Happy Howl-idays!

Thirteen holiday seasons ago I adopted a totally irresistible one-year-old pooch named Otis from the Northern Illinois Samoyed Assistance rescue group.  In the first of an endless stream of “fido-ops,” I put him on my holiday card that year.  This is the first Yuletide since 2000 that our home has not been decorated by the furry presence of the breed that has been nicknamed “The Christmas Dog” because they shine so wintry, merry and bright.

Though Otis is gone, from some spirit world where dogs run like wolves and pee in the snow wherever they please, he– and I– with you a Happy Hanukkah, a Joyous Kwanzaa, and a very Merry Christmas.