Hank is clinging to me. Even though I do NOT have the suitcases out, he knows, somehow, with that canine sense of his, that I am getting ready to leave again. And Hank is a pup who likes his family to stay at home with him.

Tim and I are racing around today getting ready to leave for our summer work in Utah. That's probably how Hank knows that something's up.

In our absence, Hank will go, as usual, to "Puppy Summer Camp" at the home of my nephew and his family -- where he will have three cats and three other dogs to play with, rather than being just the solitary pup that he is in our home. He will miss us and we will miss him. BUT, he will have some of his favorite canine friends to play with, a small boy to sleep with every night, and the opportunity to go out in the mountains when my nephew takes the horses on trail rides. Not a bad summer for our pup. Not bad at all. At some point, my nephew or niece will photograph or video Hank doing something especially entertaining and then send it to me so I can have a good laugh at our comical dog. I still remember the short video of him playing with their kitten, Blue Spaceship, a few years ago -- and the hilarious ending when, after much butt-wiggling, BS launched his tiny body squarely at Hank's head.

Hank and Blue Spaceship are older now and remain best buddies to this day. And BS is the only cat allowed to eat out of Hank's food bowl after all these years.

Back to my preparations and my clinging dog....

- Cath