Well, warm and (more significantly) humid summer has arrived relatively abruptly around here over the last several days and everyone but the cats was lying around like this by 11 am today:

Which means early morning runs are on the agenda for the foreseeable future. Sadly, I stayed up a little too late last night playing games with friends for that to happen today, so this morning we’ve been fooling around with some rear foot targeting (I see I left my foam mat lying around) and some free “play” (mostly standing around panting with occasional bursts of activity) in the backyard for the puppies while I do yard work.

It’s so humid, her ears wilted.

On these first summery days their needs are modest; it doesn’t take much for us all to turn into wet noodles so they’re not suffering for not getting out today, but it won’t last as they acclimate. Still, over the coming days and weeks I, a confirmed night owl, will have to (kicking and screaming) make my seasonal transition to a reluctant morning person to make sure we get our runs in safely. Anyone who knows me at all knows that of all the things I do for these dogs and this sport, this is probably the most significant and unnatural and says the most about how much I love them and it.