I already threw this out to some of you today; I have signed up for a Pet Writing Conference next month.  Today I sent in my application to meet with an agent; but I was thinking how can I make myself stand out in this crowd?  Since my books are about my dogs, what better way than to have a T-shirt and a tote bag with my dog’s picture and website on them.  That’s where I got stumped.

You see, I wrote about Sampson because I think he is adorable and awesome, so every picture I take of him is adorable too, so how can I choose which pictures to use?  That’s where you come in.  My idea is to have two different pictures, one on the tote bag and one on the T-shirt.

Can you do me a favor and click on this link go through the pictures and leave me a comment, or shoot me an e-mail and let me know which pictures would make you stop and ask questions, or check out a website? 

I hope to order the items this weekend, and would really appreciate your help!  Thanks so much.

Have you seen the picture on CNN (or anywhere for that matter) of the dog sitting by the grave of its owner?  To me it is one of the most beautiful and at the same time one of saddest things I have ever seen. 

The dog’s owner was  killed in the flooding and mudslides in Brazil and amid the makeshift graves that house the bodies of some of the 630 people who have been recovered, lays Leao a medium-sized brown dog loyal to his owner even into death.

The picture just broke my heart and made me realize that when a disaster of this magnitude occurs, it is not only human beings who suffer sadness and loss.  One of my causes is the Animal Rescue site, where you can click a button and one of their sponsors will donate food to help animals who have been rescued.  They also have a neat little online store where you can purchase animal related products for those animal lovers in your life.  There is an option for an e-mail reminder and The Animal Rescue Site will send you an e-mail reminder every day, which includes a link that will take you directly to the “click here” button.

It is probable that someone will find a way to get Leao away from his owner’s grave, and find a good home for him, but there will be many others who won’t be as lucky.  If you have a minute, please go to The Animal Rescue site and click a button to help an animal in need.

Today we decided to attempt the dog park; we figured by now four days after the storm someone had probably shoveled the paths; and we were right!

There were only a few dogs there today and my dogs ran a lot more than they usually do; which was awesome.  Some of the snow in the play area had been packed down, so we could walk a little too (which helps to keep us warm.)

We have been trying to play fetch with our dogs for years, when Sampson was a puppy we would throw the ball and he would catch it.  We could do that for about three times, then he would take the ball and lay on as if to say, “try to throw this.”  Delilah will sometimes play fetch in the house with a ball and I can throw it a few times, but then she loses interest.  I have never had success with her playing fetch with the ball outside; although they tell me at daycare that the dogs do play fetch.  I always throw the ball and laugh when I tell them they are failed retrievers.

Today for some unknown reason, we threw a stick and Delilah fetched it; so we threw it again and she fetched it again, and again, and again!  At one point I threw it in the soft snow and she had her head buried half-way up her neck trying to get that stick, she came up with it, her face covered with snow and her tail just wagging away.  I said to Chet, I cannot believe after three and a half years, we finally figured out how to get her to play fetch. 

By the way, the dogs are now passed out on the couch.  Mission accomplished.