I’m still cold.  Today’s high temperature hovered around fifty degrees, much below normal.

And it rained.

***

It’s early morning when I get a message from a friend that our regularly scheduled recreational pickleball game is being canceled due to a lack of a “quorum.” I think, “That’s an odd way to put it.” Nevertheless, the message has been delivered.

Now mind you, I am only slightly disappointed because I can feel it’s cold, and the dark grey sky that hangs on the horizon just above the highest peaks is not welcoming. And all day the sky stays dark, broken only by occasional glimpses of weak sunshine.

With pickleball canceled, I have at least been spared a lengthy drive, except I still need supplies. Ironically, the stores I frequent are in the same direction as the pickleball courts, so, in the end, I will wind up driving anyway.

It is not yet noon when I arrive back home from shopping.  As I unpacked my grocery bags it suddenly hit me: Three stores and I still forgot to buy vodka!  No way am I venturing back outside today.

***

I plan to exercise with the strength bands I have brought from home. First, however, I make a light luncheon consisting of soup with a slice of bread and a piece of string cheese.  I finish lunch and suddenly am overwhelmed by an irresistible desire to close my eyes. I am still cold, so I cover my legs with a small throw, pick up my book, and resume reading. In the time it would take to turn a single page, I’m snoozing, while sitting upright on the couch. I awaken to find Lola snuggled up close by my side, her head in my lap.  She bends back her muzzle and looks directly at me. Our eyes meet.

I have to force myself off the couch. I sit down at my computer to begin this post. Then I notice a new email from Eric, my high school friend, and law partner. He has a modest research project for me.  It’s about all I’m good for nowadays, but meanwhile,  I think, “Perfect!”

As soon as I finish reading my fresh emails, I will use my strength bands. However, thinking about exercise reminds me that Robyn had suggested that I take Lola for a walk in lieu of playing pickleball. I vow to do the bands as soon as we’re back from our walk.

***

Lola is wearing her leash, but I am not holding it, so she is freely exploring.  When we come to a corner, past the last house, there is a strip of vacant land, mainly dirt with a few weedy-looking plants of unknown variety. As we walk, I also notice it’s full of poop, mostly from dogs, I assume, though I have been told there are other creatures afoot in the neighborhood.

Standing out In the open it feels like the temperature has dropped. The sky near the mountains is now pitch black, and a cold, biting wind is blowing from that direction, directly at us.

We continue walking a bit further until we come to a wash.  I turn and enter the wash, which is slightly undulating, but mainly flat. It is set lower than the surrounding land.  To my eyes it’s filled with bramble and human debris, however, Lola seems to be digging it, though cautiously.  I take hold of her leash.

While she is grazing, I peer down the length of the wash.  Around fifty yards from us, I spot a dark shape. It appears to me like the form of an animal, but my eyes aren’t dependable, and I don’t trust them. I assume what I am looking at is a large stump because it stands perfectly still, but if I let my imagination play out it looks almost like a large dog, or even a large cat.  Suddenly, this large shape begins to move.  With a couple of powerful strides, this animal nimbly crosses the wash, bounds up one bank, and disappears. I am thinking that it’s time we return home.

Back home, I cannot hear the rain, but I see that it now is raining hard out back, in the direction of the wash. I’m still cold. Today it is colder than normal here in Tucson. Instead of exercising with the strength bands, I instead warm up with a soothing, hot shower.  I still plan to return to my bands but never do.