Throughout this week I have pondered what to write in my 43^rd post.

I could have told you about locking myself out of my car last Sunday, about Jodie at Winco going above and beyond expected customer service, and about finding the passenger window down enough to get my arm in to unlock the door.

I could have recounted the latest steps in the self-publishing process with BookBaby.

But today, Saturday, it happened again. Sammy provided a story, a simple backdrop for his milestone on October 12^th.

One of the Doggie Devotionals tells of the muzzle, a useful tool in controlling his barking, which many people find disturbing and aggravating.

I used it only a couple days ago, but I could not find it this morning. Today he was going with me on a compassion call and a tutorial. That restraint would probably be necessary.

So, off we went to Petco where Shrike helped me select a muzzle for under $11. That seemed like a lot to me, but she assured me that muzzles can be sold for as much as $50!

Then I saw a well-made, sturdy, large, green, fabric bone that I know Sam would enjoy. But its price was $19!

So, Shrike led me to the special of the day–a bin of chew toys, two for five dollars. It was a reasonable price; yet I knew that Sammy would either ignore them or demolish them in an hour. I chose two and went to the check-out line.     (He’s ignored them).

There I stood, holding the toys and the muzzle and his leash when I heard a rather familiar knocking sound on the floor. I looked down as the woman beside me said, “Now you’ll have to buy it.”

Indeed! Because there was Sammy gnawing on a ten-inch chew stick even as he tried to get a better grip on it, knocking it about the floor!  $5.99!

He had picked it out of an open box of giant dog treats occupying space on the bottom shelf of a display unit. (Hmmm, an effective way to sell product—get the customer to eat it on the spot.)

My final bill was $22.98, twice as much as it should have been.

But then the thought came to me, Hey, it’s his 12^th birthday tomorrow. Count it all as birthday gifts.

Well, okay. He neither knows nor cares about birthdays, but I know that he will never again be 12 years old on the 12^th.

SO, SAMMY, HAPPY 12^TH BIRTHDAY!