I’ve shared lots of Cheddar participating in yoga photos. But the thing is, he’s my constant companion, especially when I’m the only one home. All of my work colleagues now know him from videoconference meetings.
When I’m riding my bike on the trainer, he’s my number one fan. He sits on the sofa behind me watching the screen, only occasionally nodding off.
I’ve been riding indoors, in a heat wave, in a house with imperfectly operational air conditioning.
Enter the new fan, fan number two.
So last night I was doing the La Bicicletta Toronto Supper Time Trial, a very hard 17.6 km solo effort. Both fans accounted for and I got my second best time on the route. Thanks Cheddar and thanks Heavyweight Honeywell.
Sam and her scrappy cat clawed pink yoga mat with Cheddar!
Like many of the Fit is a Feminist Issue bloggers I’m a fan of Yoga with Adriene.
I like this review of Adriene’s yoga videos because it mentions one of my favourite things about YWA, Benji!
“Adriene Mishler isn’t the only star of Yoga with Adriene. Her fans love her sidekick, Benji the blue heeler, almost as much as they love downward dog. Adriene Mishler exudes plenty of mushy-gushy spiritual thinking, but the yoga evangelist embraces something else, too: self-deprecating humor.”
There’s something about Benji that makes me connect with Adriene and feel like I can do this without getting all self-conscious and serious. We’re two women and our dogs, moving our bodies on our mats. We’re making time for yoga in the middle of our lives, lives that include canine companions.
For me, at home exercise almost always involves Cheddar. All my walking is walking with Cheddar. And getting down on the floor with Cheddar is always a popular move. He likes the company.
Since I’ve decided to stay clear of the gym and the yoga studio in these times of the novel coronavirus, I’m going to be doing more yoga at home with Cheddar in weeks and maybe months to come. Wish us luck!
I’ve blogged about Cheddar and yoga before. See here. And planking with Cheddar too. He’s a very photogenic dog.
Image description: A square of blue with text that reads in white and red, ‘This whole dark at 5 pm is really messing with me.’
I’ve lived through one week now of the dreaded evening dark that comes with the end of daylight savings time. You know how much I hate November and the dark. I don’t know if it’s full blown SAD but I’m pretty miserable for a usually very happy person.
My complaint against the end of daylight savings is simple. I’m an early riser so it’s always dark when I get up. But dark by end of the workday just about kills. It means I ride home in the dark.
I can’t drive in the dark and so I can feel stuck in the house in the winter. I’ve written about my eyes and their issues here.
But lately I’ve been walking Cheddar in the evening, taking him on longer strolls. Walking him in the dark takes some adjustment on both of our parts. He’s not happy about it. Neither is this dog walker in the piece For the love of dogs make day light savings permanent.
The end of daylight savings doesn’t suit his dogs.
“There is nothing worse than a pack of energetic dogs and not even a moment of daylight to get them some illuminated exercise after work during dark winter months.”
I’m not sure if I’ll try to change my schedule to walk him longer in the mornings. That seems unlikely to succeed. Certainly there’ll be more weekend daytime walking. And for now we’ll try to get used to the dark.
What do you and your dog do once the evening dark arrives?
Sam sad selfie going for a night walk with dog. She’s wearing a red and orange knitted hat, a black scarf, and a big back fluffy coat
Cheddar, the dog, under a streetlight staring at leaves
