We finally did it. Three weeks ago we adopted a rescue dog brought from Kentucky as a stray with his littermate to Ohio.  He is now 10 months old, a beautiful black and white mixed breed--springer spaniel, pointer? border collie?  you name it.  We kept considering names but nothing fit till we went with BING.  My username is an adaptation of that--Bing the First (binkycat) was a beloved black and white smoke Maine Coon cat, named for Bing Crosby (bad pun). Our new boy is jaunty in a Bing Crosby like way, so we decided it fit. He's pretty wild still, having never lived in a house before, but he is a smart, sweet boy and is learning quickly.

I had asked our tripawd angel Lucy over and over for a dog in June and July, but she was typically stubborn and waited until the end of July to send us one.  Bing's original rescue name was Luke--and since Luke and Lucy have the same Latin root, we KNOW she sent this boy.  We also know that she would never, every send us a girl--she was going to be her daddy's only (canine) girl forever. 

It is wonderful to walk a dog again, feed him, play with him, etc.  It doesn't make us think about Lucy less but perhaps with less grief, and more pleasant memories.