What a weekend! We drove to LA on Friday, pulled up to the fine Quality Inn at the same time as Dena and the gang. While I checked in, Rainie stood outside Dena's van and talked to Patrick, who was hanging out of the window to talk to her. Once Patrick was out of the car, Rainie was a little snippy with him, but I hear that Patrick has been picked on by women all of his life (no, we do not have the manliest of men and that's fine by me!) so he didn't mind. We did, of course, but Rainie settled down just fine. We had a great time at Spring Games (Patrick came in second in Synchronized Swimming, wading across a baby pool filled with 2 inches of water. Of course, being my dog already, he took longer than the alloted time and waded through his other littermate Lexi's pool instead of his own!) and a great weekend with Dena, Carol, Melissa, (the people) Ellie, Shirley, Quinn, Rainie and Patrick (the bassets).

Patrick is so squishy we're calling him Squishy. Today I changed my name on the MSN messenger from Alice's Mom (which I'll always be) to Rainie and Squishy's Mom. It was time, though Al is never far from my thoughts.