She can’t quite decide to take the plunge—

When we first adopted Ethel, she was terrified of a neighbor’s pug.  As you can see, she’s made progress.  Once they sorted out the canine politics, she and Maggie played nonstop during old friends’ Randall and Betsy’s visit.  This was one of the most enjoyable holiday seasons in recent memory.  Course my memory isn’t what it used to be.

While I showered, Ethel tried to see the world through my eyes, apparently wanting to sink her teeth into the thorny issues of life…

Ethel invites the most interesting people over.  Here she is with Mei Leng and Jesse.  Mei Leng is explaining what she wants to do to George Bush.  The snappy dresser is Jess.  Yeah.  The man’s wearing a skirt and an un-American hat.  Ethel, the head of this sleeper cell, listens attentively with her right ear (behind Jesse).  No one has explained the glowing eyes looking out of the pile of coats on the radiator to the left of Jesse’s head.  A terrorist, you think?  Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.  Now go buy something.

Ethel and I want to encourage you to visit Animal Rescue and Freekibble for dogs and cats daily.  I make it a part of my morning routine, at least as interesting as checking the weather and my horoscope.  Here she is on the sofa she was not going to be allowed on…

We have a new member of the family, Ethel, an 11-month-old border collie mix who loves people, hates cars, and loves to walk.  So as you can see, we already have a lot in common.  Sarah and I saw her on Sunday at the SPCA, but when our backs were turned, another couple were with her in the adoption room.  Unable to imagine anyone not adopting her, we left thinking we’d missed our chance.  I returned on Tuesday (they’re closed Mondays) and there she was saying, please, please, please:

Naturally I brought her home.  Here she is out of the slammer:

Note the blurry tail.  It typically wags so forcefully as to throw her off balance.  Ethel was her shelter name, but it suits her, and after I watched the third affectionate volunteer wishing her farewell—Ethel! Ethel! Ethel!—I decided to stick with a name that clearly had such positive associations.