Writing Buddy.

Husband 'Thrilled' about Dog in his Back Pocket.

Just thought I'd introduce my tiny, but long suffering writing buddy. When I was really hacking through some tough stuff last year I bought this little bag of bones that I comically refer to as 'Lion'. See how happy Matt is about my dog in his back pocket! We all know she is far from a dog let alone a lion, but I wanted the first laugh. Yes, I know she is the dog you have when you are not having a dog, but I adore her. She sits patiently curled up at my feet or wedged behind my back as I write. We have seen more than one dawn together, quiet a few midnights and she never complains about my incessant need to play with her ears.

She has no tail, no idea that other dogs are not scared of her and no sense of the fact that my husband refuses to admit that he loves her. The best part about Lion is that she's all mine. I love that 'tiny furry' at my feet. She makes the hours I spend writing seem a lot less lonely. And, yeah, sometimes writing can be lonely.

Of course she's not just a writing buddy. She also holds her own as a 'sleep-in' buddy and a 'feed-me- your cake' mate. Every night my husband drags her out from beneath our blankets to put her in her own little bed. Every night she looks forlornly in my direction.

She has been known to tear up innocent socks and beat up unsuspecting toys. The toilet roll is not safe either. But she is very skilled at licking away tears and knows just when to stay close by me. I wonder what I ever did without her!

So, there you have it. My writing buddy and companion, Lion.

The dog that wasn't!