Sorry for losing you, dog leash

SNOW AND ICE make walking our three dogs a challenge. I stroll every morning and they run like crazy. I make sure nobody else is around, and bring three leashes in case they start wandering off a little too far, or if somebody else comes into the area with a dog. 

Two days ago we were trudging through the snow on a beautiful winter morning. Genie, our English Shepherd, took off after a squirrel and I had to chase her down and put her on a leash. When we got home, I only had two purple leashes with me. The missing one was blue. Sheryl made the purple leashes a few years ago out of paracord and they are excellent dog leashes - they match the personality of our dogs perfectly. The blue leash is also made of rope.

I was bummed about it. Really, what's the big deal about losing a piece of rope? Nothing. At least I didn't lose the two Sheryl made. But it bugged me because I normally wrap the leashes around my arm to keep them ready. 

The dogs and I went back yesterday morning and retraced our steps. Surely it would stick out from the snow and be easy to spot. But no luck. There was a little bit of drifting so maybe it got covered. Or maybe somebody else found it and took it home. 

This morning, we again went along the same route. And lo and behold, there was the leash, the blue frozen rope clearly visible in the snow. How I missed it the day before is mystifying. 

It might seem silly and trivial, but I was really glad to find the leash. It doesn't matter that it came from the dollar store. The dogs are walked every morning, no matter the weather, and the leashes have been on every walk. They hang on the back porch and when I grab them, it's like a little piece of security is with me.

When you apologize to a dog leash for leaving it in the snow for two days, you are either nuts or you love your dogs. Or both. 

I'm just glad I have it back.