The OIF was in the middle of plowing, sanding, his carpentry jobs, …

… but when I asked him to help out with the ICT New Year’s photo shoot, he smiled and obliged. He was a grand ICT photographer’s assistant!

The ICT New Year’s photo shoot went like this:

Lilac was having none of it. Jett was more receptive than I thought he’d be …

The OIF used his elegant touch and got that party cap on Jett good and tight. Jett adores him, so he was fairly tractable. Directing moi, the ICT photographer!! – can you believe it?! – the OIF kept mumbling something about “chaos,” “chaotic,” and I believe he meant to say I bring chaos into his life and leave chaos in my wake! So true! He directs me: ROSE, TAKE THE PICTURE!!!! … I say: You should have married me! We’d be making special memories like these every day!

The OIF looks up at me and says: That’s a lot of work.

He’s right, you know.

Then he says: ROSE, TAKE THE PICTURE!!!! I say: You would have made a great father!!!! You’re so good with dogs!!!

He says: TAKE THE PICTURE, ROSE!!!

I do and then run to my car to fetch Jett and Lilac’s doggy treats! I try to entice Lilac into donning her party cap with a long, fake-bacon Begging Strip. Dogs will do a lot for food. Not Lilac. I do all the beggin’.

Lilac is the brightest dog I’ve ever owned. The little wheels under her cute cranium are always turning. If we’re out playing in a park and she wants Jett to follow her, she’ll grab his collar and lead him!

Here she is bored:

Here’s Jett, in his New Year’s hat, looking like a little cosmic monkey about to begin another intergalactic journey. To the mother-ship!

Finally, I said: To hell with it! … and tied on Lilac’s New Year’s cap!

Happy New Year, Worcester!

– pics+text: Rosalie Tirella