once bitten

think. left or right. left. woods or bury hill. bury hill, there might be some icy alleys on the way but the stuff is likely unavoidable. somehow surprised by the cold - the price for a pinkish bluish sky i guess. exit from one cresta run alley is half-blocked by people-carrier. ironic name. driver gabbing to driver of second people-carrier. slide around both. bloody cairn terrier again. far too far from its owner, but fortunately a little farther away from me than last time. slow down. will never forget those teeth. unusually tired at top of steep private road. not ideal for last quick spin before a race. bury hill. slow in sight of young alsation i’ve met before. halfway down the slope he seems to be torn between coming up to me and going down to owner. makes correct choice. try to speed up down main path, hear quicker feet behind... blond labrador, how sweet. run won't flow. thought occurs that this is not last thursday. to avoid alsation the only way is up, up to the temple. great. nice doggy. labrador? shouldn’t be barking and bearing teeth. stand still. really hates my voice. owner appears and apologises. say nothing. continue last lap. great, cairn terrier. nose frozen to ground? no, just not interested, sweet. owner holds gate open for me. take a few back streets home. hardly any ice. manage some proper stretching afterwards. wasn’t so bad.