Last Saturday, I drove to Staples to return a load of scaffolding to Kat's uncle. RAGOM needed a dog transport from that area down to the cities, so I was able to kill two birds with one stone.

It's a two-hour drive to Staples. Samantha and I left at 7:45, dropping Joel off at Grandma's for the weekend. We arrived in Staples just after 10:00. The scaffolding carefully delivered to Roger, Sam and I headed to the DQ to await Tamra and three 5-month-old puppies. Total cuties, they were! Snoopy, a sweet little Golden boy, plus Boo Boo and Growler. Okay, her name wasn't Growler, but whenever Boo Boo got two close, it should have been. Boo Boo and Growler both appeared to be some sort of boxer mix, not related, but similar in appearance. All of them puppies, none of them with the best of manners.

But oh so cute.

An hour and a half later, and Sam announced, "I'm thirsty." Her timing was impeccable, as we had just passed a gas station. Five minutes later and she announced, "I'm hungry, too." More impeccable timing, as we were in the wrong lane to pull into Subway.

But we found out -- puppies who have been fending for themselves in Northern Minnesota LOVE KFC chicken. How do I know this, you might ask?

How about if I simply quote Samantha?

"I don't think I can eat this in the car. It's suddenly a little bit crowded back here."