We strive to keep them all happy but occasionally it just doesn't work

It was a day for Laurel to go to the Vet for progesterone testing. She is well along and could be bred this week, if all goes as planned. Nick will go in for a check tomorrow. Lee's chocolate and eggnog breads were a hit at the Clinic this week. Then it was a trip to Costco for the vegetable and dog food run, with a few other bits and pieces thrown in. Costco was a madhouse, even though the Dartmouth Costco must have people there as well. There was a lovely crystal Christmas wreath that happened into the cart on top of yet another dog bed. Now, dog beds aren't normally newsworthy but this one is a bit unusual. Three people at Costco admired the bed and asked about the dog who would enjoy it, only to be told it was for a cat - they all looked bemused. By the time the Costco 'fareweller ' was reached, you would think a pat answer would have been formed, but no, out of my mouth came 'It is for the cat' and a lecture ensued - see, lady, there's the picture, it is a bed for a dog! It was a failure of a response and a lecture deserved. The back story is that 'Einstein the cat' will not stay off of the Day Planner on the desk. The Planner has now been moved in favour of the dog bed so that Sir cat has a lovely large soft perch to watch his birds under the chestnut tree and to nap in the sun. Perhaps that will keep him off of the only thing in the house that keeps any of us organized.

The dogs did well today. The weather is now seasonal, bringing out the Regalridge people's late fall coats and jackets for the frosty early morning and late evening. The dogs are happy with that. Cool is good. Even the sky has changed - less blue.

Piper is resigned to motherhood but feels she is paying a great price and notes that there will be payback. She has reintegrated, though, into her pack and spends some time each day reasserting her position as Patti's enforcer. Patti is much happier. Clem is still annoyed with Chantelle for having the nerve to leave for the week end and expressed herself throughout dinner.

The kennel is quiet, with the circus packing for their imminent departure. Lucy and Baron are exercising with abandon and Laurel is urging them on. She is not at all amused with her changed situation and is more than ready to return to Shawn and Kelly. Kelly is more than ready to have her back, saying that Bella is bereft and can't figure out where the heck they could possibly have lost her sister! They are not having a moment of peace. Guess the girls have bonded.

Costco sent a nice little chicken home for Ken's lunch - he was a happy boy. Dinner was the week end's pot roast and pot roast soup is now in our future. Ken had spent far too much time out in the elements so was exhausted (and tanned) by dinnertime. He managed to get through dinner without his head hitting the turnip but that was about it. Lee's crisis of the evening was not being able to get Paula out of her lap to go to bed. Each time Lee started to get out of the leather chair, Paula was quicker and had replanted herself - it was an interesting set of moves with Lee almost giving in and sleeping overnight in the chair just to humour the little Welsh. Piper, with the little Prince, would not have been amused to have a missing Lee. There are always new challenges.