“Think with your head, not with your heart,” my sister warned me when I told her where I was going today. NYCACC, Staten Island. Listed as a Dutch Sheep Dog, the dog in the picture looked like a doodle to me. “Don’t bring him home unless it’s right.” I promised her I wouldn’t.

We discussed it with our children last night. We have been pursuing so many options. Rescue. Shelters. Craigslist. You name it, we’ve tried. I came across this boy yesterday during my daily sweep of adoption and rescue Web sites. As I explained the situation to them, my children agreed we had to at least try to get this dog with the expressive eyes and the goofy smile Click to continue »

Because we love this ridiculous muppet of a rescue dog so much, we want another one exactly like her.

He had been in the shelter since November 22. I was selecting the day I’d take off from work this week to drive the 7 hours (each way!) to spring him from the hoosegow. A gorgeous boy with amber-colored eyes and brown-black fur, the shelter workers described him as round a year old and very, very sweet. “Call us tomorrow between 1 and 4 so we can tell you more about him,” they wrote me. “We’re considering transferring him to another shelter, because other than you, no one has been interested in him.”

An hour later, he was adopted by someone else.

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Non-staged, messy reality. Although I did move the muddy boots from this afternoon’s walk out of the picture.

Alpha kitty on the couch. Doodle on the floor (odd) next to her dad (everyone say HI, Paul!). Beta kitty off-camera to the right. Children elsewhere, playing a new video game. Snow man ignoring me since I’ve cruelly placed him so close to the fire. Dirty wool sock in the foreground. Christmas detritus everywhere. Curtains? Yeah. New. After 10 years of naked windows, I’ve been on a tear.

This downtime stuff? It’s kind of nice.

I’m off to eat a slice of pizza and find a bottle of wine that pairs perfectly with contentment.