Countdown to the Wedding - Day 43

I admit that I did not take Willie on a walk this morning.  I know, I did promise him an hour a day, every day.  But it was cold and windy and rainy.  I don't mind walking in the rain; I've already talked about that.  But it was COLD and WINDY and rainy.  I do love that kind of weather, but not for walking.  It is quite unusual for Northern California to have cold, windy, rainy weather in the middle of May.  I enjoy it.  But not for walking.  So Willie and I stayed in today.  I started out the morning with a cozy blanket on my lap and he was content to lay there and be petted.  But as the day wore on, it became apparent that Willie did need an outlet for his energy.  So we played Hall Ball for two hours.  Hall Ball is a game invented by my husband Tom and Willie.  Tom will stand in the entrance to our dining room and kick a ball down the hall.  Willie will run after the ball and bring it back.  He will plop it at Tom's feet and Tom will kick it again.  Sometimes Willie blocks the ball and sometimes he doesn't.  No matter what, he picks up the ball and plops it at Tom's feet.  This is a game that is mostly played by Tom and Willie.  I've played this game with Willie a couple of times but I can always tell that I'm not playing it quite like Tom does.  Today I started playing Hall Ball just to keep Willie from barking at the tree blowing in the wind.  He thinks the tree is moving because squirrels are leaping from branch to branch.  Willie doesn't understand wind.  We played for two hours.  Willie kept bringing the ball back and I kept kicking it.  I know that I didn't get the benefit of a long walk.  But Willie enjoyed the two hours of play.  We'll get our walk in tomorrow.  Today we had to make due.  My  total weight lost today is 12 pounds.