After a month or so, we have decided Cookie the dog isn't going to re-appear, so I told Jane she could get a new puppy. After I got off work last night, we drove to South nowhere, Knox County to pick up a border collie mix puppy, whom Jane has named "Chica." She's very cute.

Anyway, Chica came from a farm out in the middle of nowhere, and it was dark, then it started storming really hard and the puppy was crying. Plus, my two youngest children are TERRIFIED of storms and were freaking out.

I don't drive that well in the sunshine of a nice day. On a dark, stormy night on windy, country roads, I really drive badly. Plus, I became completely lost, at which point the puppy began vomiting. Some of the dog vomit got on Jane's skirt, so she there was much moaning and gnashing of teeth about that.

Then Elliot decided we were going to be struck by lightning, which irritated big brother Henry, who took it upon himself to explain to his little brother in a very pissed off voice why we would not be struck by lightning while driving in the car. This didn't reassure Elliot, who was on the verge of tears. The puppy was still whining. Then Henry decided it was a great time to argue with me about where he will start high school next year, informing me that if he is made to go to the school it looks like he may have to attend, he plans to drop out and become a traveling guitarist.

It was quite a car trip. We finally made it home (had to stop and ask directions, and to tell you how lost we were, the first two people we asked had no idea how to get back to the city of Knoxville)

And I was up late cleaning dog vomit out of my car.