It has been over six months since my last post on this blog. Walking Grace is pretty routine these days, and pretty much everything that happens has happened before, numerous times. Recently, however, we have a acquired new best friend. In a large subdivision off of Old Harding Pike west of our condo, many dogs are out walking when we walk through. One afternoon a month or so ago, we came across two dogs running around inside the fenced-in tennis court. Grace, of course, got all excited. I asked the two humans if Grace could play too, and of course they said yes. She entered gleefully and joined the fray, chasing and being chased all around the enclosure. One of the dogs, whose name I don't know, had to leave after a few minutes, but Bingo stayed for another ten or so. They had a grand time chasing and wrestling until it was time to go, as indicated by Grace going to the gate and looking at me. Bingo's mom, whose name I don't know, said she hoped Grace would come play again, because Bingo would be sleeping through the day now. Little did she know our dear bassador.
It wasn't more than a week later that Grace led me into Belle Pointe, not unusual, and by the most direct route to the tennis court. We went inside, and she sat down, looking expectantly in the direction Bingo had gone after their prior encounter. We were there, her sitting and I standing, for a good ten minutes, also not unusual, when suddenly she stood up, tail wagging madly. Bingo's mom had come out for a smoke. I waved, Grace wagged, and she went back inside for Bingo. They romped.
Since then, we have bypassed the tennis courts and gone straight to Bingo's door at least once a week, accelerating to three and four times a week of late. One morning she lay on Bingo's front porch for twenty minutes before I convinced her to give it up. Since then, at Carmen's urging, we no longer camp out on the porch, but we have had pretty good luck finding Mom out smoking. This morning her son came out to go to work just as we arrived.
It has been two and a quarter years since Grace last had a best friend. It's nice to see her so happy.
