Meet Matilda!

I'd like to introduce you to the newest member of our family: Matilda, a 3.5 month old miniature dachshund! After the loss of our dear Olivia in October, Dave and I thought long and hard about whether or not we wanted another dog, especially since we're expecting a baby in just a few short months. Ultimately, however, we decided that, if we did want another dog, it was "now or never," as the

Olivia...

Unfortunately we had no choice but to let go of Olivia today, just five short days after she first became ill. We still don't know the cause (it might have been bacterial, fungal, or a toxin), but the effect was quite simply devastating -- her liver completely shut down, and no manner of drug nor treatment was going to bring it back. I'm still in a state of shock at this twist my life has taken

Olivia Update

After a horrible day yesterday, when every sign pointed towards me having to say goodbye to Olivia today, we have received some very positive news this morning. Olivia has started to respond to treatments, her liver is recovering and, while we're not out of the woods yet, the vet is "cautiously optimistic".I will still count it as a tremendous blessing if I get to take Olivia home after this

Olivia...

Update (7pm): Many thanks for all the sweet messages and comments. We had to do a plasma transfusion today, but fortunately Olivia has responded very well to treatment so far and her vitals and behavior are both markedly better. We won't be out of the woods until tomorrow when we can do some more blood work, but this is a very hopeful development.Please excuse the lack of postings this week. My

Olivia, reclining

Today I wanted to share with you all a recent watercolor my mother did of my dachshund Olivia. I think she did a wonderful job of capturing Olivia's personality (and, let's face it, her voluptuous figure). To give you a point of reference, the watercolor is based on this photograph that I took of Olivia a few weeks back in my office: Of course, since both the artist and the subject are near and

Dachshund Bookends at any Budget

As a bibliophile and a dachshund owner (and lover), I am naturally drawn to just about any pair of dachshund bookends. But even if a wiener dog hasn't stolen your heart and/or taken over your home, these bookends bring a nice dose of levity to your decor: As your book collection grows, so too does Fido. Above is a shot of my own pair of dachshund bookends (a Christmas present from my

Who wore it better?

One of my favorite features in all those gossip magazines is the old-standby "Who Wore it Better"? Not only am I consistently amazed at how the same dress can look completely different on two different women, but I love to see how different people accessorize the same dress or blouse to make it suit their own tastes and style. I initially bought this darling pink winter holiday coat for my

A doxie by Jonathan Adler = Love at First Sight

Should a certain husband still be on the look out for a birthday present for his devoted wife, might I ever so subtly suggest that this might just be the perfect gift? You'll find it here -- and if you order now, you just might get it in time for said devoted wife's birthday. There. Was that (un)subtle enough? For those of you who AREN'T my husband, I still highly recommend checking out the