Happy Birthday, Ana!

We don't know what date in September marks her birth, so let's just celebrate all month long.

The Banana is doing great. We took her to Cleveland with us for a long weekend and she was a real gem. Didn't like traveling in the crate in the car, but was super well-behaved in the hotel and fine with pottying in a new place. She was afraid of the new people, but did let some folks pet her. She was really good.

Her insistence on being at least partway under the covers is a bit annoying. I'll turn over at night and she's licking my nose while her bottom half is neatly tucked away. Or vice versa. I seem to have a touch of bronchitis so now I just get a schnoz full of dog fair every breath. Great. :-)

I think about Mona occasionally. Something will remind me of her -- a smell, another dog's bark. I cried a little bit the other night because I was sad and just wanted to come home and bury my face in her neck. I'm getting teary eyed right now. Ana is a wonderful dog, but there's never a replacement.

Never.