Update received 4/26/08:  Mattie continues to settle in nicely and provides me with many laughs.  She has lots of quirky little rituals -- things like trying to hide the very best treats from me.  These are the same treats that I gave her, mind you, but she still feels compelled to hide them.  I guess the thinks that they're so good I'll want them back at some point.

She just loves meeting other dogs, but then ignores them after a cursory sniff, sniff; all except for Bailey, her blue tick beagle boyfriend.  She gets very excited when Bailey comes around to visit.  She adores everybody she meets and everybody adores her -- especially my mother!  Mattie has enchanted my mother so thoroughly that she now plans to adopt a rescue as well!!  Probably not a beagle, but that's okay, because before Mattie, my mother intended to buy (gasp!) a puppy.  Way to go Mattie!

Update received 3/21/08:

At the first visit to our new vet last week we discovered a mammary tumor and a bit of needed dental work, along with an otherwise excellent health report.  Mattie's even feeling kind of spunky now because the vet said that she has "sexy" curves that aren't typical of a beagle her age (i.e. her weight is just right!)

So, on St. Patrick's day, Mattie was happy to return to the vet to say hello to the staff and other doggies.  Little did she know the first visit was far more sinister than just holding court (everyone LOVES Mattie).  Her surgery went fine and she was even happier when I picked her up that evening.  Strangely, she seemed very excited to return the next morning to say hello to everyone (again) and pick up the evilcollar we had forgotten the evening before.

Besides her hatred of the evilcollar; desire to incessantly lick, lick, lick; ;and running around as if she hadn't any surgery, all is well.  She ended up having 7 teeth extracted, and the histology showed the tumor to be benign!  So we only have about another week with the stitches and evilcollar, and then it's back to moments of great energy interspersed with many naps on the comfy furniture.

We just wanted to say "hi" to everybody and let you know that we're doing well.

Take care,

Mattie and Katy