On December 17, 2005, Mr. Daroga and I picked up our first dog from the pound. Eventually named Mr. Darcy for his combined vulnerability and attitude, he's been a fantastic companion ever since. I just wanted to commemorate that, because I love this dog, and I think a lot of people who've met him have, too. He's the model for the picture of Sirius from Diana Wynne Jones' Dogsbody in the icon. He's the one who I couldn't take outside for months and months because he became dog aggressive after the three month period during which he was too terrified to un-tuck his tail.

When we got him, the pound said he was a year old. The vet said he was three or four. Which means he must have been somewhere in between, because he didn't grow, and he's probably not nine. But I guess we'll never know, and judging from some of his behavior, maybe it's best that way.

Thank you, Mr. Darcy, for five years of love and counting.


Then, and blurry, I'm sorry.


Now-ish. Hey, greybeard.