The Silver Lining of Strep...

No mother welcomes illness...like a strep infection. However, there is a slightly twisted side of me that appreciates the "side effects" of a minor health issue. For Daniel, having a cold or the flu brings back the long-ago abandoned (as in at age 23 months) daytime nap! Since he was 2, we have literally taken photos of this child napping in daylight hours. I kid you not...we have only FOUR nap photos! All illness-induced slumbers and a boat nap or two. For Tommy, a little bug means he might actually sit on the couch for more than 3 minutes at a time. A good thing for the mother (and wife) of Perpetual Motion Males. And...for Jonathan...a bug...like the strep infection of last week means...a quiet day at home...making art. Below is the latest "keeper"...MELT my heart!

Once Upon A Time...

..There was a little girl named Annie who lived in a NY orphanage...you know the story...she runs away and finds a fellow "orphan" Sandy the street dog. We did too -- back in 1996 -- on the streets of west Cleveland -- W. 76th to be precise. Ironically, in the summer of 2007 our sweet Sandy played the part of "Sandy" in BGSU's summer production of Little Orphan Annie.

So...what better name for Sandy's look-alike-successor who also was a street dog -- this time on the rural roads of Richland County...

Introducing...LUCKY Orphan Annie...just home from the Richland Co. Dog Pound! (We did not know you could shop for a stray like you shop for a boat or car or house -- here is a plug for petfinder.com. And very special credit goes to MeMe and Grampa for driving to Mansfield from Ashland to be first in line at 10am to "hold" her for us!)

Oh - and in Mack Family Dog-naming Tradition - there must be some nautical bend...first Beacon then Sandy...Annie just by chance has very nautical initials "L.O.A." - boater-talk for Length Overall!)
Much like Sandy, Annie is sweet, calm and loyal. But, unlike Sandy who had 5 years of HomeHighnessHood, Annie is quickly learning about being the youngest of 4 -- chase, catch, tickle, tackle...she WILL be a kid-dog, no doubt!