The Adventure Continues…

10++ Rating At Sunset

by | Aug 30, 2019

“Your name should be Precious, not Willie James. You’re too adorable to be called anything other than Precious.” -a friend

We arrived at the mouth of Platte River Thursday evening with only a few minutes to spare before the sun set into Lake Michigan’s horizon.

A couple approached from down river heading to their vehicle a short distance from where Willie James, a friend and I stood admiring the pinks, oranges and yellows the sunset cast into the western sky.

They greeted us, and the woman asked, “Can I pet you puppy?”

I replied, “Sure. Of course.”

They asked the standard line of questions: what’s his/her name, what breed, how old and how big will he get. To which I reply, “This is Willie James, he’s an 11 week old chiweenie – dad was a chihuahua and mom a doxie. Based on his feet, he won’t get too much bigger.”

“May I take a picture of him?” she asked. “We share pictures of puppies we meet on our walks with our grandchildren and we rate them. They’re going to rate Willie James a ten-plus!”

It felt a little awkward to be asked if someone could take pictures of a my dog, but what’s the harm? “Sure. I suppose.”

Willie James posed for the woman about as well as he does for me…not. He sat perfectly posed while she prepped her cellphone for the shot; as soon as she started to kneel down to snap his picture, he bounced like doxies do to her feet.  At least he didn’t wrap his red nylon lead around her walking sticks, calves and ankles… that would happen after their grandkids responded to the photograph and we shared a few quick stories of dogs, grandkids and traveling.

A mom walked calve-deep up the river’s edge with a 10-foot olive green kayak in tow. Her young son, maybe two years in age with big loppy blonde curls, sat peacefully amongst their beach-fun supplies. A short distance upriver beyond us, she arrived to the spot next to a similar kayak and set it on the shore for loading their vehicle. The boy climbed out of the boat, and softly said, “Puppy.”

The mom held her son’s hand as they walked up to see the puppy and ask if they could pet him. Again, I shared that he was an 11 week old chiweenie in response to the standard line of questions. Both the toddler and puppy were gentle with each other. It was one of those precious moments of innocence that melts a mother’s (and a grandma’s) heart. Mom shared with us they have a large mastiff at home and her child hasn’t seen a dog this small before.

Several more individuals stopped to pet Willie James. This is how our “walks” in public settings play out. I’ve never been one to be center of attention or attract a crowd. Willie James, on the other hand, is soaking up all the love and pettings.

In case you were wondering, Willie James got an A++ from the first couple’s grandchildren.

Willie James, one day your adorable charm is going to make you famous. Until then, we’ll keep strolling around the area while we wait for the green light (and next round of puppy-shots) from the veterinarian. It’s important to me that Willie James continues to be socialized and introduced to various environments daily to ensure traveling is enjoyable for both of us.

Captured moments along the way…

Sailing Lake Michigan
Naptime for Willie James, Blue Croc and George.
Dune Dogs in Glen Arbor, Michigan
Sunset over Loon Lake, Honor, Michigan

Explore the adventures that got me here…

An Ultimatum Directed at Spirit is a Bad, Bad Idea

An Ultimatum Directed at Spirit is a Bad, Bad Idea

The Adventure Continues...“You do what you can for as long as you can, and when you finally can’t, you do the next best thing. You back up but you don’t give up.” ―Chuck YeagerWhat are a few of the lines they say about tempting fate? If you want to hear God laugh,...

19 to 75 in Less Than a Week

19 to 75 in Less Than a Week

The Adventure Continues...“Life is an amazing adventure; it was never intended to be lived in gray-scale.” ― CK KochisMy breath hung frozen in the air for a moment before evaporating into the dawn of the day. The words thank you slipped through my lips as I observed...

Letting Go & Shrinking Spaces

Letting Go & Shrinking Spaces

The Adventure Continues...“How can you write from your heart if your head is busy yelling at you?” ― Barb ParcellsIt's not easy to let go of the critical monkey-mind voice somedays. When I edited the podcast interviews with Barb Parcells and Christin Bjergbakke, I...

About The Author

CK Kochis

I am a writer; it's what I do. My mission in life is to guide women exhausted from nurturing others and the stagnation of daily routines to ignite self-love through the power of their words. I am utilizing my Integrative Nutrition Health Coach education as the foundation of ElementsForAHealthierLife.com to create a platform for coaches and leaders to share pearls of wisdom and professional insights. I wrote, designed and published “Get A Compass Not A Clock” and “UnLeash Your Story: A Journal Writer's Guidebook”. My virtual assistant clients keep me creatively busy, while my grandsons teach me about the importance of play.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Books by C.K. Kochis

Newsletter

Listen

Certifications


Pin It on Pinterest

Share This