ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL

I may be unduely biased, because I am reading "Walking In Circles Before Lying Down" by Merrill Markoe, which is about (surprise surprise) dogs. A woman turns to her dog for comfort, but suddenly realizes that she can hear not just her dog, but ALL dogs talking.

It isn't a book I'm gonna recommend to my book club, and the main character is actually pretty stupid about humans (read that boyfriends and ex-husbands and manipulative family members), but it's light reading, and fun to read what a dog may actually say (example: "At the end of the next street was this whippet. I don't usually go for them. Too snitty. But this one was way into me. And she was hot..." - and yes, that's why I'm not recommending it to my book club).

I realize I may be unduely attached to my dog. He continues to amaze me with his forgiveness, willingness to forget (okay, sometimes I wish he could remember SOME things), and great attitude about almost anything.

But I always like having my dog around. I like him. I like his company, and I feel as his 'human', I am the one responsible for his needs (which are easy - a ball to retrieve, food and water, and periodic trips outside).

So I'm not really understanding when another 'adult' repeatedly gets mad at his dog, doesn't want the dog anywhere around him, and gets mad at ME for putting this dog in his room for the night because he was 'doing' something else (reading).

But I also understand how that fits into how this person's limited ability to love anything. It's been a nice period for a couple of months, but it always comes and goes - and it's been around for a longer period than it has in the past, so I shouldn't really complain.

So it helps me be thankful for the great relationships I have with all of my animals (well, Sally has been making breaks for freedom daily, but that's only because the grass of the other side of the fence IS literally greener) and my kids too, come to think of it (though I have to admit the animals are a lot easier most of the time).

(COMPLETELY off the subject: some of the best lines in any movie: "Who are you?" "No one of importance." "I must know." "Get used to disappointment." Can you guess what I am watching since there is nothing worthwhile on TV even with 300+ channels?)