The heavens opened, heavy rain did fall

we happened to be passing the sheltered courts

or it could have been a close call

up and down the court milou chases

while i put her through her tennis paces

This morning was chill, distinct, clear and very bright

the winter sun plays on the lake and the last of the leaves

a truly inspirational sight

a solitary human inspecting the drains is about all we saw

Milou is happy bounding about, we both have our freedom

who could ask for more

It is sunday afternoon we meet lots of people on our walk

a young man and his puppy stop to have a talk

he identifies Milou's breed correctly, as a labrit

i enquire of him whether the pup is a he or a she

time is tight and we do half a walk for which i feel very mean

in contrast to yesterday the lake is quiet still and serene

There is a bustle in the market, a difference in the air

as we approach December, the beginning of the Christmas fayre

it snowed very heavily last night

leaving all covered in a brilliant white

the mountainside is now covered in snow 

with only a few flecks of the hillside on show

a special haiku for our anniversary

Twenty two years we have travelled this life

together experiencing, as husband and wife

adventures we have shared, culinary, artistic to name but a few 

this does not mean we always share the same point of view

but to make a relationship work, it's about give and take

too much of one or the other presents a fake

but enough of all of this, one thing i do not want to end

is that you will always be my very best friend

The skies are treacherous and a very thunderous grey

the lake is very choppy and the trees are all a sway

a lone heron glides gracefully to the shore, 

mallards that have taken cover under an old oak tree

they all take to the water when they spot Milou and me

Milou has endless energy and needs a running mate

as we arrived at the car park we did not have long to wait

a farm collie that we both know

trotted up the path to say hello

together they walked side by side

then they would dash in crazy circles reaching far and wide