Tag: williamsburg

Meet New Friends: Dogs as Conversation Starters

January 1, 2026

While visiting my daughter in Williamsburg, VA, I strolled through New Quarter Park, where I met Mike and his canine companion, Leila. The unleashed Leila, an eighty-pound German Shepherd, approached and sniffed my outstretched hand before continuing to investigate the surroundings. Mike explained that Leila, although very affectionate, was not the kind of dog who lounged on his lap or slept in his bed, which, given her size, would overwhelm Mike’s modest build and take over his bed.

Leila actually belongs to Mike’s brother, who lives in a Manhattan apartment and had lent the dog to Mike for a few weeks. The thought of keeping such a large German Shepherd in a downtown New York apartment struck me as challenging, especially since Leila is five years old and needs regular exercise. I found it hard to imagine how someone could care for a dog like her in a constricted space, particularly if she was left alone while her owner was at work.

Mike walks Leila twice a day and buys substantial amount of food to keep her appetite satisfied. Despite these challenges, Mike spoke fondly of her, describing her as very protective. This made me wonder if his brother kept her for safety, but I realized this might be a stereotype image I have of big cities, the neighborhood where his brother lives in New York may be pretty safe.

Leila’s friendly greeting led to an extended conversation with Mike. I learned that Mike grew up in Norfolk, VA, near Williamsburg. After living in various places, he returned to the East Coast and is now happily retired in Williamsburg. His downtown apartment is comfortable and close to amenities and the park, so he can easily walk Leila.

Continuing along the park path, I met three people with two dogs running around them. When they noticed me, they quickly put leashes on their dogs. I assured them that I liked dogs and encouraged them to let the dogs remain loose and invited the dogs for a “sniff introduction.” A black Labrador came over to acknowledge me while the other one paid no attention. The owners shared that during the Covid pandemic, they kept their dogs away from people because most people shooed them away. They also mentioned that not everyone in the park welcomed dogs on the loose and had been asked to leash their pets.

Reflecting on these encounters, it dawned on me how easily dogs initiate and facilitate conversations among people. Confirming my eureka moment, I encountered another dog pulling her owner’s arm out of its socket to get closer to me. She was a middle-aged woman, and rather than watching her struggle to keep the dog from crossing the road, I walked over and explained that I would be comfortable with her pet greeting me. In the ensuing conversation I discovered that she was, in fact, my daughter’s neighbor.

In just a couple of hours, I had three interesting conversations with dog owners, each one initiated by their dogs’ curiosity. The lesson: to meet people, go for a walk and find dog-walkers.

Unplanned Adventures: Kayaking the Everglades

December 13, 2025

It was not on our bucket list. We had never thought of visiting it before; in fact, I knew of it by name only. What happened was that I looked for something to do in early December, and a Road Scholar trip fit the bill. So, why did I search for an activity in early December? Let me explain.

In July, we reserved a B&B for a family get-together in December, just before Christmas. Our children live in Durham and Charlotte, NC, and Baton Rouge, LA, and I tried to rent a place central to all three. Just north of Chattanooga, TN, I found a place large enough to accommodate all the family.

Then in November, we told our children we would attend Thanksgiving dinner, assuming one of them would organize it.

The availability of three weeks – the time between Thanksgiving and the family get-together – prompted me to look for something to do during that period; we had no desire to drive from Ottawa south twice, a distance of a thousand miles each way.

I remembered my son’s mother-in-law enjoyed Road Scholar trips and looked up what trips were available in early December. A yoga class in North Carolina sounded interesting, but it was fully booked. Sightseeing trips to New York City and St Augustine did not appeal to us, but a kayaking trip in the Everglades did.

One concern was that the Everglades are another thousand miles further from our children’s homes where we would have our Thanksgiving dinner. But it would take us to a warm place and include a physical activity, kayaking, that we are fond of.

Reviewing the kayaking program, I had another concern: Road Scholar rates this trip hard on a scale they use to alert people of the physical difficulty of their trips. They advise that to participate, one should be able to kayak for 6 miles and walk 2 miles a day. The walking component was not a concern, but paddling six miles was. On balance, we decided we could do it since we kayak every summer, often for hours. So, I reserved the last two spots available.

With Thanksgiving Day approaching, I learned that my older son, Tony, was renovating his kitchen and not ready to prepare for a family dinner, which he has done for many years. Daughter Megan decided to take a job in Williamsburg, VA, and planned her move from Baton Rouge in early December, clearly not ready for entertainment. And David’s children and wife planned to visit family in Beaufort, SC, for Thanksgiving. Well, that was that, and instead of traveling south, we stayed in Ottawa and celebrated US Thanksgiving at home. We left for Everglade City the following Monday, on December 1.

Upon reflection, if we had not planned to have Thanksgiving dinner with family, I would not have reserved the Road Scholar trip because we would have just travelled to Tennessee for the family get-together. So, the real trigger to kayak in the Everglades was our intention to have Thanksgiving dinner with family. Funny how plans can have unintended consequences.