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SO I DID. Admittedly, it was a few days later, but I did heed my own advice yesterday, and went marching forth--much to my relief and delight and mood enhancement and increased sun-absorption and bone-density advancement and muscle build-up and, really, I might just as well say it: Overall Benefit.

After all, the day was pretty much insisting on compliance with the deal I had made the night before--If it's warm enough and not raining, I will, I will, I will take a walk tomorrow! True, I could have weaseled out of it by further defining "warm enough," and that, in itself, would have been complicated by the fact that there was a stiff breeze blowing.


But, hey, I had made the deal! (I'm not quibbling about exactly who, what, or which little wrinkle of my brain was going to hold me accountable if the deal were broken, but it's likely to be that same little wrinkle long beleaguered by my "will not, will not, will not eat any more chocolate today" promises--so frequently broken.) And so it felt good to march forth--just for the victory of it, if nothing else.

Furthermore, I didn't just walk my walk, but ventured far out into the countryside; I crossed a pleasant little stream and encountered some cows taking their Sunday afternoon lie-around. "Ladies," I said, though I kept my voice low, hoping not to offend," you are quite seriously dirty! It's been a while since I've seen such bedraggled bovine."


Very calmly they looked at me, and I was certain they hadn't heard. Then one slowly rose and meandered over to speak to me. Her earrings both read 'Dakota'.

"Darling," she said, and she looked so gentle and spoke with such dignity, "we're not cats, you know." Then she added in a whisper, "...Constantly licking themselves!" And I'm sure I saw her ever so slightly rolling her eyes.

Well, of course. I hadn't thought of that. I apologized to Dakota and felt bad for making aspersions. And how could they possibly keep themselves clean in the mud of melted snow. (Yes, still plenty of that around, though I studiously omitted photographing it, considering my vow of avoidance.)


I'm hoping, Dear Reader, that you've also been marching forth into warm and precipitation-free days. It won't be long before we will all have a new spring in our step; and I'll be gushing and raving and falling all over myself because of that spring.


You know I will.
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