Saturday morning, July 5, I was at my usual morning spot, at a table in what I call The Sun Room, enjoying coffee and reading the Democrat-Gazette, my morning ritual for many years.

Looking out the window, I saw a dog bound up the deck steps and act like she knew exactly where she was and what she was doing. I point out that for all the years my parents lived out here in the woods, 45 or so, it seemed their home was a Mecca for dumped or deserted animals, mainly dogs but cats as well, one of which I still serve.

OK, I thought, this dog has wandered off from down the road, so hopefully someone will come looking for it. Meanwhile, I get a couple of water bowls filled, one on the carport and one around on the front porch. When she made it around to the front porch, she came right on up to me, sat down and instantly demanded, through whining and head butts, that she wanted some attention and she wanted it now. She was very mellow, not rambunctious or rowdy, just........

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