Benefits

On certain sunny weekend mornings, we like to purchase rather than prepare breakfast. We dress and head for the door - Cora already knows she's in for a treat so she's there with her nose to the crack. We stroll arm in arm down to the end of our little street before snapping the leash on her collar - she likes to greet the other dogs on the street and do some pmail (or is that pee-mail?) as we go. We usually cross to the sunny side of the street, a delightful benefit, then slide down the hill to town, stopping for Cora to "read" and reply every few feet.

We always head for Little Louie's, partly because it's one of the few places in town to serve breakfast but mainly because we love the family that owns it and their French toast. They also make a killer breakfast sandwich, big enough for two to share, and the best coffee in town but their French toast is truly da bomb. They use challah bread and soak it well, so the finished plate is brown and gorgeous, but still moist inside. Topped with strawberries and maple syrup, it's about as good as French toast ever gets, which is really saying something!

We link Cora's leash around a conveniently placed tree and go in; for the life of me, I will never understand why dogs are not allowed in restaurants in this country. We always sit where we can see her to make sure all contacts with her are friendly, and she lies patiently on the sidewalk, assured of her future benefits.

After breakfast, we take a little bite of bacon out to Cora; even if we don't order bacon with our meal, we buy for a slice for her. If we do order bacon, they add half a slice to our order for Cora, another benefit of our long association. When she sees us coming, she stands and wags and nips the bacon delicately from our fingers, before we unhook the leash and begin the leisurely stroll home.  

Full of French toast, we usually opt to zigzag our way up the streets rather than charge straight up the hill. It takes longer, but it is easier on a full stomach and we enjoy the sun and the stroll. As we turn back into our street, we unsnap the leash and amble the rest of the way home.

Although I always miss Hawaii when I leave there, there are benefits to being home. The breakfast stroll is only one.