Black Dog Sunday

R has reached that stage of life when he can get away with much more than when he was younger. The Duo was in a down stay. Ahem, R, that doesn't look like a down!

With this Duo, Shyla has become the "goody-goody" while R is the rebel. However, R's independent streak can lure Shyla into bad behavior. I almost never have the camera out for those moments!

R has always been high intensity. He has laser-like focus on the things that he cares about - like rodents and horse poop. In this case, his focus was a hiker a long way down the hill. He was trying to decide whether to hold his sit-stay or ignore me and go greet the hiker. This time, he chose to stay. He got a jackpot for that good choice!

It's tough when a high intensity personality is met with a chronic physical problem. Both R and I have experienced that conflict. R is SO much better than before the surgery but his elbow will never be normal. In our first snow, I could tell that his elbow bothered him some when he ran. Yet, he still chose to run. Similarly, my spine has improved after each surgery but it will never be normal. Yet, I choose to ride my bike and hike (when I'm able).

In that regard, R and I are very similar. I've ridden my bike through terrible pain because I love it. Cycling makes life bearable when spine pain, migraines, or other painful injuries are pulling me down.

I know that my approach to life isn't like most other peoples' approaches who think that I ought to scale back my activity. My answer is that my pain almost always gets worse when I am not active so why not go out and do what I love?

I am no longer allowed to say "seize the day" due to Shyla's epilepsy so I'll say that both R and I live by the motto of Carpe Diem!