My elaborate plan to get my sister's dog has finally come to fruition. I fell in love with him the first time I met him, but she wouldn't let me take him home. So I got my own puppy and convinced her I knew what I was doing. Then a few weeks ago she called me and said maybe she needed to find a new home for Duke. He's been having trouble with so many little kids around - those rampant two-year-olds can be intimidating, and what's a little dog to do but bite?

So Duke has come to live at my comparatively quiet house with my dog Duchess and the cat-in-residence, Ping. He only arrived on Saturday, so he's still figuring out how to settle in. Fortunately, he's slept through the night the last few nights, and he's starting to understand some of the rituals Duchess has. The combination of the two of them is pretty hilarious, though. She's bigger than him by quite a bit now, and she pushes him around big-time. He's kind of nervous about all the big changes in his life and he's been really really clingy. I've finally got the lapdog I've never wanted. Seriously, I can't sit down for two minutes without him jumping up on my lap.

Funny stories to come later, but I'll admit I've already bought him his own funny coat for taking walks in the spring rain.