It's Bungalow Heaven!

So, I went for a jog today. All you marathon trainers have really inspired me. Not that I am training for a marathon or anything. My peak was when I was running 5ks. My heyday was when I received local city medals for first place (If you were there you would know how silly this was, I was the only one in my age division, therefore first place). I still feel awful about the first place medal I shamefully stole from Tara a few years ago when I lied about my age division, sorry Tara. ... I digress.

I went for a jog through Bungalow Heaven today (it's a historical district in Pasadena/Altadena). It's a couple of blocks from my house, it seems further. While running by these gorgeous houses with trees that had to be at least 50 years old I could smell the musky dirt on the ground and the sweet smell of foliage. It felt like I was running through a mountain village. The trees in this area are beautiful. There are palms hundreds of feet tall and ancient pines, olive trees, oaks and so on. I am talking about interesting trees; trees with twisted mangled branches that you see in mythical stories, ones that you dream about as a kid to build your tree house in.

Justin and I refer to a street by our house as the "Lord of the Rings" street. Some of the houses are mysteriously hidden behind overgrowth and greenness. Tall trees, vines connecting them, ferns and tall grass on the ground. It's a little eerie, but adventurously beautiful.

So, here I am jogging while Mozart in Egypt plays in my ear, as I admire my surroundings. I turn a corner in bungalow heaven and come head to toe with a squirrel right in the middle of the sidewalk, face down, legs sprawled out (like a flying squirrel), with it's eyes open, not moving, dead. I instantly became choked up, "the poor squirrel!" ... Though I was a little weary... Other than the fact that he wasn't moving, he looked fine. I felt like he was going to jump up and squeal "Gotcha!" and scamper away. But, he didn't. He just lay there.

So I gather my composure, and start to jog again while pondering the complexities of life and death... when this dog in a front yard, with no chain on, starts yelping at me, completely distracting my thoughts. Not only that, but he was commandeering the sidewalk. I didn't want to run near him, what if he lunged at me? I secretly wished that dog was lying on the ground in place of that poor squirrel. (Really, I value all life). So I make a long detour to avoid him... I keep jogging till I reach my neighborhood. Only a couple of blocks from Bungalow Heaven, but feels like the ghetto. Ah, I feel good. Expect for that poor dead squirrel, he makes me sad.