Oh, no you don't!

This morning I awoke to a new day and new strength to resist. Resist what, you may ask. Well now, let's add up the clues. My children are all growed up and it's been years since I had to run to CVS at 8:30 p.m. for poster board, there's been a lot of loss lately...(.I can't even seem to see life in the $1.99 basil plant I bought down at Publix) and my last aussie, Annie Fannie passed on.

That's right, you guessed it, a puppy. A tiny, soft, squeaky, doe-eyed puppy. I truly thought I was stronger than this. Hadn't I been complaining about how our house was a suburban Noah's ark? I guess it was seeing Savannah, now alone outside, with her face pressed against the glass, waiting to be let in for the 16th time, or maybe it was the sympathy card from our long-time vet saying what a sweet girl Annie Fannie was.

 Regardless, I found myself looking at litter advertisements and saying to Dirk, "I need you to go get me that puppy!!"

I actually filled out some puppy applications. It's quite the thing now, you have to apply to own a puppy, get interviewed wearing your nicest suit, and put down a non-refundable deposit. The litter owner may also require to be a co-owner of the dog.

Dog breeders are an interesting bunch. I've found they rarely have a good word to say about one another. When a miniature aussie breeder was asked what standard aussie breeders thought of them, she said, "Oh, they hate us." Indeed.

I found most breeders shared that sentiment for one another and were all too happy to share. It was a little bit sad.

But it's a new day, with many responsibilities and loads of schoolwork to do. This just isn't the time to add that sort of demand to my day. After my coffee, I plan to adhere a patch to my upper arm with a seven-week old English Shepherd looking woefully at the camera. That should take care of any withdrawals for a bit.

One day soon, though, one day soon.