Early River Hour With My Two Favourite Girls

 Kim’s ball‑toss and Dixie’s splashy chase say everything about the simple joy of our river routine on a warm summer day.

A River Hour With Kim and Dixie

Today had that perfect Lethbridge heat — the kind that makes the river feel like the only sane place to be. Kim and I headed down early, Dixie trotting ahead like she already knew the plan. We ended up spending about an hour, maybe an hour and fifteen, tucked right along the shoreline with the whole riverside to ourselves. That’s rare on a hot day, and it made the morning feel like a little pocket of calm carved out just for us.

Dixie was in full river‑dog mode the second her paws hit the water. We played ball, splashed around, tug‑of‑war, the whole routine. She was all smiles, no bark — just that excited, tail‑wagging joy she gets when she realizes she’s got both her people and a whole river to play in. Kim and I sat in the shallows, talking about nothing and everything, letting the cool water take the edge off the heat. There’s something about sitting beside Kim at the river that makes the day feel steadier, like the world slows down just enough to breathe.

Even going early, we still crossed paths with a few dog walkers — that perfect hour where it’s cool enough for a stroll but warm enough that the river already looks tempting. By the time we packed up, the river crowd was starting to roll in, and we slipped out just as the shoreline began to fill.

On the way, we grabbed ice and cold water from Circle K, which hit different after sitting in warm river water. Back home, Dixie is stretched out drying off in the front yard, smelling a whole lot better after her river rinse. Kim’s reading in the sun, I’m half in the shade with my computer, writing out another blog post while the day settles around us.

One little detail stuck with me — I spotted a mussel in the water, alive and tucked into the riverbed. A tiny surprise in the middle of the flow. Pretty sure they’re invasive, but still, it felt like one of those small wonders you only notice when you slow down enough to look.

All in all, just a simple river morning — cool water, warm sun, a happy dog, and time with Kim. Exactly the kind of day that makes summer feel right.

Kim tossing the ball into the river ended up being the perfect snapshot of our morning — Dixie launching after it with that full‑body excitement only she can pull off. The photos catch the rhythm of the day: the splash, the sun, Kim’s laugh, and Dixie’s happy sprint back to shore. Paired with the collage of her soaking wet grin and sandy paws, it tells the whole story of a simple river hour that felt like summer at its best.