The Dog Days of Summer

The term 'Dog Days of Summer' was always interesting to me. I never thought it had anything to do with dogs laying around being lazy in the summer but more about sailing, for some reason. Maybe because the term is about celestial happenings? Or maybe I had some vague memory from a Hornblower novel about sailing?

So, why are the hottest days of the year (in the Europeanoid part of northern hemisphere) called the 'Dog Days of Summer'? I wanted to know, and I'm sharing what I found out because it was kind of interesting.

Some Dogs Aren't that lazy, right Nikko?

Joy and Sorrow

Joy - Meet Nikko!
It's been a busy week, full of really good stuff, and really sad stuff. Last Saturday we drove a few hours down south and picked up our new puppy. Yes, we have a new puppy, one that was born in late March. Just couldn't be without a dog! So I found a Finnish Spitz breeder that was recommended by Jaska's breeder (now retired) and got on the list for a newly born puppy. Hubby drove us home, I held the new puppy the whole way. We both, puppy and I, loved it, stopped for a couple of potty walks, took the back way home (way less traffic) and played, nuzzled, cuddled, chewed, and slept the whole way (after he quickly got over his anxiety about leaving his former pack).

His first day home. Yes, that's a sock he has!

By the time we got home, I'd decided on his name, picking the one he responded to best. He is Nikko (Nee-ko) which is the Finnish version of Nico. And yes, he's a Finnish Spitz, like Jaska was.