Remember growing up, one of the best places on the face of the earth to go to was always the park? Every time your parents would ask if you wanted to go to the park, you get so excited and the answer was always,"Yay"!! Parks offer entertainment for everyone. A playground for kids, ballparks for school, city and church league sports, benches to sit and enjoy the day on, and over all - peace. A place to get away from your job, get out of your house where nothing needs done and you have no responsibilities. My family has the advantage of living right next door to a park. It has it all. Beautiful scenery, comfortable benches, pretty trees, sports fields, a playground, a couple of bridges for kids to play on.
When we moved into our house and right next door to this treasure, we were so excited to get to go into it any time we wanted. But there was no way for us to predict how the park was to become such a part of our everyday lives, that it has turned into an extension of our house. And just like inside your home, their are good parts...and bad parts.
Some of my favorite good parts consist of: Little girl groups (girl scouts, dance and theater groups) who have performances at the park ampitheater . A group of kids and I went for a walk on Friday and their were the cutest little girls singing songs from the play Annie, and they were delightful! It was so fun to watch.
And last fall, our town's rotary club had a showing of the movie Ghostbusters. It was wonderful. We brought lawn chairs, and covered up with blankets. They had free popcorn and hot chocolate. They projected it up on the side of the amphitheater . God provided us with a clear sky and a huge full moon for atmosphere.
Not to mention all the 5K's that happen in our neighborhood and usually begin or end at the park. I love sitting inside watching all the runners in their professional looking running clothes. I always want to go out in my yard and cheer them on. One year the 5K was full of really muscular good looking men - many of them shirtless. I wanted to put some lawn chairs out in my yard and cheer them on a little closer!
The runners/walkers follow a walking path that goes right up to the edge of our yard and is a perfect vantage point for people watching! I especially like watching the sweet older couples walking together, enjoying each other. This summer there has been such a couple-him using a walker, her using a cane. They have the best time and I love walking myself and getting to encounter them and speaking to them - they are so friendly.
I enjoy watching old men in general - especially the ones walking little dogs. One gentleman looks to be about 80 and walks a teeny tiny white dog who has to RUN on her little legs to keep up with him. Her name is Cassie and she has a fake diamond collar and fake diamond leash. I don't know what breed dog she is but she runs like she is wearing high heels. And I bet they would have fake diamonds on them. Cassie is not a fan of large dogs. I know this, because we have a large dog. She is a 70 pound chocolate lab named Finn, and she knows no personal space or boundaries. Finn absolutely loves to run up to other dogs and introduce herself, and she thinks all other dogs just love to meet her. Cassie, is not one of these dogs. Her owner, who is very sweet, always pets Finn, and remembers her name, and will just give me a friendly wave. Cassie however, barks and barks and barks at Finn. Maybe she thinks Finn will try to steal her diamond collar. She scares Finn quite a bit.
And a nice lady who has 2 small dogs. She always walks them off a leash as they walk right alongside her. I talked to her once while I had Finn on a leash. She asked why I couldn't let her off. I said that we usually have to keep hold of her because she is so mischevious. The lady told me I should just let her off, she would be fine. I said no. But the next time I had Finn out in the yard - free- this same lady rounded the bend by our house with there cute little dogs in tow. This time Finn charged the dogs to "say hi", and one little dog got so scared that it ran all the way to the parking lot and hid behind a car. LOL The owner had to walk all the way back to the parking lot to talk the coax the dog out of hiding. Yeah, that lady has never mentioned Finn being off a leash again.
Finn does have one friend though. She is a black mixed lab breed named Brandy. Brandy walks sometimes with her "Grandma". Grandma says Brandy belongs to her son, but sometimes he has to go out of town, so she finds herself "entertaining" his dog for a few days. So they come to the park a lot. Brandy is usually without a leash herself and she and Finn love to play by chasing each other around and sniffing each other's butts quite a bit. Sometimes in circles. And then peeing together.
I run an in home daycare. I love children and I love my job, but I never work a regular 9 - 5 day. My day usually starts about 7:00 a.m and ends after 5:00 and the days are usually hectic and tiring. One day was a particular whopper and I needed to go for a walk and decompress. I put together a relaxing mix of music on my phone, grabbed my headphones and was off. And darn it if I didn't walk right in the middle of a huge family caravan of adults, babies and kids. Some of the kids were on their bikes and scooters, and they quickly fell into the same speed that I was going. It didn't matter if I sped up or slowed down - bless their hearts they stayed right there with me showing me all of their tricks. Well at least I made some new friends.
I will always love our neighborhood and "our" park. The good news for Finn is that cooler weather is right around the corner. And people don't usually come walk during cool/cold weather - so she can run free to her heart's content. Until the snow comes and the sledders start coming right behind our house. Yeah....Finn loves to chase sledders.
Truly he is my rock in salvation
He is my fortress, I will not be shaken
Psalms 62:6
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