I saw Sophie and her master walking in the park this morning as I drove to work. They have become a dear sight to me, Sophie with her graying muzzle, her master’s affection for her apparent not so much in his bearing or gaze or speech as in the dailiness of their routine over time, through all the seasons, year after year. I guess I’ve been seeing them for 6 years now. Some hair has grown back on Sophie’s tail where it had been shaved for some reason, hair in little tufts that don’t yet match the rest of her coat. There were lots of cyclists in the park this morning- I have become shy of riding to work lately, having heard of several people injured or killed by distracted drivers, and now a new twist- gangs of boys setting upon cyclists and beating them and stealing their bikes. So for now I will content myself with the occasional weekend ride with a group, or out in the country. And through the week with seeing the likes of Sophie and her master.