Weather: partly cloudy, nice

Reading: The Spiral Staircase, Karen Anderson

Knitting: a small afghan for the car using the Ramblin' Rows pattern and a present

This little Gizmo dog (a 2 year-old Miniature Pinscher-Pomeranian cross) of my daughter's is so smart. ("How smart is she?")

Well, the other night I was taking a bath and Gizmo was watching. I hadn't seen any ferrets for ten minutes or so, but wanted to rinse Tazo off before draining the tub because she was a little bit sticky. I said to Gizmo, "I want to wash Tazo. Would you go tell her that I want her?" And she trotted off. Less than a minute later she was back, herding Sally. I was surprised and told her that she did a good job, but that was Sally, and Tazo was the other one, and would she please tell her that I wanted her? She trotted off again and came back with Tazo in just a few seconds. Isn't that neat? She brought them around politely, too, not dragging them by the tail or anything, as she is wont to do, but just escorting them.