Mojo, The Bard, & Me

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

The spirit of my father grows strong in me, and I will no longer endure it: therefore allow me such exercises as may become a gentleman, or give me the poor allottery my father left me by testament; with that I will go buy my fortunes.

 

Orlando

As You Like It            Act I, Scene i, Line 74

Orlando is talking to his older brother, Oliver, who he feels is mistreating him. When their father died, Oliver, being the oldest, got the farm and everything, and Orlando got nothing. Now he’s telling Oliver that he’s had enough of being treated like a peasant, and he’s going to be leaving home.
Ahh, impetuous youth!

This is the very beginning of the story and this is just a set-up, a reason for Orlando to venture forth and have his adventures in the forest; the adventures that make up what this play is all about.

Speaking of getting fed up, I got pretty impatient with Mojo last night, perhaps as much so as Orlando is with Oliver. It’s been cold and windy outside and Mojo has been refusing to pee out there. The problem is that he’s not using the puppy pads inside, so it seems like he’s not peeing at all. Obviously, it’s possible (probable) that’s he’s peeing inside on the sly somewhere that he’s not supposed to, and that’s not good, so we’re trying to make sure he pees outside, which he’s been pretty good about doing - until lately.

So I decided that this morning I would not be in a rush when I took him out. In fact, I walked him all around the back yard. Well, the little bugger took a nice long pee on Sam’s tree right outside the garage, so I didn’t need the long walk. But hey, that was the plan, so I stuck with it. And It’s all good. We didn’t have quite the adventure that Orlando does in the forest of Arden, but I don’t think Mojo and I were really up for anything like that anyway. And the important thing is that Mojo peed and Pete didn’t get all worked up, and we both got a bit of a walk and some fresh air in the process.

And there you have it.

So, I did notice a few interesting things on our walk.
First, the big pine tree has dropped tons of little four-inch lengths of branch ends with the needles intact, so that it looks like a carpet of these little things underneath it.
Second, the mimosa tree on the back boundary line is really getting big. We haven’t gotten a good pink bloom out of that tree yet, but I’m looking forward to one this year.
Third, the ground back in the corner of the yard where the old shed is is crinkly. Yah, crinkly. When you walk on it it collapses an inch or so - kind of weird. 

Anything else? I think just that I enjoyed the walk. My feet are still warming up from it, and Mojo is tucked deep in my robe warming up, but the walk and the fresh air was good, very good. A nice way to start the day. Next time I'll bring my phone and take a few pics so you can see what I'm talking about.

Maybe Orlando just needs a good walk and some fresh air to clear his head. 

Or maybe not.

 

 Trust me, Mojo Leadbladder is tucked in there in my robe, warm and cozy and out of sight.