Hello again Xanga friends.

If you haven't heard the news from another medium, I'm now engaged (as of August 21st). I've been really slow in posting new stories online because of school, moving, and life. I did make a newsletter though, so if you didn't get it and you want it send me an email and I'll send it to you and put you on the list for future editions. This edition includes the proposal story and summaries of Becca and my summers.

All that to say, my posts on xanga will remain minimal, the real news will be in the newsletters.

Well, I had thought that moving to Rochester would yet again provide me with hours of undesignated time to write my travels. I hadn't really considered why I had so much free time. I had free time because I had few responsibilities, and I lived alone.
    I don't live alone this summer. Two other IBMers live with me here in the apartment. In the evenings we watch movies and shows together after cooking dinner and sharing stories about how work was good or bad or long that day. I then call my wonderful girlfriend and we exchange our days events and sentiments.
    Yesterday I did the unthinkable though. Let me start the story at the beginning. On Saturday Mark (one of the two residents here) took me to Goodwill to find some random dishes for plants, and after hearing my idea to get a dog next semester, drove me to Paws and Claws Humane Society where read dog stats. One dog stood out: Cedar, but I didn't put to much into it. We drove around to a couple other stores and the pound was closed when we got there, so we went back to see Cedar. He's a four month old Border Collie Rat Terrier mix. I had to check with the apartment management first though.
    Monday I got off work and went to the offices, closed. Closed three hours before the posted time.
    Tuesday I went back in the morning and got permission and some forms and drove to Paws and Claws to pick up my new puppy. When I arrived I was told that he (and his two siblings) had been moved to Red Wing (a city 45 minutes North). I called and they would only be open for another 15 minutes--not enough time to drive there.
    Wednesday I drove to Red Wing and found the little humane society that he'd been moved to, when I entered, I said, "I'm here to adopt Cedar!" The response was not what I had hoped, a couple sat at a desk filling out paperwork and woman with a lab coat on said, "He's already being adopted, but those two are from the same litter." That's how I met Echo. Though, that wasn't his name at the time, he didn't know any better.
    He's a very intelligent dog--especially for a four month old. After one day he sits on command, poops outside, sleeps in his kennel, answers to his name. I already have a few stories of what he's done since he's arrived, but that's for another time... the guys are back with ice cream and movies.