Cassie the Corgi, Queen of the Universe and Empress of All Time, Space, and Eternity, has (as you can imagine with a title like that) some magical qualities. Among them is the ability to cure aches and pains.

Now that I'm old, I hurt all over my bodeh. About two years ago I managed to hurt my back -- ignominiously, by perching in a stupid position in front of a computer whilst mesmerized by whatever nonsense was happening on the screen -- and although it's somewhat better, the damage appears to be permanent. One quack thinks I damaged a hip, too.

Doctored out, at the threat of surgery I ran away from the medicos and now simply live with whatever phenomena of age come my way.

Left to my own devices, I would not be able to bend down to the floor without enjoying what feels like an icepick stab to the groin.

However, with the Queen of the Universe around, one is never left to one's own devices. Not only does the Human slave have to pick up the water dish and the food dish twice a day, Her Exalted Highness maintains some high expectations regarding Ball.

Ball must be thrown. Often. Far. Often. Make that Pretty Much Constantly.

This duty has required me to learn how to reach the floor  without inducing another stab of pain (it involves a motion that is, appropriately enough, reminiscent of a deep curtsey). It works! A few of those knee bends, and the sciatic pain starts to back off.

Then there is the Royal Doggy Walk: daily, sometimes twice daily. The RDW is another expectation from which the Human cannot easily escape. Out. Now. What's Keeping You? Get Off Your Duff, Slave!

After a mile's walk around the park, the back & hip pain is gone! We just got back from a junket, half walking and half jogging(!!), and lo! Now the old girl is prancing around like a twenty-year-old!

Well. Like a forty-year-old, anyway. ;-)

Without Cassie here to demand that I get up and move around, by now I no doubt would have petrified into a statue.

Who needs a doctor when you have a corgi?