Off the road again

My wife, my daughter and I spent five days away from home, going to Jackson, Tennessee, so my daughter could get a new dog. She has two, but decided those needed a puppy. 

Harvey is a brindle black pug. He is my daughter’s sixth pug. I don’t care for pugs. My wife has a pug/English bulldog, Winston, named by me. We were among 100 families or individuals who applied for the dog from a pug rescue. I don’t remember his used-to-be name. When my wife showed his picture and asked what we should call him, I said, “Winston.” He looks like a Winston. He is now three years old and more than 60 pounds.

Our other dog is a black standard poodle, Baker, who is five months old. We had two standards – Victor and Charlie – for 13 years. When Victor died, my wife and I decided our next dog would also be a standard, but not one who would reach Victor’s 95 pounds or Charlie’s 65 pounds. Black standards are smaller than creams or reds.

I also named Victor and Charlie. I decided on Baker because I wanted a name from the military phonetic alphabet. Nothing from the NATO alphabet fit, so I went to the World War II-Korean War version. Also, I have a (so far) 50,000-word story, “Travels with Baker,” and the name fit for a new dog.

Harvey is a cute puppy, and I am glad he fits my daughter’s life.