Sloan and his puppies

I came home with another dog today.

Well, not really.

The kids and I were yard sailing today. We stopped at one and I saw this picture of this cute dog and puppies inside a dog frame.

"Is this the stock photo or a real photo?" I thought I asked myself but apparently, I said it out loud and loud enough for the owner to hear.

"Oh, that's Sloan. He's my dog. He is the dad of all those puppies. I had him over 25 years ago", she said.

I looked up at her with shock on my face, partially because I had been caught talking out loud again and partially because of her answer. I am a scrapbooker and photographer and the thought of someone getting rid of their childhood dog and puppy photo struck a dark and deep chord somewhere in the depth of my soul. (Very dramatic, huh?)

"You can't sell your picture of your childhood dog in yard sale! You have to take it out before you sell the frame."

I started to take the picture out of the frame.

I don't know why I thought I was the boss of dog pictures and frames but at that moment I took over that position.

"Oh", she said in a laugh, "I have lots of pictures of Sloan. That is just one I had in a frame that had been stuffed in a drawer and I didn't need it anymore."

I thought that was acceptable (I'm still in "dog picture and frame boss" position) since she had other pictures, but now I couldn't put Sloan and his puppies back.

"Well here's a buck. I'm taking Sloan and his puppies home with me."

"Thank you. Have a nice day", she said as I held Sloan and his puppies tightly to my chest.

Since taking the photo above, I have removed the bright pink $1.00 price tag. Sloan and his puppies are sitting on a shelf. Eventually, I'll probably put a picture of my dog over the picture of Sloan and his puppies but for right now, he looks like he's part of the family.

I'll keep the photo forever, just cover it up with a new photo. Someday, I'll confuse my grand-kids or some other sucker at a yard sale telling them he was my dog and then they'll buy the picture and the frame for $10.00.

Oh, and Erik was totally relieved when he realized that it was a photo of a dog and not a real dog. I must make a mental note to not enter the house and announce, "I've adopted a new dog and a bunch of puppies!"