Weekend walkabout

Every year, when Florian asks me what I want for my birthday, my answer is the same: to spend time with you and the dogs and do something outside and fun. This year, my birthday fell on a Friday and both of us had open schedules all weekend--setting the stage for a weekend wonderland of good stuff.

Friday's celebrations began with a vegan raw food lunch at Kephra's Raw Food Juice Bar in Washington DC. We ordered the pistachio hempburgers and a variety of sides--delicious! 

Then off to the Potomac for a new hike. This was a wide, flat part of the river that turned out to be where we went kayaking with Pager that one time. 











The river looks calm and shallow, but that look is deceptive.  I'd just been talking to someone the day before about how people drown in the Potomac, on a regular basis. 

It doesn't get very deep, but the current is strong. You're not supposed to swim in the Potomac, and when the water's as deep as it was this weekend, I can understand why.  










I get chills every time I look at the rushing falls and think of how easily you could get overpowered. 

I worry a bit about Fozzie and Lamar, but fortunately they seem pretty sensible.
Fozzie started to swim out when he saw an intriguing duckie, but turned around as soon as he felt the pull of the undertow.  

Good thinkin Fozzie! 















A hike on the Potomac with my boys--you can't do much better than that by way of celebration.

The weekend was just getting started though, with more than enough time for another hike.  

Sunday, Florian taught a master ballet class in Burke, Virginia. A place that, as it turns out, is absolutely covered with lakes. We took a chance and stopped at the first one we came to, which we'd never heard of--Lake Mercer.

Looked like just a nice reservoir at first, with a paved trail over the dam we thought we'd just wander over.










Turned out there was a network of trails you could wander on forever. 

We took the trail around the lake, which meandered through the woods, 

 



past hikers and mountain bikers going in the other direction, past town houses with little back yards and balconies that looked out on this magical meandering trail, 







across wooden bridges and past a swampy boggy part of the lake with spooky tree trunks sticking out of the water, 

and with the dogs starting to sag a bit from exertion, despite many opportunities to refresh and regenerate in the cool water, 

 
back up to the trail above the dam, and back to our car.











 
Now after all that you'd think we'd have to just kick back with a cool bevvie and lay in the sun somewhere, but oh no, Florian had a ballet class to teach. The really great thing was that the studio was right next to another trail head, so I parked there and entertained myself for a few minutes watching him demonstrate pirouettes and port de bras. Then I went for another walkabout with my little men. 

Just a short walkie this time, but enough for everyone to really enjoy what being a dog is all about. 

Lamar has always loved just being in the water, standing there and drinking in the coolness. Lamar is 13 years old, and I can't believe the spring that is still in his step. I want him to have every opportunity to do what he most enjoys. 

What a great weekend! I am so grateful to my joyful, ridiculous boys. No matter how many years I have behind me, all the amazing times we spend together are like a fountain of youth.