Our Big not Big 4th

 We have safely passed through another big Holiday. Rich was not a 4th of July guy. He preferred to stay at home and let 'the rookies' get into trouble on the Holidays.

He actually would have trouble with fireworks, especially those being set off when he didn't expect them.

Loud noises, sirens, helicopters, low flying planes, fireworks, and gunshots. They were all triggers for his chronic and severe PTSD. So all of our Holidays over the years have been at home and very quiet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hannah's incision was well enough for us to sign up for a 1 mile walk/run [there was also a 3 mile, 5 mile, and 10 mile event but the dogs wanted to go...and is was hot ... so...]

So I asked the 'kids' if they wanted to go to town and take a walk. This was their reaction.

[Charlie was yawning, but we can pretend he said YES!]

The start of the fun event was held at our CrossFit gym. One of my friends didn't want to do the 1 mile walk alone so she'd asked if I'd go. I felt it was a great opportunity to introduce the dogs to chaos.

Hannah was so happy and Charlie watched for any human that might want to pet him.

As it happened a young cross country runner and his father asked to pet them. We got to chatting and I said I loved cross country, it was the first woman's sport team I was ever on. Title IX allowed girls to be in sports.

I mused that the first X-C meet I was in at college, we wore Basketball uniforms inside out to run. The guys were entertained.

Nice little dogs make for good conversations and break the ice.

Hannah wore her Security shirt. I just thought we might need her for that, right???

Below...
the pups sat like this
through the 
Star Spangled Banner.

We headed off behind the big crowd of runners with my friend Charlene and her grandkids. The cool-ish morning turned very hot so I am very happy that I hadn't decided to do anything foolish like try and walk 3 miles with the dogs.

We finished the walk and when I went to the kiddy pool to pick up a little bottle of water for me, Hannah tried to jump in it. I did have water for them with their little foldable doggy water bowl.

Next stop was the Farmer's Market. I had told another girlfriend that I'd stop by. I took off the 'clothes' and we headed into a crowd of kids, dogs, and holiday goers. 

We ran into quite a few tourists who asked about what 'breed' Hannah and Charlie were and were they related? There were some very nice and friendly dogs at the Market too. 

The point of the excursion was to get Hannah used to crowds and socialization so she will be a good dog. Charlie mostly ignored people and other dogs as if he were above it all.

Except little kids.  He loves little kids. He stood quietly wagging his tail and panting as he was fawned over. 

Once in a while he'd look over at Hannah and I as if to say...

"You know who is the STAR here!"

The two of them were tired and worn out after the busy morning and spent most of the day napping while I read a book and relaxed. 

It was still too wet to mow and the yard still squished when I walked in the lower areas.

Charlie slept on his chair and Hannah? Well, our house and farm were as Secure as ever as she kept a watchful [ahem] eye on the place.

I bet no one makes off with her chew bone or ball.