this just in

big breakthrough this evening. julie, upon observing mercy sniffing around in a manner that suggested she needed to "get busy," asked mercy if she wanted to go outside. then.....mercy went to the door! brilliant!

mercy is our puppy. she just had her 3 month birthday. she is the only daughter of starbucks, a chihuaha, and nin, a yorkie-something mix. last week i declared that if she didn't get housebroken soon, i was going to put her in a diaper and say to hell with it. fortunately for the whole family, mercy has shown great improvement with pooping outside. probably mostly due to the fact that when she poops outside, we act as if she has laid a golden egg, and then we give her a cookie. she would sell her soul for a cookie. let's see if i can figure out how to post her most recent portrait.

brilliant! this doesn't really do her justice, but it will have to suffice for now.