Vern

Gracie Robby

Muffin  Fred

Now, Vern, well he is altogether different than the other "babes". Intractable doesn't *even* begin to describe his willful and stubborn demeanor. After almost 16 years, I can't believe he hasn't mellowed out, but if anything he is even more determined to have his way.

Garbage hound, ditch digger, proverbial trouble maker and thief. He's been caught standing in the middle of the dining table, straddling and munching down on the left over Thanksgiving turkey.

He's stolen at least a ton of Oreo cookies, and, knocking over garbage cans and mucking around in them are his fondest activities.

Anything laying about in a plastic zip bag he takes as a personal challenge to annihilate, including all the unused beads I *used* to keep in them.

Why do I love him so, you might ask? Well, I often ask myself that question

There has never been, (and you all should hope) there will never be another dog like Vern. I guess I admire his fortitude, his independent nature, his resoluteness, his perseverance and his complete lack of any need to bend to anyone's will but his own.

But, even though all the above is true, Vern is also very affectionate and funny. He never growls or chases people. His yelping has been mistaken, though, for a parrot because his bark is so bizarre.

Looking back over the years on all his "follies", you either have to laugh or cry and I choose to laugh.

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