...Soleil seems to have recovered from whatever was ailing her back/leg last week, and I'm hoping that we've seen the end of it.

This morning she was back in form again, pulling like a demon, which eventually led to a tête-à-tête and me berating her to ''stop being a DICK!''

This afternoon, I reached for the gentle leader again. Sorry, Soleil, your handicapped privileges have been revoked.

...of the tulip kind

I've posted a similar photo recently, but like any photographer, the first try often breeds a desire to reprise the frame, equipped with lessons learned, and aim for a better result. Such was the case here.
It's been a rough week. Last Sunday night, Soleil blew a gasket going up the stairs, and we ended up at the vet on Monday afternoon. Despite getting a prescription anti-inflammatory, she was clearly in pain right through Thursday, and it wore us all down. There's nothing like having an animal suffer to make you feel utterly helpless.
She began to behave like her normal self again on Friday, and knock on wood, she's seemed ok since, so I am beginning to relax again.
I've also been very, very busy with work, covering press releases for a major world championship twelve time zones away, with the ensuing weird schedule and wake-up times. Canada won, so it was an intense few days, but so great to be a part of that in my own small way.
Monday is long run day. Today, exactly three weeks out from Boston, this was the last big effort before race day, and it did not suck.
And today the snowdrops have peeked out from under the soggy, dormant grass by the Post Office.
So there are indeed many things for which I feel grateful.