our old doggie. and the ducks.

This is our old doggie.  The walks we take now are very, very, very, very slow.

But he still likes to step into the pond, especially if his friends, the ducks, are there:

Only one duck this time.  The friendship has a checkered history.  A mixed record.

It was ducks who taught him how to swim.  For the first six years of his life, Lucky didn’t think he knew how.  He would step gingerly into the shallowest water.  He seemed to be mystified by it.

Then one day, a flock of ducks settled out in the bay and off he went.  He followed them around for hours.  They knew he was no threat.

A year or so later, he came across a duck on land and tried to play with it.  That didn’t work out so well.  We had to purchase a replacement duck.  Surprisingly, this cost only $5.

Now he just wades into the pond and watches them.  He looks younger when he’s watching the ducks.  He perks up.  This may be an old-age beauty trick.  I’m going to try to remember it.