I thought this was cute, especially in light of our new menagerie: A newly discovered chapter in the Book of Genesis has provided the answer to, "Where do pets come from?" Adam said, "Lord, when I was in the garden, you walked with me everyday. Now I don't see you anymore. I'm lonesome here and it's difficult for me to remember how much you love me." And God said, "No problem! I will create a companion for you that will be with you forever and who will be a reflection of my love for you, so that you will love me even when you cannot see me. Regardless of how selfish or childish or unlovable you may be, this new companion will accept you as you are and will love you as I do, in spite of yourself." And God created a new animal to be a companion for Adam. And it was a good animal. And God was pleased. And the new animal was pleased to be with Adam and he wagged his tail. And Adam said, "Lord, I have already named all the animals in the Kingdom and I cannot think of a name for this new animal." And God said, "No problem, because I have created this new animal to be a reflection of my love for you. His name will be a reflection of my own name, and you will call him 'Dog.'" And Dog lived with Adam and was a companion to him and loved him. And Adam was comforted. And God was pleased. And Dog was content and wagged his tail. After a while, it came to pass that Adam's guardian angel came to the Lord and said, "Lord, Adam has become filled with pride. He struts and preens like a peacock and he believes he is worthy of adoration. Dog has indeed taught him that he is loved, but perhaps too well." And the Lord said, "No problem! I will create for him a companion who will be with him forever and who will see him as he is. The companion will remind him of his limitations, so he will know that he is not always worthy of adoration." And God created CAT to be a companion to Adam. And Cat would not obey Adam. And when Adam gazed into Cat's eyes, he was reminded that he was not the Supreme Being. And Adam learned humility. And God was pleased. And Adam was pleased. And the Dog was pleased. And the Cat didn't give a shit one way or the other.

That is awesome!

What I love about our new puppy is her tail, or lack thereof. She's got this little stump, about 2 inches long, and it's funny as hell to watch her wag it along with her little butt. I can run upstairs for 5 seconds (she's not allowed upstairs) and when I come back down, she's wagging away again at me and doing a happy dance like I've been gone for 3 years. The thing is though, we've got to stop her from having the little pee dribbles when she gets excited. It's also funny to see her take her pull toys over to the cats like they're going to join her in a game of tug of war. They just look at her, hiss, then swat her in the face, and she runs away crying, wondering why they don't make friends with her.

Yes, Dougie, it's sooooo funny when one animal viciously attacks another poor innocent defensless animal, isn't it? It's just so darn hilarious!! You're a cold cold man, Dougie. Brute! just kidding. I miss my doggie.

"our" puppy? who is "our"? what is your puppy's name?

I figure the biblical writers must have known our Cat (AussieAnita)then.

Where is Cat?????? I miss her.Did she move to New York City? I had the best meal tonight,real German food and beer and the owner took me out to show me his beer garden.I was impressed,and I had a fine German beer whose name I can't remember but it started with a S and it was a larger.And is it just me but doesn't mexican music sound like polka? seriously?

Sarah, the puppy's mine and my fiancee's. She's your namesake actually. Sarah is a 6.5 month old German Shorthaired Pointer. Gee, I meant this part was funny: "It's also funny to see her take her pull toys over to the cats like they're going to join her in a game of tug of war." Not her getting swatted in the face by the cats -- I feel sorry for her because she so desperately wants to make friends with them, but they want nothing to do with her. I think they think she's attacking them with the way she bounds up to them, she's not very subtle. J, never thought about it. I will next time I hear it, especially if the mariachi band starts playing the cerveza barrel polka.

J, there was a lot of German immigration into Texas and Mexico in the mid 1800s, so that oom-pah sound you hear is in fact German influence.

Dougie, do you have any pictures?

"Did she move to New York City?" say...im probably like, the only dimwit not to know, but she has(had) a thing with our host right?

Mark had sex with an Australian? Why would he want to go and do that for? Spider, yes I have pictures. Will scan and post to my website soon.

Mark and Cat? It's possible,is this gossip? Gossip can be very harmful,pass it on:)

you're so cute.

i've met quite a few dogs with my name. i can't imagine why anyone would name their dog Sarah though. grrrrrrr.

oh hey, i'm not a leper, in case anyone was wondering. i actually have a date this saturday! not with kelly though, unfortunately.

She was already named and answered to it, so we kept it. I like it, she likes it, my fiancee likes it, we're all happy. It's a herd with biblical names now -- Matthew and James (my 2 pussies) and Sarah.

We just moved to a new apartment and one of the cats totally freaked out. She's been hiding under the covers on our bed and won't come out. I am very worried. Someone well versed in feline psychology, please reassure me she's ok and tell me how I can make her feel more secure. Many thanks.

she'll come round, margret. don't fret until she starts pissing and shitting on your bed. ps- miss you!

She'll be fine. My cats spent the first week or so sulking under the bed to show their displeasure with the whole moving thing. I meet lots of people whom, upon being introduced to me, say "I have a dog named that!" I don't see why they feel this is necessary.

Mexican music that sounds like polka is called tejuana music, and really is quite nice blend of cultures. I was introduced to it in a mariachi band in south Tucson some years ago. Got some tapes somewhere. Yeah, after I posted that about Cat, I felt like I should apologize, as postings get misinterpreted, and I do try to keep a low profile, if not a non existant one. As soon as I posted, I wanted to retract. But the truth is, Cat is one of my favorite writers here. Wish Mark would join in more at times. Myself, I've been reading but not posting because I have so very little to say these days. My dogs names have been King, Major, Tiago, Fritz, (all german sheperds), Doozer(a chow-shepard-rottweiler mix), Joy (a very mean dalmation), and Tammy and Sammy (airedales), all deceased. My cats have been Tom, Bubbles, Bubba, Alf, and one great cat I can't recall, all deceased. Right now I have a wasp named Tony for a pet. He has some friends in every once in a while, but he lives in my bedroom window, and ocassionally gets to the kitchen. I tell him to go away and he does. I tell him to stay out of the bathrooms, and he does. Wasps mind better than either cats or dogs. I have full size black crow named Anton who lives on the back speaker panel in my black Mazda. He says nothing and falls over alot, and his head/beak does not bob, but he gets lots of stares on the highway, and keeps other live crows and other birds from crapping on my car.

Sarah, I had a pit bull that as named sarah. Actually, she was half pit bull and half boxer. I was twelve when I got her from my grandmother whom raises dogs and sells them for a living, if you can call it that. She name the dog. She said it was after Sara(h?) Jessie Rapheal.... I would have changed her name, but she had already learned her name and I was afraid it confuse her.

"oh hey, i'm not a leper, in case anyone was wondering. i actually have a date this saturday! not with kelly though, unfortunately." Have fun, Sarah!

My dog Sarah was named after Sarica Jessica Parker.

Dopple emerged from under the covers last evening to do some tentative sniffing, some plaintive meowing, and find new hiding spots. Her sister went up the chimney. Someone has already barfed on the floor. My fluffy black cat seems to have shed an entire fluffy black cat's worth of fur in the hallway, and she's undiminished. Cameron is staying home sick today -- maybe he will wake up with the ambition to format my c drive so I can reinstall my OS or clean up all the cat related shiitake.

Speaking of pets, What in the hell is the deal with the ferret?

that is so random. margret, tell us about your new place.