News from Lake Wobegon

There's a distinct chill in the air, and the heater is running. It was like that yesterday, too. It's as though we went back in time two months, except that the flowers are blooming and the garden is full of gigantic collards and turnips.

Some wily animal ate one of my potato plants, from the roots upward. I'm on the warpath.

The bastards at the cable company still haven't installed our service. Another warpath.

Last night Cairo had his first bath, which was a huge improvement! Silver (who hates baths) sat nearby and watched the whole process, probably taunting him in some canine way we humans can't perceive. I got soaked pretty thoroughly in the process, and now I smell faintly like coal tar shampoo.

We are in the process of making an appointment with a veterinary orthopedic surgeon. Our regular vet referred us because she figured there might be options we don't yet know about. At any rate, Cairo has been vaccinated, dewormed, and bug-bombed. He sleeps through the night without crying, and it's everything we can do to keep him from playing keep-away with Silver's toys and chasing the cat around the house. Underneath it all, he is still a puppy and wants very much to act like one. But he is on crate rest, as recommended...