The warm sun causes brief moments of euphoric stillness as an acoustic guitar and accompanying voice compete with the sound of the enlivened crowd on the deck at the water’s edge. Content pups playfully greet one another, lounge, scoop up water from lovingly-placed cups and bowls, and seek snacks dropped by human hands. Just beyond the docks, skiffs, yachts, and fishing boats below, the wide-open waterscape is breathtaking as the bouncing rays from above create a moving shimmer. Traveling vessels wander through, some choosing to cruise as their entertainment with music at top volume, some having a pointed salty destination but sharing a quick honk of a horn, some making a quick turn toward the picturesque setting where Tynley and I sit to tie up and join the pleasant experience, and some gliding through from afar to see our glorious slice of the world.
Laughter fills the air as smells from the latest fried catch and a fruity cocktail waft across the scene above long panels of wood perched on pilings amongst the oyster beds and stirred water that occasionally splashes against the land. A sense of belonging surrounds Tynley and me as a friend waves from across the deck and intimate conversation takes place on the level above. Humans and dogs alike scuttle about the lower deck as all seek to enjoy the perfect combination of fun between the flowing and still earth. Refreshment and happy chatter drift through the main deck space continuously as I kick back in a chair taking it all in and Tynley sits beneath me chomping on ice and shrimp with vigor.
They know Tynley here. Walking up to my hard-working friends who make this place special, all I have to say is, I’d like a “Tynley Shrimp,” please, and her cup of ice; this request is later followed by the perfect dish and hydration arriving exactly to her liking from a polite, friendly hand with care. As the daylight fades into a stunning sunset placed just beside the waterway, her wagging tongue and tail coax shrimp “seconds” from behind the counter as if she’d walked up and placed an order herself as a paying patron. In this location, Tynley is relaxed and therefore, I am. We feel surrounded by caring hearts. During each visit, we’re greeted by many familiar faces asking, “How’s Tynley today? She been swimming?” Next, they beam, “Looks like she’s been out having some fun. Her salty, wet state means she’s a happy girl.” My reply is almost always, yup! Today, we…and the story about that day’s combo of biking, paddle boarding, walking, playing ball, sniffing shells, dining al fresco, meeting up with other dogs on the nearby islands, and swimming begins. We find our community here and sit back with gratitude.
As Tyn gets pets and awwwwws from the two-legged friends and visits from other sweet tail-waggers, I’m often asked how old she is. When I mention she is approaching 16, the response quite frequently is, “Wow! She looks great! What’s your secret?”
My reply? We live every day. We find an outing every day. We seek our version of adventure every day, whether ambitious or simple. We create cherished stories as we embrace our understood love for one another. We don’t let the moments slip by. We appreciate our blessings and choose to never take them for granted. Our thankfulness and desire to create our happiness daily as she skips along with a bounce in her senior steps and I breathe in the fresh air contribute to our vitality. Knowing life is this glorious, we always “go back for seconds.”