The search for a dog

I've decided that my dog, Scooby, needs a playmate as he ages. Someone to rough-house with would keep him young. This is Scoob, but it doesn't really show how beautiful he is. (I have one friend who insists he's the ugliest dog he's ever seen--his eyes are even different colors; hey! he's an Aussie, better known as a Wigglebutt.) Yesterday, my neighbor Susan and I went dog-looking at the humane society. I had gone to see a dog named Branson. Branson turned out to be smaller than I expected, and his head doesn't match his body--Susan claims that's his charm. But it's like a head from one breed, and a short-legged Aussie body. But tonight she was still pushing for Branson--I'm afraid she'll adopt him if I don't.

 Then we found this little lady, who looks like a terrier with Aussie coloring. She had the most remarkable eyes, as though someone had put lots of black eyeliner all around them.

This was the guy that stole my heart, though you can't see him well. Susan said he was too squirmy to get a picture, and that's the problem. If I remember correctly, he's part Aussie, part Catahoula, both high energy breeds, and he isn't even a year old yet, at least didn't look that way to us. Susan, an inveterate dog lover with two rescued dogs of her own, admitted he would be a handful.

This morning someone said to look on Craig's list, which I did. The notion of what is and isn't an Aussie is fuzzy--I found a picture of a Rottweiler mix labeled Aussie; wasn't a thing about that dog that looked like an Aussie.

Years ago, we had bearded collies. They were sweet, loveable, but a lot of trouble in one way or another. There was a bearded collie at the humane society but I took one look at all that hair, thought about grooming, gave her a sweet pat and reassuring words, and went on my way. I think the Lord was reinforcing my own suspicion--just before the holidays is not a good time to get a new dog! But the idea is firmly planted in my mind.

Tonight was the TCU Press Annual Autograph Extravaganza--three hours. I thought it would be interminable, but it was actually a lot of fun. I saw people I hadn't seen in a while, visited with friends old and new, including the Grace & Gumption ladies who are so special to me, and sold a few books. All in all, a good evening.