True Happiness: I Love My Fluffy Dust Mop

Sugar Maureen brings us so much happiness. She's six years old now [36 in doggy years], and we got her when Figgy was in third grade. She was so small that she fit in Figgy's sneaker. Now she has topped out at 10 pounds. She is a Bichon Frise; Miss Personality. That dog above is not Sug--that's Waiskai from dailypuppy.com--but looks exactly like her.

Top 10 Reasons I Adore Her

10. She hates for us to leave and loves when we come back.

9. She is afraid of things--a luggage cart or a garbage can lid can make her tremble--yet she plods forth and faces a challenge head on, which I personally find inspiring.

8. She leaps off the bed or couch in a single bound and into the kitchen at morning, noon or midnight if we are eating a piece of turkey or cheese.

7. She is kind to little Punch, even though little Punch has done naughty things like pull her tail or throw things at her. And when Punch was a newborn, Sug would race after me when the baby cried and I ran up to find out why. When Punch finally feel asleep, Sug would collapse in a furry heap of relief. I called her baby nurse.

6. She has adorable black licorice eyes.

5. She walks with pep in her step and pride in her stride.

4. She thinks she is 50 times bigger than she is, though no one is afraid of her.

3. She licks you if you cry.

2. She loves my Dad [runs right to his apartment door in the senior center], Sis [she now knows the word "Auntie,"] and Figgy's friends. If they come to the condo and don't say hi to her, she keeps yapping insistently until they do.

1. She loves to sleep at any and all hours of the day, so is therefore our perfect excuse to take yet another nap.

I love you, Sug, or [as Daddy calls you], Rough Tough Cream Puff. Long may you prance.