Meet the new year, same as the old year?

We all have hopes for the coming year, but 2014 looks just like 2013 to Liese, the visiting Weimaraner.

We went to bed about 9:45 p.m. and slept through whatever neighborhood celebration there was. There must not have been much fireworks or the dog would have stirred and awakened us.

At last report, Charlie and Deb are coming home this weekend – maybe even Friday – so Liese can be reunited with her “parents” and go home. We hope she hasn’t picked up any bad habits during her stay with us.

My friend who thought she had a fortune in Beanie Babies took the news of a flatlined Beanie Baby market gracefully and brought me a $400 Coach handbag to sell for her on Ebay. I hope to get it listed yet today.

Dora greeted 2014 this morning from the luxurious folds of a down comforter on our bed. She started the night in her kennel, but signaled that she needed some backyard time about 2:30 a.m. After I let her, Jack and Liese back in, she asked to join us in bed, so I gave her a lift and that’s where she stayed the rest of the night. She is a perpetual source of joy.

Her breeder reports that her mom – Mercy – is expecting another litter by the same father – later this month. It will be fun seeing the photos they post.

Here’s Dora and her littermates with their mom back last May.

I think that’s Dora on the far right.