Not Fit For (Wo)Man nor Beast

…nor camera, I might add.

It’s rare that the dogs we walk don’t want to walk, but yesterday, in record-setting rainfall, I don’t think there was a single one of us who, by the end, really wanted to be outside walking in the rain anymore. Truly. It was miserable. So miserable, in fact, we couldn’t take photos. So miserable, Gretchen’s trusty waterproof boots were no longer waterproof and therefore no longer trusty. So miserable, I kind of wish I had on a raincoat. Kind of.

From our first dog to our last we walked with our ears down, our tails low, and shook off the water about every 5 minutes. Progress was slow and everyone took care of their “business” in a hurry hoping that they could turn around again and go back to the warmth and dryness of their own homes.

We have a guest at our house this week — Olive — and even she was kind of surprised that being a dog dog walker could be kind of miserable. “You even go out in this kind of weather?” she asked. And after the last walk of the day, she was as bushed and as wet as I was.

Rosie hates the rain and yesterday even Tyson was sick of it. “I told you we shouldn’t be that excited to see Gretchen come to the door,” Rosie mumbled to Tyson.

“I just thought it meant a walk,” responded Tyson. “I didn’t realize we’d be walking upstream!”

Gemma, who is never phased or deterred by anything or anyone couldn’t believe the weather. “It almost looks like the rain is coming up from the ground not down from the sky,” she astutely observed as she dodged puddles the size of lakes.

Oshi hates to go outside no matter what kind of weather it is, but even Perrito kept turning around and straining at his leash to go home. “I don’t think there’s a single spot on my that isn’t wet!” he complained.

“Oh bother,” commented Oshi.

It was so miserable that Gretchen did something she rarely does — she walked four of us at once. First, Olive and I braved a journey to Saber’s house and then the three of us sloshed our way to Woobie’s house. And then, as the rain pelted us from all angles, we slogged through the rivers of water flowing every which way and walked the long, long way back to Saber’s house. People passed by in their cars and smiled at us.

Yes, they smiled even though I couldn’t think of a single reason why they would smile. I’m sure we were a sight — four very wet dogs and a indistinguishable person bundled up in rain gear all making our way through the sheets of rain. Still a smile?

When Gretchen works at the pool she goes through about 10 big towels — mopping up water from wet dogs, drying herself off, and cleaning up at the end of her shift. I think we went through about the same number of towels yesterday. That’s a lot of laundry to do!

And all I really wanted to do was lie on the couch…

And dream about the mornings when Gretchen made French Toast and bacon for breakfast!

I tell ya, it was not a day I want to experience again any time soon. We sure hope all of you stayed dry.

Until (a dry and warmer?) tomorrow,

Rubin