twenty-three...

days until Christmas; 13 days until Hanukkah; and 24 days until Kwanzaa.

We took Andy's pal, Auntie Jo, to the airport this morning. We will all be sorry to see her go. But Andy, I think, will miss her the most. While Ellie and Maggie still can't have the run of the house when I'm not there, Andy can roam as he pleases. This creates a separation between the big dogs and the AndDog. Sometimes I worry that he gets lonely being by himself all day long. While Ellie and Maggie can snuggle (though Maggie hasn't proven to be a snuggler with another dog) they can at least stand on the edge of the bed together and bark at anything that might be of interest.


As it gets colder, Madison will sometimes stay inside during the day. I am reassured that Andy then has company and even a snuggling companion. But my real concern is directed towards the bond that Andy and Ellie have had since Ellie was a five week old puppy. It has been disrupted since the Maggot arrived. It is frustrated, or perhaps a little sad, to see that the ease with which Andy and Ellie bonded together has not been reenacted with Maggie. Maggie is a force to be reckoned with, and though she loves to play with her brother and sister --- sleeping close to them is not an option. My hope is that Ellie will soon be able to roam free in the house without destroying anything of value, allowing Andy and her to spend their days together.