Just Peachy

Inspirational song: I Do the Rock (Tim Curry)

On my way out the door to Rotary, a woman on a bicycle hailed me. "Do you have two dogs? One of them black and white?" I said yes, thinking I had just seen Saoirse drinking water in the back yard before I walked outside. She explained that she had just put her in the yard, after chasing her all around the block. She stopped her from getting all the way to the busy artery street, but she also called animal control before she caught her. While we were in the back alley, retrieving the cord she used to secure my gate when she couldn't get it to latch, the animal control truck drove up. I had to have a "conversation" with her before I could go on to Rotary. I chose to leave the dog inside while I was gone. I just don't want to repeat that experience.

Several folks were surprised that I made it to the meeting, but I was pleased that it wasn't too difficult of a feat. Plus, the speaker was super interesting (an auctioneer describing what the business is like and how one becomes involved in it). Rotary is my extended family, and it did me a lot of good to rejoin them as soon as possible. Plus it reminded me that tonight was the pickup date for the fundraiser. Every year we sell 18-lb cases of Palisade peaches. I took Saoirse with me to get our box of peaches. She and I hadn't driven anywhere together in a couple of months, and I think it was making her stir crazy. She loved riding around so much, she didn't bark at a single dog, pedestrian, or cyclist we passed. She climbed over me to greet the Rotarians who were handing out peaches. And this evening, she is shaming me for not offering her a bite of the first peach I ate.

I took some fruit over for the baby. I gave them a handful of peaches, plus I picked up a bag of apples on the way because they had run out. I wasn't sure whether Valerie was happier to see me or the apples, but I think I won out over the fruit by a nose. I got a solid ten minutes of baby hugs, and then came home. She walked me to my car, stopping as always to pick up rocks. There is nothing more that kid wants than fresh, wild-caught rocks from outside. If she doesn't at least minor in geology in college, I will be shocked.