The air was cold and damp, my fringe slapping my face - annoying me. The hat and hood combo was not doing it's designated job. Blinking against the rain in the air, my eyes were watering enough to make it difficult to see - however, I knew where I was and where I was going.
Pushing past the school collecting gaggle of mothers in furry boots and matching bobble hats clutching various small folk in some state of post school exhaustion or excitement, the dog and I managed to yomp down to our local nature reserve in fairly quick time.
As I strode down the pavement I did feel a little over dressed despite the weather. The slash slash noise of the waterproof trousers felt a little excessive as did the thick coat, gloves and scarf wrapped several times around my neck.
However, as soon as we arrived, I was grateful for all the extra layers. Moss ran on ahead, targeting puddles and mud with a 99% accuracy satisfying her inner-labrador as she turned from a crisp black and white to a generally sludgy muddy colour.
We carried on the pace past the dog-plodders and short-walk-takers, past the tarn, past the Spring Garden Flashes, through the trees and on to the meadow - here we, well I, had to slow down. The mud was such I thought I would slip if I tried anything less than 'take it carefully'.
At the end of the meadow when we reached the fish-leap. we turned up into the birch woodland, returning by a higher path. Equally if not more slippery and certainly less populated. Fine by us.
A more sedate pace along the path until we rejoined the track and we could set off again. A quick diversion around the tarn to spot the bird life (the regulars - mallards, black headed gulls [in winter plumage] coots and moorhens and the not so regulars - lavender muscovies, Mandarin pair, small white male call duck). Down past the empty playground, the swings and slides too wet to play and back on to the pavement.
Lead back on and scarf tightened we began our homeward stride. The sky darkening and street lights flickering on. Moss's blue flashing collar and her reflective lead catching the car lights as they drive by as we march back home.
Ready for a mug of tea, ready to pull the curtains closed, ready to shut the now darkened day out and hunker down for the evening.
Did I feel better for that walk? I know Moss thought it was great and was hugely hungry and ready for a bowl full of food as soon as she got home. I know it would have done me good - but I was rather glad to flump down on the settee with my hands wrapped around a steaming mug of tea.
Ok Moss? Same time tomorrow? good.
This Friday I will be doing a '
Five on Friday - Gratitude' if you fancy joining in xx
a
