Good riddance, winter!

What has four paws, two floppy ears, and is the happiest creature on earth?

This girl!

After a long, unusually cold and snowy winter of captivity, the poor little Mad Dog has finally gotten good walks for several days in a row.  It started on Tuesday with a post-work walk when the temperature was still above 40 when I got home.  The professor who lives down the alley sympathized when he saw her pulling me.  He, too, was enjoying that first day when the air just doesn't have that same chill to it.  Then yesterday afternoon was just glorious.  60 degrees.  Sunny.  No chilly wind.  It was that first hint of spring kind of day that has you looking longingly out the window all afternoon.  I caved and left work a bit early (it was Friday, after all) and took the happy pup for her longest walk since last fall.  She was so excited, she didn't even remember to stop and sniff every blade of grass.  She just wanted to walk.  I had forgotten just how many people comment on her cuteness when we do walk downtown.

Then this morning was the first "sweatshirt" Saturday.  (You know, those days when the only outer layer you really need is a sweatshirt.)  So we took her for a walk to get coffee.  Then SO had an errand to run.  Maddie had no objection to extending her outing.  She still managed to sprint the final half-block.

It may still technically be winter according to the calendar, but as far as this dog and I are concerned, spring has sprung!  After this ridiculously snowy, cold winter, all we can say is, "Hallelujiah!"