Straydog UPDATE posted SATURDAY 2/1/03 at ~9:41 p.m. CT

      At a couple of minutes past eight this morning we were all startled by what at first sounded like a tremendously loud series of explosions. Pat and I were in the house getting harnesses and rabies tags and paperwork ready for Adoption Day, and we immediately ran outside to join the kennel crew/caregiving team expecting to see a gasoline truck on fire somewhere nearby or a downed airplane, but the horizon everywhere (360 degrees) was clear of smoke. No one had any idea what could have happened. The only thing in the sky was a jagged contrail that started and stopped abruptly. We thought that that contrail must have been left by a jetliner that must have passed over quite a bit earlier. The rumbling continued like distant thunder for what seemed like several minutes even after we went back inside the trailer house. We turned on the news right away, but there were no reports on anything for at least 10 minutes. Then finally the reports came about the Space Shuttle Columbia. No debris landed anywhere near us that we are aware of, tho we are located in the path of the fallen debris. It deeply saddens us all that seven lives were lost in this horrible accident.

Pat Arnold's Daily Dog Log

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 1 2003

FOUR pups adopted this Adoption Day!

      Wow! Today our dog sitting volunteers set a new record of four adoptions, happening all on this Saturday afternoon, February 1, 2003!

      Little four-month-old siblings, Bonnie, Blake and Melinda went to today's Adoption Day at PetsMart in Plano along with older pup, eight-month-old Lab mix, Doodles, and young dog, Billy the Border Collie. The morning went by with no adoptions, but by 4:00 this afternoon, the four pups were all settled in their new homes! Susan Devers and Sue Knudsen made the home visit with Doodles, "who will be so spoiled!" Susan Devers added after telling me about Doodles' wonderful new mom and dad and the nice home she'll be living in as a pampered house pet.

      While Susan and Sue were on the home visit with Doodles, two families came into PetsMart to look at the younger puppies. One couple fell in love with little Bonnie, and another family wanted to adopt Melinda and her brother Blake together! [Bill got photos of all this and will post them Sunday.]

      Susan and Sue came back from the Doodles home visit just in time to take Bonnie to her new home, while Guy took Melinda and Blake to their new home. Everything turned out perfectly with all the pups and their families, and Susan, Sue and Guy said it was easy to see what a wonderful life Doodles, Bonnie, plus Melinda and Blake (the pair adopted together) will have.

      This has been a wonderful day for adoptions. Maybe Billy and some of the other fellas here will find their forever families next Saturday (February 8th). We will be at the same Petsmart (Central at Parker in Plano) then too.