Nellie and Nick sitting by my side

Nick is Nellie's smaller counterpart. We see him and his human frequently on walks and Nick was one of the first dogs Nellie met outside the home. Now Nick couldn't have been a better match -- he's the ultimate in chill and savoir faire. And even more importantly, he is the pinnacle of doggie cuteness (after Nellie of course - though some might argue he's even cuter). Judge for yourself:

Now here's how I know they are soul mates: both Nellie and Nick sniff noses for roughly 3.2 seconds, look at the two humans, promptly sit or lie down, and wait patiently for us to stop yakking. Once the goodbyes are said, they both get up, nod to each other as if to say "FINALLY" and flounce off. It totally makes my day!

More Nick to enjoy (and nobody will need cookies after all this sweetness):

C'est tout mes amis.

Ninja's best friend

Ninja has found a friend. Thankfully that friend requires no food and no worries. Because, wait for it, her friend is an orange ceramic duck. Ninja frequently perches on the low table and happily communes (mostly in silence) with her nameless, silent friend a couple of times a day. Tonight I was actually able to capture proof of this unusual alliance through the kitchen window. If I had tried to go out and get a decent picture, there would've been the clucking and squawking and running about as if I had a cleaver in my hands instead of a phone, so we have to make do with what we've got. And what we've got is this: