Off Leash

I've long believed that kids and dogs need to be "off leash"  as much as possible.  Xavier, in particular,  is part wild animal part boy and needs to be in nature and running free.  He's been feeling a bit cooped up in DC and was lamenting the noise and traffic yesterday.  I also noticed that Rosie was getting beyond her usual neurotic puppy self and also seemed to be needing some time outside that did not include sidewalks and leashes.

So, we headed to a fabulous park at Dumbarton Oaks where people ignore the leash laws and dogs run free.  This is Georgetown, so even the well-dressed children were getting a but dirty.  The moment I let Rosie off leash, she bolted in a frenetic run all over the immediate area.  Xavier took off after her and the two of them ran until they dropped, panting.  We trekked of the path through the woods and found our way down a steep ravine to the river where Rosie promptly jumped in, enjoyed the water and got wet and dirty, reminiscent of the days at the beach on Vashon.  By the time we were back to the car, we all had dirt on our clothes, fresh air in our lungs and a new outlook on life in the city.  We decided we have to do this every week, as we all need some time to be off the "leashes" of school, work and general "control" living in a city generally requires.