Husband Bob called and started the conversation with, "You aren't going to be very happy with me but I've become just like you!" What in the world was he was talking about? Bob was on his way from work this evening when he saw a puppy running in and out of traffic at B Street and Willow. Cars were weaving and honking but only one car stopped. Bob was sure the puppy was about to get hit. He stopped and picked the puppy up and drove home. His comments on the phone were: "The puppy's trying to eat my cell phone!...He's climbing on the dash! I'm not making this up!" Bob arrived home safely with a darling black lab puppy that appears to be about 4 - 5 months old! We called the police station and no one has reported him missing. He'll be spending the night here and I hope he will be reunited with his people tomorrow. In the meantime, Big Boy has climbed all over anything taller than the floor, joined Bob at the computer (and pulled the speakers off the desk) and is trying to get the other dogs to play with him.

Annie ventured into the kitchen for the first time today. She was scared but mastered her fear of walking on vinyl. I predict that Annie will become more adventuresome every day - as soon as Big Boy the new puppy goes away!

Three of Annie's puppies have names now and I'm contemplating the others. The new names? Duck, Elka and Mark. The day we got Annie I gave her a stuffed toy that looks like a duck. Annie carried the duck around and kept it with her in her bed. After the puppies were born, she still kept the duck close and at times it was hard to tell the duck from one of the black, brown and white puppies. So, he's Duck. Elka is the girlfriend of Friend Larry and she's very passionate about animals. Elka has jet black hair so of course our blacestk female puppy is now Elka. Mark is our little black puppy with white markings. Mark is named after the Telegraph news reporter who wrote about the puppy mill where Annie was saved from and Mark stayed vigilant in keeping the public interest in the puppy mill.

Life is good!