As promised, Tiki now has a new friend--Irene--named after two aunts. Both my mom and my dad had a sister by that name. One Aunt Irene is still thriving near Chicago; the other passed away in December. They were a year apart and now in their nineties. I maintain that being named Irene is the secret to longevity.
This new Irene is 6 years old and a Petit basset griffon Vendeen like Jina. She is beautiful, as you can see by her picture. In addition, she is well-behaved, not timid, happy, healthy, and wise.
I am comforted as she lies curled up at my feet, trying to figure out this machine that keeps me immobile for so many hours. We both have our inner lives. Mine comes out through speech and writing; hers comes out through her snuffles and movements. I'm hard pressed to say which is best.
