August has flown by…and no diary entry for the month! Thanks to my chronicle of photos, I looked back for reminders of what has been filling my days.
It all quickly came into focus. A stand-out was the oppressive heat that kept us indoors most of the time. Even Paloma knew better, except when Mother Nature called.
A couple of writing assignments had me on the move: San Francisco and the arts culture of Laguna Beach. Now that most of my research is done, I have begun putting pen to paper.
And while we were traveling, Paloma went to “summer camp,” i.e., boarding/training with her breeder. Post-camp, Paloma’s maturity and newly acquired skills (she turns one on August 23) are astounding. Pre-camp, she was an impossibly strong puller on walks and always “put on the brakes” as if her feet were glued to the ground. Post-camp, she is heeling beautifully at our sides with no pulling and no stopping but for a few seconds to smell the roses. And we have learned the importance of paying attention to young Paloma during walks to reward her whenever she looks up at us to “check in.” Another life-changing tip is attaching her leash to the front of her harness, not the back. Repetition with praise and treats is the secret – as well as playing games to make training fun and stress-free for Paloma and us. I believe we have made a most important investment :)
Last Friday, our weekend started off with the much-anticipated delivery of mixed berry pie fresh from the oven of our friends Joann and her son Andy. Joann arrived just in time for our afternoon coffee, so we sliced into the pie and shared together the delicious tang of their heavenly creation!
I have been rejoicing the cool temps of recent mornings – a sign, a friend once told me, that fall is around the corner.