Just as I was about to start shoveling today, four teenage boys appeared, shovels in hand, and asked me if I wanted to hire them. "You got a deal!" I responded, and they completed what probably would have been a two-hour job for me in about 20 minutes. They did a great job. I paid them twice what they asked.

Today (actually yesterday, but I haven't been to bed yet) was Sophie's "made up" birthday. She is 12. I don't know the exact date she was born, but we adopted her in early December 1999 and we were told she was 10 months old. So Groundhog Day seemed to be as good as any other date. Since her surgery, she's doing absolutely great. She had been seeming very old to me, but she has a new lease on life now, and that's wonderful. Happy Birthday Licious!

Funny, we had a little party for her. We had carrot cake and ice cream. I took pictures. A little while later, in his monologue, Jay Leno talked about the increasing trend to celebrate dogs' birthdays. He joked that dogs don't know it is their birthday. We often celebrate the dogs' birthdays. I think they do know, at least that it is something special that has to do with them. They definitely know when the Christmas tree is brought into the house that something special is happening. They seem to remember year to year. I think Jay is a cat person! (Not that there's anything wrong with that.)