Avon did something cute last night. We call him "part-time lover" because during the daytime, he eschews all attempts at affection, only to wait until the middle of the night to snuggle between us in bed. We have a friend staying on our pullout couch, the first time since we got Avon. This friend's boyfriend prohibits their cat from sleeping with them, to our friend's dismay. Well, even though Avon wanted no affection or attention when the friend arrived, as soon as it was bedtime, Avon spent all night in our friend's arms.

Aww, cutie-pie Avon.

This weekend I am skating both days, working a bit on Saturday. A quick movie on Saturday night--not leaving the pup alone too long. Sunday, we have puppy socialization/early training class. It's with a very woo-woo New Age-y trainer, but the price was right and it's a room full of puppies, so how can it not be fun?

It's an adorable picture. She's got a great worried dog face.

The Schwans man gave Seabiscuit a treat, even though I didn't buy anything from him this week.

I need to clean the kitchen, too, because I cleaned out the fridge today at lunch, yuck. We don't usually do too badly, but there were a few unpleasant surprises this time. And I also could do with a bath after that and weeding.

But I finished the SSA stuff, and went through both in-trays, got a lot of piddly stuff done. I guess I should tackle the big catch-up stuff again. It's very unrewarding, but I hope I'll get through it soon enough and then it'll be much easier to maintain.

I got a little weepy looking at the progress that the projects funded by the paper cranes for Japan have made. The one year anniversary of the disaster will come right when I get back from the casita, so that'll be an interesting juxtaposition from vacation to non-vacation.

room full of puppies

...did anyone else mentally follow this up with "that's more of a judgment call"? (Have fun, Scrappy!)

Doesn't she look a little worried? That's her perpetual expression. Despite being a GSD, a hardass she is not. She is however very sweet and she really likes people. Also she loves the bookstore around the corner, where they give her treats every time we come in. (Which makes me feel a little guilty about having a Kindle, let me tell you.)

She looks anxious but adorable. Also small for a GSD, but I realize I was about 5 the last time I saw one in person, so I may have a skewed sense of their size!

Also small for a GSD, but I realize I was about 5 the last time I saw one in person, so I may have a skewed sense of their size

Nope, you don't. She is certainly small for the breed, I think. She's about 58 lbs, and I've met male GSDs twice her weight. The breed standard doesn't have a weight limitation, but it does say that males should be only 26" at the shoulder.

She's beee-you-teeful! And 58lb shouldn't be all that small for the breed, although it kind of is nowadays. Bitches should be 24-25", and neither sex should be heavy-boned like a Rott, either. They're meant to be able to stay constantly moving for 12-hour days and scale 6-foot walls and such! Not to be massive beasties, but over time they've gotten bigger and bigger -- it certainly is an impressive look.

Also, not particularly meant to be hardasses, even when they're working/protection dogs.

Such a lovely, soulful face.

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Wish him luck. Fox notwithstanding.

Hey, even if Fox does that thing they do, it's still a leading role on a network show.