I took Belle back to the dog pound today.

But just to visit, because everyone there liked her so much.

I had to go to my own doctor appointment, and the pound was close by, so I decided to see how she'd ride with me.

To say the Murphy was unhappy with me taking her and loading her up while he stayed behind is an understatement. He was still barking out the window like a dog possessed when I drove off. Sorry pal, but both of you together and me on crutches? Not gonna happen.

Belle rides wonderfully. She was so calm and quiet that I kept forgetting that she was back there in the seat behind me. And there were no separation dramatics when I got out at 7-11 and the doctor's office, which was really a refreshing change from the norm. She just sat there calmly and watched me, then laid down.

At the pound, she was a little reluctant to go inside, probably recalling the last time she walked in through that door, but once inside, when she heard E., one of her favorite humans, she jumped up the counter, tail just a-wagging.
We went back inside and she was really happy to see E. and the two of them played for a bit down on the floor. Then Belle sniffed around for a bit as if to check the place out before she flopped down in the middle of the floor just as if it was still her house. (Belle was kind of the "front office dog" for a while there because she was so friendly and well-behaved.) We stayed for a bit while the people talked, and then it was off to the County Sheriff to hand over twenty dollars and make her officially mine, all mine. Then we came back home, just in time for Belle to get carsick just as I was freaking parking. So now if you'll excuse me, I've got to go back downstairs on crutches and cross a slanted, icy driveway once again in order to remove the remains of a dog's breakfast from the back seat of my SUV.

Damn, she's lucky I like her.