Gretchen at the Farmer's Market

I like our Thursdays Farmers' Market at the city park. I don't get to go often because I'm usually in school and miss out on the event.  Lately there have been some good Greek and Italian foods for sale.  Susan and I made a date to meet there at 10am with our dogs Allie and Gretchen.  It's always nice to visit the farmer's market, and this was a good way to introduce Gretchen to other dogs and people away from a chaotic dog park.  This was her first hike post surgery.

I had to stop for blood work at the clinic, then went to get a copy of my driver's license.  Gretchen was in the car waiting in the shade.  At least these cool 55F mornings are comfortable for dogs in cars.   

I got to the park at 9:40am.  The market doesn't officially open until 10am, but there were plenty of good vendors already ready for business.  I walked Gretchen around to get her familiar to the sights and sounds of the event, from generators to food grills, curious kids and other dogs.  She did quite well, albeit was cautious.  She didn't bark or lunge at other dogs.

She was quite different once Susan arrive with Allie.  She perked up, but also became more protective of me when we neared other dogs. Susan bought her favorite Greek food, I had a $3 cappuccino, and then we decided to walk the more quiet perimeter.  We walked just under two miles in the hour we were here.  City maintenance workers were mowing the grass and sweeping the parking lot and we wanted to get away from the noise.

To add to our dog date, Susan suggested we walk around the Carr ruins on our way home.  There was no one around.  Now the dogs could wander off-leash.  It didn't surprise us that the dogs took chase of either a deer or a blue jay.

We walked another 1.5 miles around the ruins, making a loop with some elevation.  But I wanted to get home to be with Zeke.  I don't think he will make it through the weekend, but he was still alert when I got home, napping by Kevin on the patio on his favorite mat.  Still alert, he wagged his tail when I got home.

I wanted to take Zeke out for a ride into town and then a sun set together, but it was hard to lure him away from the other dogs.  He seemed content just staying home. Instead I placed him on a new dog bed I had ordered a few days ago and which arrived today, and slept next to him later that night, hugging him and telling him what a great dog he was (which only made me cry more.)  He must not have liked the new dog bed with its factory smell, and got up to return to his old mat outside.

It was another chilly night.  I checked on him at 2:15am and again he wagged his tail.  He wasn't alone outside.  Hansel lay on his favorite dog bed on my side of the patio, and Sweetie was on yet another dog bed.  Zeke had his familiar company.