And with that, we're off to Disneyland. See you Sunday!

I picked Alice up late yesterday from the vet. They had given her a cortisone shot that seems to have had a remarkable effect on her. No, she's not running, no, she's not jumping, but she is up and walking around and for the first time in almost 2 weeks, had NO desire to sleep away from the rest of our pack, on her throne at the foot of our bed, she wanted to be out with the other guys.

I am cautiously optimistic that she'll continue to heal.

And in the spririt of Thanksgiving, I want to mention how grateful I am for some very special dogs: For Alice, who has changed my life completely and remains the shining star of my life.
For Zeus, who is Andrea's sweet boy and who was the first dog in our lives to play with toys (of course, now the house is littered with the carcasses of stuffed toys)
For Rainie Roo, the world's cutest basset, our Ellie's 'grandaughter' and the most compassionate little soul you'd ever hope to meet
For Gus, who would surely be dead had he not caught my eye at the shelter. Today, Rainie is his best friend and he spends his days resting and nights wrestling with his pal.

It's a full house, it's a loud house at times and it has yet to be a clean house, but our house is most certainly a home, filled with evidence of a life made rich by the furry and human friends who bless our days. Thanks to all of you for being part of that richness, for the continued support, prayers and good thoughts as we faced a tough year with Alice.

Living Love

If you ever love an animal, there are three days in your life you will always remember...

The first is a day, blessed with happiness, when you bring home your young new friend. You may have spent weeks deciding on a breed. You may have asked numerous opinions of many vets, or done long research in finding a breeder. Or, perhaps in a fleeting moment, you may have just chosen that silly looking mutt in a shelter--simply because something in its eyes reached your heart. But when you bring that chosen pet home, and watch it explore, and claim its special place in your hall or front room--and when you feel it brush against you for the first time--it instills a feeling of pure love you will carry with you through the many years to come.

The second day will occur eight or nine or ten years later. It will be a day like any other. Routine and unexceptional. But, for a surprising instant, you will look at your long-time friend and see age where you once saw youth. You will see slow deliberate steps where you once saw energy. And you will see sleep where you once saw activity. So you will begin to adjust your friend's diet--and you may add a pill or two to her food. And you may feel a growing fear deep within yourself, which bodes of a coming emptiness. And you will feel this uneasy feeling, on and off, until the third day finally arrives.

And on this day--if your friend and God have not decided for you, then you will be faced with making a decision of your own--on behalf of your lifelong friend, and with the guidance of your own deepest Spirit. But whichever way your friend eventually leaves you--you will feel as alone as a single star in the dark night. If you are wise, you will let the tears flow as freely and as often as they must. And if you are typical, you will find that not many in your circle of family or friends will be able to understand your grief, or comfort you.

But if you are true to the love of the pet you cherished through the many joy-filled years, you may find that a soul--a bit smaller in size than your own---seems to walk with you, at times, during the lonely days to come. And at moments when you least expect anything out of the ordinary to happen, you may feel something brush against your leg--very very lightly. And looking down at the place where your dear, perhaps dearest, friend used to lay---you will remember those three significant days. The memory will most likely be painful, and leave an ache in your heart---As time passes the ache will come and go as it has a life of its own. You will both reject it and embrace it, and it may confuse you. If you reject it, it will depress you. If you embrace it, it will deepen you. Either way, it will still be an ache.

But there will be, I assure you, a fourth day when---along with the memory of your pet---and piercing through the heaviness in your heart---there will come a realization that belongs only to you. It will be as unique and strong as our relationship with each animal we have loved, and lost. This realization takes the form of a Living Love---like the heavenly scent of a rose that remains after the petals have wilted, this love will remain and grow--and be there for us to remember. It is a love we have earned. It is the legacy our pets leave us when they go. And it is a gift we may keep with us as long as we live. It is a love which is ours alone. And until we ourselves leave, perhaps to join our beloved pets--it is a love that we will always possess.

~ Written by Martin Scot Kosins ~

Alice
Miss Alice, the queen of my universe, has been feeling bad for over a week. Her neck has been causing her a lot of pain and we've been to the vet for more medication. Just when I think she's getting better, her front leg starts giving out on her, she sort of just slides out when she's sitting up. The vet says that's because the pain is so bad it's radiating out to her leg so I dropped her off at the vet this morning. They're going to give her cortisone in hopes that it will alleviate the pain.

Please keep my littlest, most special little doggie in your thoughts.

Here's something I just don't get. What's the logic in sending an email to someone (okay, me) then running over to their (okay, mine) desk to let them know. A few years ago when I was slightly less of a grown up, I would congradulate them on having sent that email. Today I smile but it still irritates me. I guess the thinking is that by dashing over to my desk, they'll get me to drop everything and attend to the matter that they've emailed me about. Which works, but is really quite rude. Isn't the whole point of email that the reader can attend to your message at their leisure?

News from my hometown: Did an OSU band member get jerky with Herky? Iowa's mascot is suing for $25,000-plus.

Hmmmm....On U.S. -Saudi Relations / With us . . . or against? Thanks Elizabeth

Rainie Roo, our little Cowpuppy
What is it about basset hounds that makes people want to dress them up? They're silly looking enough but yet adding that lovely hat or bow just makes them even sillier and more fun. Rainie's hat is a loaner and made for lots of laughs.

All long last, here are some highlights from this weekend's Roo-Dah parade, or the Rainie Roo-union

This weekend was fabulous. Rainie and I went to Pasadena to meet up with Dena and Walt, who raised her, and her basset mama Ellie. We also got to visit two of her littermates and they had a fabulous time. We marched (waddled in Rainie's case) in the Doo Dah parade, which I've renamed the Roo Dah parade in Rainie's honor.

I'm exhausted but expect to have some pics up later today for your basset (and weird parade stuff) viewing pleasure.