Nala 'wiggle rump', an angel-dog

Nala is an Australian shepherd, with no tail as is supposed to be, and when she wags, she wags her rump in lieu of her tail, hence Tony's nickname for her, Nala wiggle rump. She is sweet and adoring, affectionate and very perseverant when walk time is near. I only know two dogs and they are both so different yet so loving, that it makes me sure they are special entities put on earth to help us and make our lives happier and easier. They are angel entities.

Nala pads softly into my room, sits and looks at me. Her soft brown eyes dig deeply into my soul and I wait in anticipation for her to say something. But only her eyes talk and she says: "Come on, put your shoes on, it's my time now!"

Not getting much action from me, she tries Cathy a little more persistently: "Hey, Mom, stop doing unimportant things, it's walk time, that's important."

Realising that she is not going to let up, we down our tea, get dressed, put sun cream on, shoes on, and still sleepy-eyed finally head towards the door where her lead is kept. Cathy takes the lead to put on her, and for her, that is the sign that her walk is definitely on and she goes a bit crazy with excitement. After a few tries to quiet her and get her out of her barky-whiny-jumpy mode, the lead is finally on and we are able to head outside looking demure and controlled until we get outside the gate where Nala takes off at a gallop, galloping on the spot to begin with, with Cathy two-handedly holding on for dear life and me trotting behind huffing and puffing.

This becomes the usual routine while I am visiting, and I laugh as I picture what other people see when they see us setting off. We pass a whole group of 'bergies' (homeless people who used to live on the mountain but now find spots in the streets to call their own) and Cathy knows them all and stops to chat to them. Every now and then she tells Nala to 'wait' and Nala stops her gallop and waits patiently as I catch up with them, a little out of breath.

I am not used to walking in Jo'burg as we drive everywhere, so slowly, slowly, I become fitter and fitter and the walks become easier and easier while Nala looks back and waits, urging me on with her knowing look. It seems that she knows that I'm an older dog and that I am slower, and there is only acceptance on her part and that feels so good, no criticism, no judgment, no impatience. I am who I am right now and it's ok.

I really got used to our walks to the park and it became part of my daily routine for a while. Getting up and just grabbing something to wear, putting hair in an elastic and just heading out into lovely streets lined with pretty houses or interesting apartment blocks with the clouded mountain in the foreground, with a quiet dog-filled park as my destination. Lovely.

We all walk back quiely after having spent a lovely while, running, meeting dog-friends, chasing a few squirrels, sniffing, slurping, drinking water from the fountain, walking around, sitting on benches, chatting, giggling, watching other people and their look-alike dogs and just being happy and content in the present. We are all a bit exhausted when we get back home and some of us flake out on the floor.