do and am not going anywhere anytime soon as far as the great beyond is concerned.

Yesterday, my son and I were coming back from grocery shopping. He was in one of those moods where he wasn't in the mood to do grocery shopping. He wasn't alone believe me, but it had to be done.

We were in the southbound lane in a 45 mph zone - just about at the scales in New Church. I was probably doing 50, not more. I heard my son gasp and without turning my head (it was that close I could catch it out of my side vision), a big red truck was barreling my way across the median street. Actually there is a road on the northbound side and in order to get to the road off the southbound side of the highway, you had to cross northbound traffic, through the middle, then cross the southbound lane. This truck was barreling; in other words, he wasn't stopping for anyone and I was in its path. Like I said, I could see it out of my side vision it was that close. He was either on drugs, drinking or running from someone.  I had about a millimeter of a second before I was going to be hit. So I floored it to get out of his path thinking that that still might not be enough. My heart was beating faster than I had ever felt it and I clutched my chest.

We made it. For the love of God we made it. I couldn't even talk. Still clutching my chest, my speed slowed down and I could barely drive it was that upsetting.

My life didn't flash before my eyes so I guess it just wasn't my time, but if there was ever a time for it to do so, that was the time. I dropped my son off and cried all the way home.

Last night in bed, I was thinking about all this. I was thinking I might not have a tomorrow. This tomorrow is a gift.

So I look out my window today and I'm still thinking about yesterday. All my books I need to finish. All my tours that have been paid for from people that might not have been very happy if I weren't here today.

But mostly I thought about my children. Like I said, I guess it just wasn't my time. Thank you God for giving me one more day.