Okay, we're back. The format changes threw me. Bill figured it out. Thank you, Bill! So I'll pick up where I left off, which was shopping. Bao loves shopping. He trots happily up and down the aisles of whatever store we're in, eyes peeled for a stuffed animal he can grab. And I'll say this for him, he's quick. Once he's slobbered all over the pink pig or the yellow duckling or whatever it is, I have to buy it, and then as soon as we leave the shop he drops it on the sidewalk and never looks at it again. This is why he's got a pile of stuffed animals at home that's nearly three feet high. On Monday, Charlotte and Bill took us to Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward. Lunch, and shopping. Art galleries, jewelery stores, boutiques, all that kind of stuff. The high point was Metropawlis, a veritable puppy paradise. Bao snatched a toy, the most expensive toy in the shop. But I didn't mind, because after years of fruitless searching, I had finally found a harness that fits him. Bao can't wear a collar, because his trachea was damaged when he was attacked by a pit bull, years ago when we still lived in Australia. The trouble is, I've never been able to purchase a harness that's the right size. He's too big for Small, and too small for Medium. But this harness, wow! It doesn't even look like a harness; it looks like a pair of sunglass frames made of leather. (I might add that it cost as much as a night in a cheap motel) But it fits, and Bao no longer looks like a little old man who's losing his suspenders. So it was a good day. Bao got a toy and a harness, I got two pairs of shoes (but not at Metropawlis) and we finished off the day at Coldstone Creamery (which is a very nice way to finish off a day) Milwaukee is a delightful city for shopping. On Tuesday, we spent the afternoon doing a tour of Ten Chimneys, the famous summer home of Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontaine. But I'll tell you about that tomorrow. At the moment, we're in Des Moines, heading home.

Driving Chairman Bao