Post walk bits.

Today, taking the puggle for a run to the park because we hadn't been to a real offleash (that shitty Belltown concrete jungle gym will do in a soggy pinch, but she really needs the big parks with dirt and space to chase the ball) in a week (I am a bad mom who has been both full-on ill for a couple weeks and then the beginning and ending couple of cruddy weeks tacked to the ends) we ran into an old pal of mine. We were catching the bus on the UW campus (puggle was saying the second hello to a couple of girls who she had charmed in the light rail tunnel) and I hear a guy next to me ask "Is your name Michelle?" and son of a monkey's uncle if it wasn't Justin, one of my favorite food runners/busboy of all time from Branzino. Of course I could not remember his name (all I could think of was the other major J name I'd been involved within the last few years, though he and I did go on a sorta awkward date once)...though I did remember his sister's name. We chatted (and he hugged me like a fucking stuffed animal he had as a kid - it was super warm and genuine, two things he pretty much embodies) until our bus came and then it was over. This city is definitely my favorite place. I love the fact that I run into people I know from all different places I've been in my life all the time. Last week, we were headed home from the stadium on a walk and this girl runs across the street up to me and it was Whitney, who worked at Market Hall with me and who I loved to work with, just a super quirky girl, funny & sweet. She was with someone else who she didn't introduce and I was just over the flu, so we just said hi & bye, but again, it was so nice to see her. It is nice to randomly be reminded of good feelings and experiences. Having the puggle, and getting out every day around the city has been really helpful in keeping the horrible black cloud of doom at bay as the US continues to disgust and depress me. As I have always said though: you can't give up, because you never know what is going to happen next and it is worth finding out what that thing is going to be.