Getting Out

We have been plugging away here in Louisville these past weeks, being good grown-ups. We filed our taxes and talked about our five year plan. We tried out some new health remedies and got our feet wet in the real estate world by attending an open house. We brainstormed vacation ideas and finally tried out El Nopal, the local Mexican restaurant chain.

Amidst this yo-yo weather that it seems most of the country has been experiencing, we carved out a perfect and relaxing Sunday afternoon.

A buy one get one free special had caught my eye, so we each got a sweet and cool drink from Starbucks. Mine was pretty ridiculous sounding - coconut milk mocha macchiato - and while it was fun to try something new, I think I preferred Isaac's plain one.

We stretched our legs and enjoyed the first sights of spring. Which brings me to a subject on our minds a lot lately - breathing. More specifically, how the air in Louisville makes breathing hard for people like Isaac.

Located in the Ohio River Valley, with the river on its north and west and the baby mountain-filled Knobs Region to its south and east, Louisville is a bowl for collecting poor quality air. Pollution from factories, pollen popping from its fertile earth, it all tends to get trapped here because of the terrain surrounding the city.

Along with the incorrigible influences of horse racing bourbon, we're told by locals again and again that allergies are just a part of life here. Some don't ever open their windows during perfect weather days in spring and fall, because even if the temperature is nice, the air is still carries unwanted guests. After a week or so of just sitting in the parking lot, our cars are covered with fine white dust, evidence of what makes us feel so congested when our air purifier is turned off.

But enough with the doomsday air pollution, we still do our best to enjoy the pretty outdoors here, with a comfortable supply of allergy medicine.

As we walked around with our drinks on Sunday, we found our new favorite hill in the city, appropriately known as the dog hill.

It's just this wonderful wide open space in a park where everyone lets their dogs off of the leashes, and furry fun ensues.

There was a curious french bull dog, a grumpy loud toy poodle, a pair of friendly golden retrievers and my personal favorite - a fluffy white great pyrenees puppy. Australian shepherds, German shepherds, boxers, pit bull mixes, huskies, yorkies, the variety was better than any pet store. We just sat sipping and pointing out different dogs to each other.













Between Louisville's air and our own fluffy allergy aggravator, it feels like a constant battle to keep our air clean. New air filters, allergy medicine, local honey, we even tried apple cider vinegar - a natural remedy too unpleasant for us to keep up with.

If you've got any recommendations for breathing easier, please let me know!

I guess it's time for more adult-ing now, but the weather seems to finally be sunny enough to tempt us to get out and explore again.