The neighbors' dogs

Bern agreed with our neighbors that we would look out for their dogs for 8 days while they swing through the south looking at colleges for their rising Senior in H.S. daughter.

They're going to the University of Tennessee and Clemson and UNC Charlotte--an odd combination in my mind but I love them and am sure they know what they're doing.

They have two Havanese dogs--Finn and Daisy (who I call Nancy because she is a Nancy).

Havanese are lap dogs from Cuba. Havana forms their name. They are tiny--7 pounds at best--and lick a lot.

So, though we've never left a dog in the house but always put them in a kennel, we're watching out for Finn and Nancy (Daisy).

Bern feeds them in the morning and I feed them in the late afternoon. We let them out in their yard several times a day and walked them today (they don't understand 'heel' and are much stronger pullers than 7 pound dogs should be!)

Two days down and six to go.

They are blocked off in the kitchen of Mark and Naomi's house and eat 1/3 a cup of dry food mixed with 2 tablespoons of wet food twice a day. Any dog we've had would consider that a snack! But these are little dogs.

Bern and I, who want a new dog after we get back from vacation in the middle of September to replace (but never 'take the place of") beloved Bela, are now convinced we need a dog more substantial than Havanese.

I want a bigger dog than Bern does but we'll adopt an adult rescue dog.

I still miss Bela every day. His pictures are on my screen saver. His foot print in just over my key board. The tin that held his ashes in near my right leg as I type. The hat Bern made me that looks like a Puli is on a shelf just over my left shoulder. He is all around me. He cannot be replaced.

But we can welcome another dog into our family. And will in just over a month.

For me, it will be bitter-sweet and lovely, joyous....'Dog' is 'God' backwards.....