I’ve been mildly crunching on a programming project, spending a lot of time inside. Around 4PM I got up to go get my mail to break the monotony. It’s just a short walk from my condo to the central mailboxes.

99 times out of a 100, I get my mail on the way home from somewhere in the car, but today I thought I’d hoof it. Good thing, too, because I had one of those “duh” epiphanies the moment I stepped outside.

First of all, I live in a great condominium development. It abuts the Nashua River and a bird sanctuary. The entire development is landscaped and green, with a wooded nature trail circumventing most of it. There is even a small dock that allows you to offload your canoe or kayak into the river if you are so inclined. I’m lucky to have gotten a place here at the price I did.

Secondly, it’s a very walkable development. It’s probably the best condo development for dog owners around here. If you decide to take a walk around the perimeter, it’ll take you about 15 minutes. Depending on the time of day, you’ll meet at least 3 or 4 happy dogs snuffling the trail with their owners. Today I met a funny poodle wearing a pink sweater, who jumped up on me to say hello. The owner and I exchanged pleasantries, and I was back on my way. Although I have cats because I’m not big on walking dogs, I have to admit that having an outside pet that you can take places is pretty cool.

On the way back, with the sun hanging lazily in the late afternoon sky, I felt the first inkling that Spring was on the way. The snow was in retreat, and I could smell the earth. I took a moment to marvel at how nice it was to be in transition, and how good it is to live where there are real seasons and tall trees.