Took dog on a walk yesterday morning. Mr Swan was up front, so I got this photo of him, with no zoom. I was this close to him!

I really dislike walking with dog when I'm trying to exercise at the same time. He has to mark every single area that some other animal may have marked. And he inevitably has to poop, even though he had a huge dump right before we left. And he always does it after we've passed the last public trash can on the route. Always.

Yesterday's bike ride was 11.3 miles, 1hr 20min. (I did a lot of stoppingto check my map.) I went east to Lake Phalen, south on the Vento Trail to Swede Park, but I thought it was getting a little too sketchy so I doubled back and went west to the Trout Creek trail and home. I was going to drive somewhere and explore by bike, and actually did fit my bike in the RAV4, but decided to ride all the way instead. It was another lovely day.

The wetland geese have two babies.After the bike ride I lay outside on the patio furniture, reading. It is only when I've had that much exercise in a day that I feel I have earned the right to lay around. Such disordered thinking. But taking it easy, to me, equals laziness and gaining weight, which I fight every single day.

It is supposed to be in the 80s all week, which is my favorite temperature range. I feel so much more alive when it is warm out.

My favorite garden along my walk is in full spring bloom:

Unfortunately, the woman who tends it is somewhat mad. On three occasions, I've heard her yelling and screaming and ranting outside, like scary yelling...but she lives alone. I've seen unopened packages of meat laying on the driveway for days. I complimented her on her garden when I first moved here, and she kind of glared at me without a word. So now, I just enjoy the garden as I pass by and cross the street if she is ranting.

Today is my former best friend's birthday. We were friends from age 13 until our mid-40s when she ghosted me. It is still painful when this day rolls around as a reminder.