Morning

It's morning. It's 6:30 am. It's not normal for me to be up and coherent enough to blog at this time of day.

I'm a night owl. I was up until 1 a.m. last night. It's my nature. I like to get up around 8 or 8:30. We try to start school around 9. Hubby is a morning person. He's chipper and happy and annoying as h-e-double-toothpicks. I don't like to get up when he's in such a state. He's bouncy, cheerful and talkative. Me? I need a half hour just to wake up enough to talk. Saying two simple words, "Good morning" is the most I can muster upon arousal.

Last night I was playing with my doggies after everyone else was in bed. I was loving them, they were loving me, snuggling, giving me kisses--it was a lovely bonding time. Then I started feeling really guilty. Hubby used to get up early and take them for a morning walk--before we got our third pup, that is. Border collies are interesting dogs, and quirky, and our three each have a quirk making it impossible -- well, not so fun for him to walk all three together.

First pup likes cars--he wants to herd them. Hubby has worked really well with this guy and it's under control. Second doggie is scared to death of drains in the street. He freaks. You have to cross the street or put something between him and the drain. We've worked with him on this to no avail. This doggie is also afraid of our laundry chute in the hallway. If that chute is open, he won't walk down the hall! Third doggie, mine--Pip, he's not afraid of anything but he barks when he sees people. I've worked with him a lot, but he's still a little reactive (barking) when he sees someone in the distance.

So I was feeling really guilty about my poor doggies missing their morning walks. It's not as if the don't get exercise, hubby takes them into the back yard and plays fetch. Border collies + fetch equals great fun. They live for it. One word, "ball" will set them off. Anyway, at 1 a.m., I wrote a note to my husband and taped it above the coffee pot where he would be sure to see it. It said:

If you can wake me, and I know that's a big if, I will walk the dogs with you.

Well, he did and I did.

I do not like mornings. Oh, I already mentioned that. It was dark, so I threw on sweats and put my hair in a ponytail. 31-degree windchill, south wind blowing 22 mph, and we set out. The air cuts through me, my eyes start pouring water. I just don't get along with cool temps, wind--it drives my eyes crazy. In Minnesota, 31-degree weather is warm. We wish for 31 degrees in January and February.

And we walked. Hubby said it was 12 minutes. I proclaim it 15. The dogs enjoyed it. I hate to admit it, but so did I.

Walking with my husband has always been difficult. He's 6'5", a whole foot taller than I am. His stride -- I have to practically run to keep up with his normal stride. He slowed a bit this morning, I stepped it up and we had a perfect match. My fitness has improved greatly, and I didn't get winded. It wasn't so bad.

Compromising is a good thing. I put my wants aside (wanting to sleep) and he put his aside (wanting to walk normally for him) and we had a nice, quite time together. I also put my selfishness aside and stepped it up for my doggies.

Before, I just couldn't have done this. I didn't have the energy, I couldn't keep up even on a 15-minute walk. I had no balance, I didn't enjoy walking. We walked a bit this summer, with the doggies, and things improved. But today, it was a different story.

When we turned the corner and were a half block from home, I did the unthinkable. I jogged. All the way home. A whole half block. This made my husband jog, because the two dogs he was walking got worked up. I did something quite extraordinary for me. The best thing was that I was able to do it. Now it was a slow jog, but it was a jog.

When we got home I stated: I do not like jogging or running. I have no desire to do it. I will never do a 5-K, a couch-to-whatever it's called program. I don't want to. Yet, it is nice to know that if I wanted to, I could. It made me smile when hubby said he doesn't like to run or jog, either.

So I think we'll just have to do this again tomorrow. And the next day. Doggies will appreciate it, and maybe some day I'll turn into a morning person. Or not, but at least I can get up.