Willow improved!

For the last 18 months, Joe and I have been living in terror. Every day we push our favorite items to the far recesses of the counter so that Willow, the surfing monster, can't steal our valuables. This past year she has been responsible for the loss of a blackberry, multiple socks, and has damaged countless electronic. (Please see exhibit A, the remote control.)

So you can imagine my shock when I was able to recover my snow boot, fully intact. I have been trying to leave less valuable items, within the theif's reach, as sort of a temptation. Astonishingly she has been ignoring most things. Today the urge to nab my boots must have overwhelmed her because I could hear an awkward scuffle in the kitchen. I could tell she had made off with something bigger than normal. Remaining calm, I called to her. Immediately she came to me, boot in mouth with a devious grin. Normally it's at this moment where she thinks the chase is about to begin, wags her tail feverishly, and when she can't contain herself anymore, she dashes away. Not so on this wondeful morning. I quietly asked her to "drop it," and with that my boot fell to the floor and she eased back into a sit. She waited motionlessly while I leaned forward to scoop up by boot. I might be a little embarassed to admit that I showered her with praise and high pitched squeals of how proud of her I was.