Date Saturday at Basye and Bryce Resort

This semester Florian is teaching 18 classes a week, I'm working two jobs and grooming dogs right and left, and we both have been spending lots of time with my dad. Of course Florian still has his alternate weekends with his son, during which they do fun things like play with remote control cars, shoot bows and arrows, and blow things up.

So finally I said, where's my special fun time with my old man? Thus began our new tradition of Date Night. 

Date Night's good for me because it means I get to spend quality time with Swiss dude, and it's good for Florian because it means I end up taking him out for all kinds of cool stuff. Take our most recent date, which was really an all-day affair, during which we went to Basye, Virginia for a walk around Bryce Resort. 

This is one of those places that brings up warm feelings for us both, as Florian has gone skiing there and we've spent several nice days walking around. 

The day was gorgeous and sunny, but there were few people around so pretty quickly we felt comfortable letting the dogs off leash. 

Even nutty Fozzie, who makes the most of off-leash time by bounding around like a madman 

and, of course, swimming. 

Somewhat surprisingly, he does come when called the vast majority of the time when we are on trail hikes and is generally a pretty good trail companion, at least as long as we don't encounter too many fellow trail dogs. 

On this day, the worst thing he did was to vomit, copiously, seemingly his entire, undigested and barely chewed breakfast, at precisely the only moment on the trail when we did pass other hikers. 

Way to endear yourself, Fozzie!

The best place for a long walk is around Lake Laura, which is great for the dogs and great for its scenic views. 

The lake has a trail running all the way around it, which affords a view of the lake and some of the stunning vacation rentals and year-round homes we fantasized about living in. 

We walked all the way around the lake, encountering no one else after that one group of unfortunate witnesses to Fozzie's vomit-tastic display, then headed back to the car with a couple of tired pups.

And then began Florian's favorite part of Date Saturday, when we went to our favorite hippie store and I bought Florian a nifty Himalayan salt lamp, which are known for their positive ions and healing properties. 
 
And then we went into the town of New Market and I got Florian some world-famous peanut stew at the Southern Kitchen, the only diner I know that makes this tasty veggie favorite. 

A perfect day for me and the dogs, and the Swiss dude couldn't complain too much either.



Ladies (and Sam's Dad), how do YOU keep that spark alive when all your sheets are covered with paw prints and there is a snoring, hairy beast coming between you and your significant other at night?

Do you too have to bribe him--or her--with peanut stew and New Age trinkets?