What Roxie enjoys most now is watching Hansel. Watching him chew, watching him eat, watching him run, watching him breathe. What I enjoy most is watching her watching him. We all get lost, Hansel in his freedom from the puppy mill, Roxie in her fascination for him, and me in my deep admiration for the two of them.

It's Spring now, finally, and the grass is high, thanks to a broken lawn mower. They like to go out at dawn but it's too early for barking. Dusk suffices as a substitute, full of green and scents and birds singing. Not many people are walking by that they need to bark at so it's a calm, peaceful end to the day.