Crystal City, the Police & Fancy Bandanas

The weather has been getting nicer down here in the DC area.  I woke up today and it was already 60 degrees!  Unfortunately, the 10-day forecast shows the temperature dropping to the 40s by the end of this week.  Yuck. 

Leo & I took advantage of the weather on Saturday and headed out for a walk around the Crystal City area of Virginia.  Crystal City is a neat little area with lots of shops and restaurants.  (You can check it out at http://www.crystalcity.com/.)  Crystal City is similar to the area I live in, but I prefer my spot on the map!  (This is where I give a shout-out to Katie who found me my current apartment - thank you!)

So back to our walk... we met some people from Minnesota who walked with us for awhile until "nature called" and Leo had to stop.  Then, Leo and I decided (well, really, I decided) to take 23rd Street back home.  After crossing the street, I gave Leo a cookie, which of course he had to consume by planting his hiney on the ground until the entire treat was gone.  It was at this time that the local police drove up and parked next to us on the sidewalk...

Yes, it was at this point that my heart began beating rapidly.  I've had my fair share of unfortunate police encounters and while Leo & I weren't doing anything wrong, I was thinking, Oh shoot - here we go.  Leo isn't licensed in the county yet.  Lovely.  Now, mind you, I had my story all planned out in the event I was cuffed and sent to jail for this  - "No, Officer, I just moved here in November.  I have the paperwork (which I do!) and will be mailing it out shortly."  I'm sure you can imagine.  My face was turning red and I was completely frantic until the Officer said, "I love those dogs!  They are so great!" 

And my coloring returned to normal.

The conversation was brief (thank goodness) but let me tell you, I will be sending out the payment for Leo's dog license this week to avoid any future run-ins like this one.  Sheesh.

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On Sunday (the weather wasn't as enjoyable) so I took a trip out to Columbia Heights.  I was on the lookout for some bandanas so that as Leo and I train, he has something to wear and help me promote the walk and maybe even raise some funds!

Thank goodness for CVS and a 3 pack of handkerchiefs for $1.  (Still can't believe people blow their noses in these and stick them back in their pockets...)  With some fabric paint and loads of patience, I created something that I hope will help me raise money for the walk!  Look below to see what I came up with!

I will let you know how these work!  I figure they are good conversation starters once Leo has reeled some people in!

It's Friday!

Ahhh, the sweet smell of a Friday morning... or at the very least, the sweet smell of my French Vanilla non-dairy Coffee-mate creamer with a little bit of coffee added. :)

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I know, you're all dying to know about this morning's walk. Well, unfortunately, it just didn't happen. After a very busy week, I had trouble stopping myself from hitting the "snooze" button over and over and over... It was just too hard to resist. I am including a photo of Leo from his early puppy days, when naps & sleeping were the norm. (In my head I'm hearing, "They grow up so fast!!")


The good news is that this is a 3-day weekend and so Leo & I will have plenty of uninterrupted hours to walk around Arlington and he will have many opportunities to sniff the behinds of fellow canines we may encounter. The weather is supposed to be excellent on Saturday and again on Monday, so our 50 minute walks will certainly be extended to include a few extra miles.

I plan on taking a trip across the street to Gotta Run, a super fancy sneaker store. I've heard that these type of stores in the area watch you walk and run and fit the sneakers to your feet! Other purchases I'll be making to help me train include a pedometer. Does anyone have any recommentations? I had one and lost it (of course) but would like the display to provide me with miles traveled, also. At the meeting, we were told that our training should be similar to the day(s) of the walk, so treadmill training would be insufficient. And, of course, Cesar Millan hasn't been around to teach Leo how to use a treadmill so I guess that means we won't be hitting the gym together!

Here's some information that I think is particularly special... there is a service available to women with cancer that provides free housecleaning services. The nonprofit organization (Cleaning for a Reason Foundation) offers free professional housecleaning, and maid services to improve the lives of women undergoing treatment for cancer - any type of cancer. To find out additional information, visit: http://www.cleaningforareason.org/

Before I end this post, I want to include my Avon Walk website. I'll be including this website in each posting so if you would like to support me & the foundation, you can make an online donation. I actually received my first donation from Pam. Thank you :) Pam also mentioned to me that an online donation will generate an automatic receipt for tax purposes, for all of you who require that information.

To donate online: www.avonwalk.org/goto/scummins

Thank you for your support.