It got up to 44 degrees and today and Maria and I suddenly realized we hadn’t really been able to take the three dogs out for a long walk this entire year, it has either been far too cold or there has been too much snow or rain. We have a fenced in yard for them, and Red and Lenore have been out for short walks – Frieda struggles in the cold now – so we put the three of them in my car and headed for Macmillan Road.

It was a beautiful afternoon – arctic cold returns Wednesday – and the walk was long and sweet. Tomorrow, we have to shovel some snow off of the back door, too much water floating around the house. We walk the dogs every day, it was a shock to realize we hadn’t been for a good walk with the three of them all year. That is a sign of a real winter.