From the Notebook, observations on old dogs by an old man

Beano ~ What a codger! His tolerance for puppy shenanigans is pretty low, especially first thing in the morning.

Mr. Beano Miller

We have this ritual, Beano and I. He signs from his crate in the corner; an ear flap, a low whimper. I usually need to pee anyway. I let him out of his lair, and he jumps up in bed. He eventually settles in, hard against my left side, and we go back to chasing dreams.

He stands at my side, a long-suffering Jeeves, awaiting a word with his Wooster. I look down from the keyboard. “Excuse me, sir,” he says, “but if you will notice, the pup on the

right--I believe you call him Frank, sir--is gnawing an onion.”

Since the pups moved in--and I do mean moved in, like congressmen on unkissed babies--Beano and I hardly have our personal time, our stolen moments.

PUpdate:

Frank (left), Ella (top) and Louie getting after it!

Frank (Sinatra), Louie (Armstrong) and Ella (Fitzgerald) are sailing through early puppyhood, and a rowdier crew of cuddlebugs you’re not likely to find this side of Rainbow Bridge.

Appetites appear bottomless as they dance Ring Around the Pie Plate while hoovering up Victor (Blue), Select Beef Meal & Brown Rice.

Ella came to us with a slight case of puppy runs, what we affectionately refer to as poopy shoes. We treated--in more ways than one--with Mamma Jan Herzog's Powerful Pumpkin Cure, otherwise known as cooked, canned pumpkin puree. We all know NOT to use canned pumpkin pie filling, don't we.

By the way and since we're on foods, Frank did not eat any of the onion.

Ella, Frank, Louie

Seems you can see them growing daily. Awake, they are going, wrestling, sniffing, digging, harrassing, sassing, running with the Big Dogs or teasing a cat until they stop. Just like that. To nap.

They can't wait to leave the house for a romp in the backyard, even in these bitterly cold mornings. Our resident dogs, Beano and Lazlo, ride herd on them and otherwise show them the ways of The Yard. They're learning boundaries, and who to listen to and take cues from; pack things, I suppose you might call it, things best passed on from dog to dog.

There's more. With puppies there is always more. But this will have to do for now. Dogs need another bag of Victor Blue, and I'm due down at the dealership.

Annie's senior cat Al*B is looking for a penthouse view since the pups moved in.