Thanks, everyone. ;) Chelsea is doing well. Growing fluffier by the day although not heavier (I think she's going to be a bit over ten pounds, which is what the breeder thought! She looks bigger because she has such a thick coat.) Here's her Easter pic with this humongous balloon bunny one of my students gave me.

quirkyquerus: I totally agree. We don't really have any pet stores to speak of in my area other than Petsmart. I have never gotten a pet from a petstore except for hamsters and guinea pigs and fish. I think when people buy at a petstore it's more for convenience. They decide they want a pet and they go shopping. I tend to buy from breeders unless I can find the specific breed I want from rescue. In the past I have gotten rescue animals but what I learned is that sometimes you really do need to pick an animal that will fit with your family better. This is a long term committment. Too many people buy because the breed is popular or cute and then they find out it doesn't get along with kids or cats or whatever and the dog ends up being abandoned. Research is really important. I spent a year and a half researching my current dog before I got him and he's better than I could have hoped for. My last dog was with us for over 14 years (a retriever)who was perfect for our family then.

I netflixed it because someone on this list recommended it. I told my friend about it the next day, and started bawling telling her about it. I also told my Mom about it (yep, started crying again). She told me about a book called the Spuddy by Lillian Beckwith that was the saddest dog story she had ever read. So while talking to her, I went on ebay, found it in England, and bought it on the spot. It's the story about a dog whose master dies and his wife moves away and leave him (the spuddy) behind. A boy who is mute moves in and befriends the dog. I just know this book is going to make me cry. Anyway, long response to your post, but I did love Hachi.

Enchanted April is one of my all-time favorite movies....have you seen it? It's a period, British romantic comedy from the 1920's which is charming and funny. The four female characters range in age from 20's to 70-ish, are single, not happily married and widowed (I think). It won the Golden Globe (for acting I believe). Oops....I checked, and Netflix no longer has it to stream.....but my library has it so I assume others may also? It's a gentle, visually luscious film.....not slapsticky comedy. I believe you'd love it.