Tennis Balls

I think we have finally reached maximum level of Tennis Balls allowed in the house. Recently while cleaning I counted them, 4 in the kitchen, 3 in the hall, 4 bedroom, 2 under the bed, 1 in the closet, 6 in the living room and 2 in the couch. I think of the process in how all these came to be in the house, while not having bought a single one. Maggie has found them all & like a new treasure carried them home. Living near tennis courts helps in our search.
It is a ritual of sorts. We we go out for a late night walk, head on the path that takes us by the tennis courts. She knows when the court lights are off then it is okay to pull me up to the door and ask to go in. Quietly we enter, she sits to have her leash removed and then the great search has begun. She is off on a systematic search that has not varied. This is of her own creation, I have tried to go a different way, she ignores me and runs around the perimeter checking the corners, under the side canvases and under the benches. A pile of leaves in the corner leads to a thorough search. Sometimes this results in a ball which follows with a run to the center of the court & looking at me saying "want to see what I found? You have to chase me." At which we then run and chase having a grand time with a new found treasure that I am not allowed to see.
If nothing was found she is off to the middle door separating the courts. First waiting, then asking if she can go, Maggie pushes open the door and is off on another search in the same pattern as the first. Sometimes this results in 2 or 3 balls being found and a game of catch will occur.
After she is finished with her search & rounds she heads back to the middle door, it is time to leave she is finished. I always amazes me how she enters & leaves through the same door. She will open the middle door herself but will not the outer doors. It is as if the other exterior door does not exist.
Yes, I believe Dogs are creatures of thought processes. There is something going on behind those big eyes.
If we have found a ball and it is time to leave, that ball is carried with us. Sometimes if there are multiple balls she tries to carry all of them home. I try to explain that we should only take one and leave the rest for others. Sometimes this occurs and sometimes she insists on 2 balls which she manages to carry in her mouth. The rule is she is needs to carry them home, which she proudly does.
Up on leaving she heads straight for home anxious to bring her new found treasure home. This leads to the next hour or so of her guarding & carrying that ball around. She doesn't confuse it with the "old" balls, this is the new one and favored one until we find another the next evening.