Popular

Driving home today, a good friend was out in her front yard. We slowed to a stop to greet Lucy. Then we invited her over for a play-date with Ellie. She looked like she really wanted to, and we were told she would be right over. Not more than 10 seconds after parking in our driveway, Lucy magically appeared smiling from ear to ear. We all ajourned to the back yard to sit in lawn chairs, sip cherry limeaide and watch our girls play with such reckless abandon it made us laugh out loud. When Ellie offered a fresh-picked grapefruit as a suitable toy, Lucy was not impressed. She obviously was more inclined to the old pork roast bone under the grapefruit tree - and settled down for a serious gnaw.

That pretty much was the end of play time. Ellie did a couple of half-hearted runs for us when I threw the rapidly deteriorating grapefruit for her to chase, and ultimately gave up and layed down in the grass next to her friend. I had to bring out more water for the water dish as they had both drained it completely.

When Lucy's Bill said the word "squirrel", she perked up and anxiously scanned the yard, ears shifting and her nose twitching. It was really cute. "Awh, she really loves to chase the squirrels up at the cabin," Bill said, finishing his drink. "Thanks for inviting Lucy over. She really had fun." He gave Ellie a parting scratch behind her ear as she wagged her tail. As he was leaving, he told us that after we drove away, all he had to do was tell Lucy, "Ellie!" and she took off down the street in a doggy bee-line for our house.

I was happy he mentioned that. There is something way too satisfying about learning you are so popular, or actually, that your dog is best friends with the neighbor's dog, and that she knew right where to find us from the single word cue, "Ellie".