Dearly departed

Sometime early this morning, our dog entered larger canine life.

Drake adopted us when we moved back to Indiana. Showed up on moving day, filthy and emaciated, and spent the day trying to climb on the truck. In spite of his condition (we speculate that he had been abandoned in a nearby forest preserve), he had such a great disposition-- happy, and calm around the kids-- that we hadn't the heart to see him put down. We took him to the local pound there, but when no one showed up to claim him, he came to live with us.

And so he has been part of our family-- roughly 100 lbs. of solid marshmallow, four-legged companion, walking buddy and occasional floor pillow-- for better than 8 years now.

Going to miss that big, goofy mutt.