Day 5, September 18

7-730 Molly and Ben are nudging me awake for breakfast and the AM walk. Ben still achey after a long rest. He is slow moving on AM walks. Here's something funny I noticed with Ben... he is so worried about those AC/heat vents on the floor. Ever since we got here, he avoids walking over them and practically hugs the wall to stay as far away from the vents. Right now, as I am typing, he is grunting at me because he can't jump down off the bench because the vent is below him, staring up at him. Funny funny.

Went back to bed for maybe an hour after having coffee and cereal. got packed up and ready for the day's outing to other side of the property with Bullfrog Pond. I think we were out the door by 11. The pond is huge. Molly was not that into swimming in it though. But they were curious about the floating dock which I would have never guessed they would have been walking on. Walked Floyd's trail... beautiful woodland, dense pine and hemlock. Bright green ferns carpeted the forest floor. Great little bridges over the streams. The memorial garden was very moving.

I loved this trail. Ben too, I think his nose was to the ground the entire time. He's my sniffer. There's another nice open tracking field. Frisbee time. Ben rolled in something again... only this time is was purple flowers and he smelled good. Was it lavender? A nice afternoon. Warm. Low 70s. Dogs loved zooming in and about the wooded trails, splashing through the rocky stream. I love the smell of the forest. Got back at 130-2. Had some lunch before heading over to walk with dog number two.

It was Chas the young pup from the site! Loved the way Chas would glance back at me every so often as he walked. I got the feeling that he looks for reassurance from his people. After he barks he looks at me as if to ask if that was that ok. Good on the leash. Curious puppy watching the leaves in the current of the Creek. We sat in the woods and played with a giant stick. At the meadow we made up a game with the grass. He would jump up and bat at it with his paws and try eat it when I tossed a handful up in the air. Got him back by 4 and I was beat. Nap. Dogs out for the evening walk at 630. At Valley View for the sunset. Maybe the dogs at Connor House know us now, as we are always passing by and visible from the hilltop.