Once a dog has reached a certain seniority, she should be spared the indignity of yanked leashes.  I have earned my right to take time to smell the hydrants. And as I proceed with my more decorous pace, it often occurs to me that we miss much as we hurry bee-like from place to place.  Often if we stop to observe from a different angle, familiar sights look startlingly new.

Meanwhile, the chip that Lily carries on her whither continues to provoke problems.  Out at the cottage, the ramifications can be quite painful, she’s found. I could have told her, but she doesn’t listen to me.  I have taught her to stalk minnows in the shallow waters of the lake, and we know that the minnows will not strike back. But I could also tell her, from my own experience, to stay away from the porcupines.