The Smartest Dog in the World

One of the truly nice things about all the travel I have done over the years is the range of friendships I have struck up in all sorts of unlikely places. Those friendships have special meaning if they have derived from business - you are not in business to make friends (its all about the bottom line at the end of the day) so when genuine friendships arise they are worth seizing and nurturing. In Martinez, California I am fortunate to have Greg and Libby as fine and true friends. A remarkable couple who treat me like part of the family - Thanksgiving a few years ago was a specially memorable and moving event, sitting as I was around a table of family who had never met me before. Hospitality at its very best.

This time around I was able to visit when the California weather was crisp and cool in the morning, warming to a hot day. On those mornings we walked around a disused road that overlooks the San Pablo Bay - opposite Benicia. (The start point of the walk is at Google Earth 38° 1'29.17"N 122° 9'58.12"W) And on that walk we took with us the world's smartest dog. Named Homer no less. With a name like that he has to have an IQ of at least.....5. He is a pretty special animal for Greg but Greg indulges me some ribbing at Homer's expense. Here they are - one of them stepping it out on one of our walks, the other just having to check the droppings of another dog. And there have been a lot of them along this trail. C'mon, what do you expect with 5 IQ points?

It is good to do business. But I count it a bonus to catch up with good friends too.