Is this Heaven?

I am thwarted.

See, I wrote this lovely article about my favorite park that allows dogs off-leash. We love going there, and there are all these interesting facts about the place. I called the resident park naturalist to fill in a few facts before submitting it to the paper, and she BEGGED me not to write it. It seems at times they are overrun with dogs and people making a mess of the place. She said they’ve even found bagged doggie doo in trees!! (Is it any wonder I don’t like people?) So it’s a huge controversy right now, to the extent they are reconsidering the off-leash policy. Basically, publicity would hurt the park by attracting even more people.

I’m like Sally Field in Absence of Malice. I don’t want Paul Newman coming after me. So I’m tucking the piece away in my file and moving on.

Nonetheless, I can’t complain because it is a flawless day in May that also happens to be my 20th wedding anniversary. I love my husband as much as ever, despite his increasingly balding pate, and my four sons deliver joy, joy, joy, 24/7.

I’m like John Kinsella in Field of Dreams.

“Can I ask you something? Is this heaven?”

“It's Iowa.”

“Iowa?”

“Yeah.”

“I could have sworn it was heaven.”

“Is there a heaven?”

“Oh, yeah. It's the place where dreams come true.”

“Maybe this is heaven.”