BABY ALEX = practice for therapy dogs!

(baby Alex last year)

Many of you will remember my old pal, Baby Alex, Tiffany's son? He was visiting Monday. I don't know what happened in the last few months, but suddenly he is TWO, running around, and talking about...everything! Like colors and cats....good golly, he is CHARMING, as you see, and utterly fearless, outgoing and FUN. Tiffany is a clinical social worker who went to Columbia, where she met her husband who is one of those doctors with a stack of credentialed letters after his name....a zillion different degrees. It is, perhaps, not surprising that baby Alex is so smart, and if you knew how wonderful his parents were, you would also understand why he is the nicest baby you have ever met. Toddler now. Or pre-schooler? Will he be 18 and at Columbia himself and I am like "hey, baby Alex! Its your (honorary) uncle Gary!". Next thing you know, sadly, you will not be able to pick up his awesome little self....

ANYWAY, last night I had my last class to become a Cornell Companion, which is the Cornell Vet School therapy dog program!  It seemed like after the dog evaluation on Saturday, which Penny passed, half the people were gone.  Their dogs had FAILED.  True!  But you can see Penny here in action, she is totally sweet and playful and extraverted that you can see why my vet told me she should become a therapy dog.... unfortunately for me, though, the hospice training is quite extensive and we are not scheduled to begin that until spring....