Sunday, June 28, 2009

Another Sunday


What's this?

This strange sensation on my face, my arms, my legs?

Oh. Aaaaaah. It's a cool breeze. It's a break. It's heaven.

I do prefer heat to cold. I hate winter, so I do not whine about hot weather. Here lately? Those bawdy, naughty weather gods have been messin' with us.

A solid week - or has it been two - of heat indices around a hundred and ten. (A hunderd n teyin in the local lingo. It sounds hotter, doesn't it?) We've been getting up at 5:00 so that walks are done by 7:30. Even then, we come back with tongues dragging, sweat that won't stop even after a cold shower. A tepid shower; it's been so hot that the water in the pipes doesn't resemble cold. The radio admonishes, "Take extra care with your elderly and your pets." (Yur eeldurlay n yur peeyits. It becomes a beautifully cadenced song, not just a sentence.)

I opened the breezeway door this morning, expecting the saunic blast. (I made saunic up: pertaining or relating to a sauna. I like it.) Even the dogs stopped their mad dash mid zoom to their morning potty. They noticed the difference. And then they got silly.

Sunday mornings project the magic that is this southern river town. We pass another dog walker and wave. "Mornin'". I turn to avoid the goddam feral cat up the street, but Sammy saw him. Sam gets a blueberry treat for being quiet. Sshhhh, Sam. Look at me. Good boy.

The city is a sleeping child. The quiet beauty. There is not an engine running. We see one person a block away looking under his car. It's too early for summer church. Even the River is alone. Not a single boat interrupts him on his way. Everywhere downtown are flowering beds, planned and planted by the city horticulturist. She was laid off because of the economic hard times, and I feel guilty admiring her handiwork. The petunias don't worry about it. They share their spicy fragrance with us.

It's only eighty. I planned our route so we walk into the breeze on the way home. Swede William tenses every considerable muscle in his perfect body. For a moment, it's better than the marble statues in Florence - he is living art - and then I see the Stupid City Squirrel. It runs toward us, the one with half a tail. Maybe he seeks symmetry. To have his stupid head bitten off to match the stupid stump on his butt. No dog barks. They dance, but they are quiet.

Blueberry treats all around.

Maybe my sweet dogs are enjoying the peace of the place, too. I'll take them to the Kennel Club for a run today. They can bark and buck and fly and bask and chase and dodge and be dogs.

Enjoy your quiet Sunday.


hug your hounds






17 comments:

  1. Nothing bettew than a quiet , peaceful bweezy day wif youw loved ones. Last night we walked home fwom auntie Kawen's and it was a pawfect Village evening. smiling faces, a few stweet musicians, and a welcoming nonhoomid bweeze..heaven
    Have a wondewful day
    smoochie kisses
    ASTa
    pee ess..Sam you awe wondewful fow being quiet!!1
    I hope you got lots of bluebewwy tweats

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  2. We might have been reading Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. What a lovely post. It made us appreciate our temporary southern living even more.

    Have a quiet, peaceful, relaxing day.
    Master Jake and Miss Fergi

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  3. Yes, all is peaceful and relaxing here too. But wait until someone rings the doorbell! Enjoy the day.

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  4. We love quiet relaxing Sundays too, Patience, especially walkies bright and early when there is no traffic on the road! That's the best!
    Enjoy your Sunday!

    Love ya lots,
    Maggie and Mitch

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  5. What a lovely piece of writing!

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  6. One nice thing about the heat we are having is that early in the morning the world belongs to dog walkers and joggers.

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  7. Have a great sunday!
    Kisses and hugs
    Lorenza

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  8. We sure would love some cooler weather, but we are used to our blast furnace. It will be over 100 degrees until October here. Glad you guys had a great day.

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  9. I love that description: The City was a sleeping child.

    And I know that early morning feeling.

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  10. The heat has been horrible for the past 2 weeks hasn't it? Thank goodness we have caught a break. This morning it was a bit nippy as I walked out of the house at 6:15am. Awwwwww, feels good.

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  11. Hey there! I found your blog from Barry's. While I was here I thought you might be interested in guest posting at my friend's blog. She does a blog for the Humane Society of West Texas and is always looking for new material. I didn't warn her that I was telling you all this, but you might enjoy guest blogging over there and it would help her out too. You can tell her I sent you. :)

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  12. It is so hot here, too, but I think we're finally supposed to be back down into the 90s today. Summer...grr.

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  13. Sorry it is so hot there. It is a freezing 80 here. LOL. Don't mean to rub it in.

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  14. Wow - Kentucky is a lot like Texas. Unbearable!

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  15. Ah, we are opposites!! I adore the cold and tend to hibernate when it is hot. Of course, the humidity where I live is pretty extreme, so maybe that's the reason. Edward,who shares my love of the cold, and I just returned from a romp in the park and a walk to the library...because the humidity is low today! Yippee!

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  16. I have cousins from Ky. who, when we were all kids and I lived in Ohio, once said "ya'll talk so fuunnee."

    I love the idea of the squirrel with symmetry ambitions. A most tasty piece of writing.

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  17. Breezy Sunday with the hounds. Doesn't get much better than that.

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