Joe and I moved into our new house on June 19th. A month later and we’re still surrounded with more boxes than we’d like...stacks of things that haven’t found their place in the place...and a few odds and ends that we may just have to be rid of before the house can look more like a home.

I found a good dry-cleaner, a grocery store (that has a wicked-good deli), a bakery (which I didn’t need to find) and a favorite gas station. I’m not looking for a new hairdresser because when you find the perfect person to take care of your hair...why in the world would you want to look for another?!??!? Same deal with my dentist...except he doesn’t really care about how my hair looks. We even have a new family physician...one I found because my daughter works at HGTV with his son. So, all in all, it looks like we are settled in for the next six to eight years.

One thing I dreaded looking for was a new kennel for Dobie to visit when we’re out of town. Dobie is our toy poodle who really doesn’t know he’s a dog. We’ve never told him. The last place we boarded him is the only place he’s ever known. Dobie was born in January of 2004. My daughter informed me that I bought him as her replacement when she would leave for college that fall. Maybe. Maybe not. One time she jokingly told me that she thought I might love that dog more than her. I assured her I didn’t love him more. Sometimes I might have liked him more...but I never loved him more! (insert smile here)

Back to the kennel.
I asked a friend who used to live in Cleveland to recommend a good kennel for us to board Dobie. She had just the right place, so I went to visit the facility and found exactly what we needed for our little guy. He spent one night this week and did great! He even came home with a report card! Yes, these folks sent him home with a “Happy Camper” report card, complete with checkmarks for eating well, making new friends and being the paw-fect pet! There was even a picture of him included in the card!

I call him my baby-dog. Even when he gets scolded, he soon forgets about it and comes back to cuddle. I should learn to forgive and forget so easily!

I wish I knew who wrote the following so I could give credit where credit is due. But I think you’ll enjoy this...


ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED FROM MY DOG

1. Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joy ride. 


2. Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.


3. When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.


4. Take naps and stretch before rising.


5. Run, romp, and play daily.


6. Be loyal. 


7. Never pretend to be something you're not.


8. Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. 


9. If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it. 


10. When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently. 
11. Thrive on affection and let people touch you - enjoy back rubs and pats on your neck.


12. When you leave your yard, make it an adventure. 


13. Avoid biting when a simple growl will do. 


14. No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout...run right back and make friends.


15. Bond with your pack. 


16. On cold nights, curl up in front of a crackling fire. 


17. When you're excited, speak up. 


18. When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body. 


19. Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.



I have #8 and #18 down really well. Especially #18...because I can wag my entire body even when I’m not trying! It wags when I walk! In fact...it wags for a few moments when I stop walking! My upper arms wag whenever I’m waving. My thighs wagging against each other could start a small fire.

Okay, okay...I know I shouldn’t make snide remarks about my body. According to Psalm 139:14, I am “...wonderfully made...” and my daughter was one of the first to point out to me that self-deprecating humor is unbecoming. In fact she said it to me in front of my mother who couldn’t hear too well. Mother replied, “Self-defecating humor?!? What kind of humor is that?”

Mother wasn’t really too far off the mark on that. She got to the bottom of that kind of humor, so to speak.




Always remember that if you have a pulse, you have a purpose. Make your life count!