Yesterday we drove down to the West Palm Service Plaza to get our foster-to-adopt female boxer. She was picked up as a stray in Miami-Dade, checked out, vaccinated, chipped and turned over to a boxer rescue group. We were approved on Tuesday to be a foster family, and a volunteer was calling Wednesday night about “Bernice”, a name which Kiernan said did not fit her. It was Kiernan that came up with Penny because her coat is the color of an oft-handled one cent piece. I added Lain, in honor of our granddaughter. So now she’s Penny Lain. I’ll ask Alexa to play some Beatles music to honor her new moniker.

The story I make up about Penny is that she was a breeder in a puppy mill. She was probably kept caged for most of her life which looks to be between 6 and 8 years. Penny is small-framed with soulful brown eyes. She’s practically toothless, so her diet now consists of ground turkey and brown rice; she gobbled up every morsel for her breakfast. When we walk together, she looks out at the world as though it’s totally new and marvelous. For the next two weeks, we will walk together with the leash just to be sure she doesn’t try to explore too much of that outside world.

Right now we’re on the living room couch. She’s asleep, but prior to dropping off, she did her best to merge her body into mine. She seems starved for human interaction, which fits with the breeder scenario. She used the crate to sleep last night, but insisted the door be left open. We’re not sure about cat interaction yet, but early signs are she has no interest in Maddox the porch dweller.

I’m sure there will be lots more about Penny in the future. Having a dog again will be a big change for us, but a good one. I think Penny Lain has found a home.