one dark cold drizzly night

After twelve hours of waiting out the rain we were both stir crazy, but just after sunset the downpour eased to a steady drizzle. I leashed her and we went for a long walk. It's been a long time since I've gone for a long walk in a cold winter rain; it's good for the soul. And she's at her best when she's walking; she's light and easy on a loose leash. We have many hours and miles of trail together ahead.

In a dark corner of the park we came across a small herd of deer, a buck and four does, no more than fifteen yards away. We stopped but only for a moment. The buck centered himself between the two of us and his does and stomped his foot."Close enough," he seemed to say, so we kept walking.

All the fables teach that there's a downside to wishes granted. In our case, adopting a water nymph has resulted in a lot more mud in the house.