A minor benefit to having a dog around is the opportunity to take walks that aren’t of the “strange-woman-by-herself” variety. There is a park across the street. It has a lake that is starting to thaw. It makes for a very pretty early morning walk. Can’t write more interesting sentences because I am tired.
Hark, what light ‘cross yon thawing lake breaks. It is the east, and the Lady is the sun.
(Okay, cut me some slack, I’m a Wandering Minstrel, not THE Bard. Put that tomato down. No, really. Put it down.)