If hounds could be soul-mates, she'd be mine.

Help help help!!  I want to get off.  My life resembles a spinning wheel that’s just spinning faster and faster and not actually achieving much .... or so it feels.  What it does achieve doesn’t always resemble what I want it to .... or exactly what I need it to.

I want to stop the clock ... but I can’t!

Then Mother Nature throws a “moment” at me like this morning’s one ... 

The kind of moment that makes me stop and catch my breath.  The kind of oment that makes all those deadlines and “things to do” lists irrelevant and unnecessary.  The kind of moment that takes all those pre-conceived ideas about life and living and flings them into the ether.  

A miracle kind of moment. 
 An everything happening when it should kind of moment. 

I knew as the hound and I hit the road that today’s ramble was going to be an awesome one.  There’s a stillness in the air, a gentle silence .... a kind of peace that you want to hold onto. 
Not all mornings are like this.

Even the hound knew there was something special afoot. 
She didn’t stop to read the p-mails
.... she didn’t stop for ablutions
... she didn’t stop to sniff the morning air.  

She saw a reverence to the moment that wasn’t visible.

We weren’t disappointed.  This morning’s sunrise halted my world for just the briefest of moments in time .... and I inhaled and I knew.  THIS time is the RIGHT time for what is happening right now. 

As we bounced back down to the beach I felt a sense of euphoria overwhelm me.  I needed that sunrise this morning. 
I needed to slow down and catch my breath and just breathe.

.... and the hound needed to poop.

No sooner did her paws touch the sand than she squatted.  She must have been desperate but in her desire to allow me that moment of reverence, she’d held on .... and on.

If hounds could be soul-mates, she’d be mine.

Sam and her have padded up and down the beach and in and out of the waves for hours on end.  They’ve been joined in their antics by a motley variety of hounds .... some eager to play, some not allowed to.  Carol and I have sat on the steps and revelled in the glorious sunshine and just chilled.  

Sometimes chilling is necessary.

Sam swam out to fetch the ball with the stick in his mouth .... and managed to bring BOTH back to shore.

“Life isn’t as serious as the mind makes it out to be.” 

~ Eckhart Tolle

It's a win-win situation ...

Tonight's sunset

“The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of the child into old age, which means never losing your enthusiasm.”

Early morning views

 .... a quotation by Aldous Huxley ... an English writer most famous for having written ‘A Brave new World’ ... a novel about a futuristic society based on pleasure without moral repercussions, everyone’s happy, everyone has what they think they want. Considering that it was published in 1931 and was considered science fiction, it’s incredible how insightful Huxley was about what’s happening in our world. 

Happiness is a complex thing ... maybe as I get older my idea of happiness changes ... maybe that’s why I find  ‘A Brave new World’ a bit disturbing now, even though I read it years ago as a younger woman. I do like some of Huxley’s quotes though, especially the one I’ve quoted.

Heading down towards Ladies Bay

Would that I could be as enthusiastic as my hound about everything I undertake ... she never answers back, she never sulks ... everything I ask of her is done with boundless enthusiasm and energy. She’s a Duracell battery on 4-legs that seldom exhausts itself!

Her enthusiasm is contagious ..... it’s hard not to be affected by this bouncing bundle of chocolate energy that can’t wait to hit the waves. She brings so much happiness to my world!

Happiness is always a choice .... it can’t be manufactured or made to fit like Huxley’s novel suggests. I’ve often wondered why I still feel so happy even though so much in my world is upside down and topsy turvy, and I think I’ve found the answer!!

The cloud formations are beautiful ...

It’s all those little endorphins that my body releases when I ramble .... the longer I ramble, the more endorphins my body releases. The more endorphins my body releases, the less stressed I feel, the less pain I feel ... but wait ... there’s more!  Higher endorphin levels lead to an increased feeling of euphoria, they stimulate the release of sex hormones and they boost my immune system ... I’m less likely to get sick!  It’s a win-win situation ... there’s NOTHING not to like about increased endorphin levels! Rambling is good for me, but I think I already knew that!

Certain foods, like Chocolate and Chilli Peppers, also contribute to increased levels of endorphins. I knew there had to be a reason why I called my hound Chocolat ... and it’s not just because she’s a Chocolate Labrador ... it’s also because I LOVE eating chocolate and the feeling it engenders.

Finn ... he's allergic to protein and loves chewing wood!

Carol will be pleased to know that acupuncture and massage ALSO trigger a release in endorphins. She might be dubious about that claim though as she’s been having acupuncture this last week for her knee injury and has found it incredibly painful. Haha ... the men in our lives might like this little gem ... sex is a potent trigger for endorphin release too!

Gorgeous Abi!

Phew ... I’m quite carried away by the benefits of increased endorphin levels ... it reinforces my belief that the hours I spend rambling with my hound are just so beneficial. I’ve met some of the most gorgeous of hounds ..... I get to explore this beautiful part of the world ... and the best bonus of all ... I’ve made some really special friends who each contribute, in their own unique way, to making my every day magical!