On days I work at home I spend quiet time with Copper and Hermes. They’re with me now on the (rapidly warming) deck. If I need to stretch, I’ll throw the ball with Copper or take him on a walk (a word which cannot be said unless immediate action is intended). I turn to Hermes for mental stimulation. He talks, after all, though his vocabulary is limited. He is also good for comic relief, especially when he sneezes at the wild birds to get their attention. They must wonder what kind of creature lives in a cage and says “I love you.”

The company of animals on a busy Monday morning. They keep me humble; they keep me sane.