The three piggies that reside with us are named Roxie, Gabby and Toffee. The eight-year-old who resides with us insists on giving everything her own nickname. Grandma is "Graham Crackers," the school principle Mr. Timmerman is "Mr. Tootsie Roll" in private (thank goodness not to his face), her father is "Daddoo," I am "Mommoo," her sister is "Miss Moo" for her love of cows (interestingly enough she does not have nicknames for either of her brothers)...

This month we have had 22 days of rain, which is a record for the month of June. Two nights ago the northern part of the state picked up large amounts of rain (storms that produced 6-8 inches of rain before they moved on) that is now heading down the two rivers that merge in the downtown area of the state capital.

The last time we had flooding in downtown, I was working as a law clerk and spent a tense week watching the waters rise closer and closer to the bridges I had to cross...

I am watching my parents' parakeet, Giovanna, while they are gone. I forgot about that bird because I really am not a big fan of her. She's not hand tamed and gets very irritated when anyone approaches her cage.

She still doesn't like me, sheds feathers all over the family room and nips at me when I change her food and water, but she is acting happy here. Today she danced around her favorite perch, moving side to side, bobbing her head, and the like for about half an hour. Also,...

Well, we were going to babysitter the parents' cocker, but not anymore. My dad found Lola in her kennel yesterday morning unresponsive, but still warm. He rushed her to the vet, but there was nothing they could do for her. She had an enlarged heart and my mom said she was "hacking and wheezing like a heavy smoker" after climbing stairs or going outside. My dad put up an old baby gate to keep her on the lower level because he was worried about her exerting herself.

The...

My parents are going to Spokane, WA to visit my brother and taking my oldest daughter with them, while I watch their cocker spaniel, Lola. I asked them if I could because I would rather she have a home to stay in than be boarded at the vet's in a cage for three or four weeks.

The only problem is that she is the most timid cocker spaniel I have ever run across. Only recently has she started to let me feed her treats and my parents have had her for four years. Occasionally she'll...