Very Important Anniversary

Three years ago today, we took Portia to the old kennel at Greyhound Adoption Center to choose a companion for her. She played and played and played with two different dogs. It was hard to choose which dog to take home. But as John and I stood in the run with Darren, the placement director, I felt a brush against my leg and looked down into warm, pleading eyes. I will always swear I heard the words, "Please take me home."

That dog is our wonderful Bingley.

The early weeks--even months--were not easy. Portia and Bingley played hard hour after hour, day after day. We discovered that Bingley was high prey and could duck out of a Martingale collar in a nanosecond. Then Bingley developed a severe case of hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. We thought we would lose him.

We lost Portia just over a year later. Magic has come to be Bingley's pal and he's had to adjust to a very different but equally challenging feminine presence. Bingley eats prescription dog food and a lot of Pepto Bismol to keep his intestinal distress under control.

But through it all, he has remained the sweetest tempered Dog of My Life.

Happy Gottcha Day, Bingley.

May we grow old together.