Day Sixty-Three

That makes it nine weeks.

My beautifully annoying dog decided it would be productive to break our backyard lead for I believe the fourth time in her short existence. She even broke a lead called 'The Beast' about a year ago. Clearly, her recent destruction was intended to get my ass in gear and finish the fence I have been building for her. Such a selfish dog.

In the name of thriftiness, I refuse to purchase one last lead because, soon enough, she will able to roam free in my yard. It would seem like a waste of both money and product. Instead, the wife and I have taken to walking this silly little pup multiple times throughout the day...

...which got me thinking, 'Man. I wish I was still a smoker'. Of course, I immediately rewrote that notion in my head into, 'This would have been nice to do if I was still smoking'. Our daily walks would fit perfectly into a cigarette smoking routine. We walk first thing in the morning, and I would probably catch a nice buzz with the combination of sleepiness and activity. We also walk after dinner, and everyone know how nice that cig always is. This dog-walking routine would certainly have helped to support my addiction, and I would have loved it. And it would have been good for my pooch too!

Yet, I continue to pursue my smoke-free life and these thoughts must remain so. This dog walking has, however, worked to bridge one particular gap between my former and current lives: my outdoor time. Last night, in fact, I had a terrific excuse to follow my good friend Genna Rose outside for her mid-Risk - the game of global domination - cigarette.



I bemoan my loss of casual outdoor time since quitting, and it seems that I have found a suitable replacement. My love-puppy gets to expend some energy and spread her scent about, while I get some down time and fresh air. It seems to be a win-win. Last night, it felt refreshing to take a 'cigarette break' without actually smoking one. To take my self and thoughts from containment within a house to the infinite expanse without permits the digestion of all the words and ideas flung about; like eating a clementine after dinner. It serves as an intellectual palate cleanser, and it is good to know that it remains intact with cigarettes extracted from the recipe.

Now all bow down to Coleman: winner of the game and the world.