Routine rules in my house. Much as I’d like to believe that I am spontaneous, the truth is that I, Karl and Bob go through the day in a fairly established pattern. And I don’t get tired of it or bored. I look forward to all of the parts of the day that follow our little schedule.

First thing on getting up is to fill Bob’s food bowl. He paces back and forth across the table where his bowl sits, meowing and sometimes yowling if I’m taking too long between bed and food. I am a quiet person – no tv, rarely music – prefering the sounds of the outside or the crackling fire inside… I get the cat his food!

Karl waits until sometime after he has heard me turn me on the coffee maker – I have a grinder combo machine – it whirrs into action sounding like it is tearing itself apart and then settles to gurgling through its cycle. I hear Karl getting up, a morning shake and then he ambles in for a greeting, rub and treat. We all retire to the sunroom for a bit of quiet time.

Bob’s turn again as he now wants to go outside. He is smart about this. He makes the commotion – scratches at the glass of the door, rolls on his back meowing piteously, but then waits on the front porch for Karl to do his perimeter patrol. Karl takes a path about 50 yards away from the house – all the way around – sniffing, watching, an occasional woof of warning that it is his yard – then he settles in front of the house, on watch, waiting for me. Bob takes his cue and goes out to attend to his rounds.

When Bob returns – to his food bowl for second breakfast – Karl and I head down the driveway. Karl jumps up when he sees me with “walking” implements – pepper spray and now in the dark, a flashlight. He seems so excited. His excitement is what got me thinking about our routine this morning. He jumps up like we are going on the grand adventure every morning when I come out for that first walk. We walk together down the driveway and then he takes a left across the front of the property. He spends some time in the corner in a stand of trees and then heads along the east border of the property in the direction of the house. I walk back along the driveway, keeping an eye on his neon blue lighted collar through the trees as it progresses northward. We both take our time – he doing what dogs do and me just watching, listening, feeling the breeze or the quiet or looking at the sky.

It is the same, yet different, every day. It is beautiful – I love it also – I walk down the driveway and back (350 yards round trip), in the dark, as my dog walks part of the property border. It takes all of 15 minutes – nothing compared to our daytime walks. It seems extraordinary how enjoyable this is every day in all kinds of weather. The routine is the same, but the subtle nuances of sky, trees, wind and even smells – they are always unique.

It is the same with the moon, the mountains and the lake. I walk the same paths, see the same views, but the feel, the time, the view – the enjoyment of the everyday beauty and simple routine is different everyday.

… and then there is Bob…

… his routine when Karl and I are enjoying an early morning walk? – Bob takes advantage of an unmade bed like nobody’s business!

*Moon photos are from last evening (12/2/08) – waxing crescent moon.