This morning I was woken by Hana licking me right on my chops.

Drifting between Sleepyland and Good-Morningland, I was a little confused about what was happening.

The incident got me thinking of a time when Hana and Tevye were puppies. They loved to show their puppy love back then; any face within five yards was fair game.

They also loved cat poop.*

I had the latter problem in mind when we took them in for one of their first vet checkups.

But before we could even open our mouths, one of the nurses got within that five yard range and declared, “I just LOVE puppy kisses!!” whilst and at the same time letting the dogs have their way on her face.

I hated doing it, but I had to ask the question. I’m not sure, but I suspect the nurse’s next action was to gargle—and gargle well.

–

* In fact, it was a big (and nasty) problem for the longest time. We lived with my parents and their four cats back then.