Back to the Grind

        After a week at the beach, it was difficult to get back into the swing of our weekly routine.  In fact, my motivation to work was at zero.  The weather has been nice and the trees are in bloom, so it's a pleasure to walk the dogs.  We also took a trip to Duke Gardens to view the flowering trees.
        In the early 1930's Dr. Frederic M. Hans, an original faculty member of the Duke Medical School, persuaded Sarah P. Duke, widow of Duke Univ. founder Benjamin Duke, to donate $20,000.00 to finance a garden adjacent to the Duke West Campus.  By 1936 when Sarah died the original garden had fallen into disrepair. Dr. Hanes convinced Sarah's daughter to reconstruct the gardens. Pioneer landscape designer Ellen Shipman planned the reconstruction and planting of the new gardens.  There are 5 miles of walks and pathways in the 55 acre park.

       Another nice aspect of the Gardens is that you can walk the dogs as long as they are leashed.

        We finished the week volunteering at "Tails at Twilight", the fundraiser for the Animal Protective Society of Durham.  Nan was a section leader and I was in charge of several of the tables at the silent auction.

        We were Section 1 - hence the sign.  It was a very successful evening.  Unfortunately, while I was taking care of another one of the tables at the silent auction someone broke a small piece off a Hummel figurine that was up for bid and then hid the small piece.  I only hope that the person who won the bid was the person who broke it.  Otherwise it was a nice night.

Spring Break

     This past week has been Spring Break for the Blue Devils and we took the opportunity to get away.  We're still in the process of exploring the State of North Carolina.  Last Fall we visited Wilmington and the beaches around that city.  This time we visited what is know as the Crystal Coast.  It is actually part of the Outer Banks.  It is at the very southern end of the Banks and actually runs east- west with miles and miles of beaches.  We found a pet friendly hotel right on the beach in Pine Knoll Shores.  It is called ATLANTIS http://www.atlantislodge.com/.
     We had a third floor efficiency apartment style room.   Most mornings we worked on writing projects and then acted as tourist in the afternoon.  Our first visit was to Fort Macon State Park. This fort was named after North Carolina Senator Nathaniel Macon who procured the funds to build it. Fort Macon was built as part of our coastal defenses in 1826.  It was captured by Union forces in 1862 and acted as one of the lynch-pins of the Union Blockade against the South.

     The dogs loved the walks on the beach, so many new sounds, smells, and birds.  The nice thing about these beaches is that they face south.  From our hotel we could see beautiful sunrises and and sunsets.

    Tuesday Morning I played 18 holes at the Cystal Coast Country Club.  It is an extremely tight course with water coming into play on many holes.  The nice part about it was that it was right across the road from our hotel.

      Our last full day we went into Beaufort, NC.  It has a small Historic District and a beautiful harbor area.  We saw dolphins swimming just off-shore.  We took a tour of the historic graveyard, which had a number of interesting stories associated with it.  In one grave a child who died on board a ship was buried in a rum keg.  It is one of the few southern cemetaries that includes graves for both Conderate and Union soldiers and free blacks.  We had a dynamic guide, who had a lot of energy and some great stories.

      All-in-all we had a great 4 days and even got some writing done,  Now it's back to the "grind".

Poopers and Peepers

      Time here in Durham has gotten back to a normal routine.  The central portion of that routine has to do with dog walking, not only of our own but also the dogs at the Animal Protection Society of Durham. http://www.apsofdurham.org/ I am now a fully certified and trained volunteer dogwalker.   The training was arduous: cutting up hot dogs for treats, getting the leash on properly, getting the blighters out of their cages, and of course scooping the poop. My standard rule is that once any poop touches me or my clothing directly - I'm done.  So far I've walked two dogs - just kidding.

      APS is actually a private contractor for Durham County which relies heavily on its volunteers.  It is required to take any animals turned over to it.  When Nan first started they had a pig - not one of those little ones, but a big old hog.  It is a bit sad to realize that some of these animal won't make it.  We all do the best we can to make the animals comfortable and prepare them for "forever homes". (Forever homes is not doggie heaven, but adoptive homes)  The dogs that we walk are generally the ones that have been deemed ready for adoption.

      This is not the "last mile", these are the dogs we walk.  It is hard not to feel sorry for these beings.  Some of them get a little "cage crazy" or go in the opposite direction and withdraw to a point that you have to carry them out of their cages.  Prospective adoptive families sometime have strange expectations. ("I'd like a small dog that doesn't bark."  "Oh, I'm so sorry our last mute dog was just adopted")  ("I'm returning this dog because it's depressed.  I take it on a 3 mile walk and when we get home all it wants to do is sleep."  "It might just be tired.")  There are more inane comments, but I think you get the idea.
     Our own dogs are both adopted from APS.  Finn is part rat terrier and Jack Russell mix who was on "death row" because he was afraid of everything and everybody.  Once we got him out of the cage and started taking him for walks, he came alive.  Hattie is a Cocker Spaniel mix with a barking problem.  It was so bad that four times she was returned to the shelter and was also on "death row".  She had also developed a bit of a separation anxiety thanks to her former loving owners.  She has been a bit of a challenge, but is showing signs of improvement thanks to a squirt gun.  We give her a bit of a squirt, which she really dislikes, whenever she starts barking inappropriately.
     Walking them three times a day(2 longs, 1 short) is a bit time consuming.  However, as North Carolina is showing signs of Spring, it is enjoyable.  One of the sure signs of Spring are the "Peepers" - you know those little frogs that you here in the early Spring.  The dogs and I went to Eno State Park last week for some good walks.

      Here they are crossing the swinging-bridge over the Eno River.  Finn is on the left and well Hattie is the other dog.  Anyway all along the way we heard the Peepers.  Spring is here.