Yesterday I took a very pleasant stroll along the Smith side of the Mill River. It was very pleasant, that is, until my dog found a decomposing beaver carcass. She gleefully rolled around in it until I ran towards her, yelling for her to stop. But the damage had been done. I threw a stick into the river so at least she'd rinse off a little, and then I had to drive home; even with the windows rolled down and the fan blowing, it was hard not to gag. She was very pleased with herself, though, sitting in the middle of the back seat, mouth open in a happy grinning pant.

Once we got home, it was immediately bathtime. It was actually a good thing, as the dog's coat gets all dull and flaky in the spring, and I had just given her a serious brushing the day before; afterwards I was driven to scrub my bathtub, finally, which is cursed with a slow drain. And though the dog hates the bath, once she's all finished and dry, her fur feels like mink.

I'm still thinking very seriously about finding a new home for her, though it would leave me semi-heartbroken. It's just very difficult to deal with her various needs while living alone in an apartment. She has relatively minor separation anxiety issues (i.e. she causes no major damage) but other than that she is the perfect dog, I think. Very energetic, affectionate, wonderful with kids, funny, playful... If you know someone who would love a dog, and who owns a house, let me know. I would be available for lots of dog-sitting.