Another long weekend spent home in the den.  Bea and I logged a lot of cozy cave time.  Mother and father went out Saturday night for something called a "ClinicChristmasParty".  They came home with full bellies and delicious smelling treats in white cartons. Bosco, Ruben and Kaylee's mom delivered a large sweet smelling bear-in-a-box that got to go with them, but only one half of his body returned.  What was left was spilling out his fluffy white insides.  If I could jump on the kitchen counter, I would have eaten whatever remaining body parts I could find.  But no such luck, I really need to get Bea to teach me her secret of scaling the couch.

Today at the clinic, the sweet smells once again filled the air.  There were cookies and cakes, candies and fruit.  There was even one basket of dogs all lined up with a happy "Merry Christmas" message.  I honestly don't know how those dogs sat there so quietly with all that food around them. 

It seemed like the merry message came through loud and clear in the furry visitors too.  Moon Pie returned with her one eye sewn shut but she was trotting around the clinic like nothing was wrong.  Sweet Sally said she'd gained a pound and was taking all her medication like a good little patient.  The only remaining problem was that for the past two nights she had refused to sleep and yelled all night long.  Mother changed some of the medications and prescribed ear plugs for Moon Pie's young mom;  "Just until the new medication has had a chance to work" she said. 
Enrico also came back. No body parts hanging out this time, although as hard as he was shaking you would have thought he might shake something loose.  Sweet Sally checked him for a fever, and removed all his metal threads. Mother touched, smelled and prodded the newly scarred tissue and declared him once again deserving of his "dog of steel" title.  Enrico and Moon Pie were visiting at the same time, and mother asked if Enrico could share some of his steel constitution with Moon Pie.  Mother said "If Enrico is made of steel, than Moon Pie is made of pudding". It could be worse, I thought, at least everyone loves pudding.