Sam has returned to his role as the watchman, sticking his head out the door the moment I open it when I come home from work. He’s never lost his desire for the role, mind you, just that when our dog Ellie began to wait for me as well, Sam learned quickly to stay out of the range of her happy feet when I came inside. Now he stands a few feet back and waits for the happy dance to end, when Ellie runs off to look for a hedgehog he comes up to say hello.

But if Ellie is somewhere else at the time, as she always is these days while she’s confined, he’s right back at his post, first to say hello.