Bull Run Park and embracing the consumer culture

Saturday evening was Florian's night to go teach his private ballet lesson in Virginia, and we decided to take advantage of the gorgeous fall weather with a nice little hike. 

The best thing about fall and winter is that you can go on a hike with the pups, then let them mellow out in the hippie/soccer mom van while you go shopping. And because humans are an adaptable species and we have learned to take pleasure in many things that disgust us on some level, but are ubiquitous, one of our favorite things to do is to go for a hike then go check out discount consumer items at one of those big stores in those malls that are all exactly the same throughout the DC metro area, or really pretty much everywhere you go.

First, we went off to find a nice little hike in Bull Run Park. 

Fozzie is still a bit of a lunatic in the car, and if I don't have the front window open so he can stick his head out, he'll climb on my lap and scratch at it.










We found a really nice, flat trail along a stream--which must be Bull Run--that went on and on. There was absolutely no one out and about, so Lamar got to go off leash. 

Though I love the challenging trails we sometimes go on, pretty much all of us were ready for an easy, mellow walk. 

Florian's been choreographing and rehearsing like crazy, I haven't been sleeping a lot due to a situation at work that makes me feel a constant level of low-grade panic, and Lamar is starting to show his 13 years in his hips and his energy level.  






Fozzie is never low on energy but he doesn't mind a mellow leash walk either, as long as he gets to have lots of sniffies.

I loved the steps going through the water, allowing dogs and humans to cross in the manner most comfortable for them. 

Fozzie went right across on the steps, 














but Lamar felt more at ease putting those skinny legs in the water and wading across. 

My poor little man, maybe that felt good on his arthritis. 

 

This walk was paved in some parts, wooded and spooky in other parts, and it even went past an old archeological site which I thought looked pretty neat. 








A gorgeous way to enjoy the still-warm temperatures and take in the stunning colors of a beautiful spot. 

The dogs got nice and tired, settled in the van, and then we went to Ross Dress for Less and bought 3 years' worth of really good-smelling discount health and beauty products. 

What's YOUR favorite guilty consumer pleasure?