... OK, she didn't actually ingest it, but she chewed the heck out of it. To the point that I need to call the credit-card company and request a new piece of plastic. The bright side? It's certainly one way to curtail spending on credit. And I should be happy that our four-legged ball of fur didn't take the card out for a shopping spree.

Having a dog in the house again -- our beloved golden retriever died several years ago at age 14 -- is wonderful. Our young miniature schnauzer is loyal and loving. She's got a fun personality. She is a wonderful companion for my daughter, who's learning the importance of respecting and caring for animals. Oh, who am I kidding? Sophie is good for me, too. She has a soothing, calming effect when, for example, I settle in to read a book after a long, hectic day and she curls up next to me. And she's an energetic walking partner.

However, Sophie's stamina knows no end. That's a diplomatic way of saying she's a bit of a rascal. She has a mind of her own, and she doesn't like it when she thinks she isn't getting enough attention. That's probably why she's ventured into the shower and destroyed at least three of my bath 'scrubbies. She chewed the buckle on a brand-new pair of black pumps that were an expensive gift from my sister. (Yes, I still wear the shoes; I've got them on today. I just hope nobody gets down on the floor to get a closer look.) She gnawed off the corner of a quilt made by my grandmother, and another corner on the duvet for my bed -- both of which were restored to their prior condition by a wonderfully creative local seamstress. (No, I am not that person.)

Drop something on the floor, and Sophie's in and out with the speed of light. That's been her M.O. She loves to run around the house with socks and varied unmentionables that drop out of the dryer. We end up chasing her down the stairs and, to her delight, around the dining room table over and over again. Once she actually jumped onto the table, but we put an end to that pretty quickly.

Early on, she ate an earring that slid off a bedroom dresser and sent us, tearfully, to the veterinarian. With their careful help and reassurance, the jewelry passed naturally as did, we thought, her cut-chew-eat-and-run phase. Receipts, greeting cards -- irresistible! She was particularly interested in some of the PTO book fair cash and checks I had at our house when she was just a little pup. I had everything in my purse, ready for a bank deposit the next day. I neglected to completely zip the purse and well ... Trying to piece together miniscule bits of 5- and 10-dollar bills at midnight will never make my 10-best-ways-to-end-a-day list. 

Anyway, things were much improved until the credit card incident. Maybe it's because she turned 2 last week. That has me wondering whether we're entering the terrible twos (do dogs have those?). Or is it an aberration? I'm hoping for the latter. Meanwhile, we'll keep doors shut, zippers zipped and clumsiness, mine, to a minimum. Yes, every dog has her day -- but she's going to have to share it with me!