When Palmer arrived just before the holidays one year, he was a little rough around the edges. He was beaten up a bit with sores and scrapes from his life as a stray. And he was set to be put down in a few hours when you all pulled him from Broward Animal Control. He was too big, too old. But he did have the most liquid brown eyes, like two shoe buttons on a beloved stuff animal. He didn't know how to engage with people or Taler, the queen bee. He didn't know how to chase a ball - in fact was hurt if a ball was thrown in his direction; he was jumpy, and he didn't like to swim and thought those who did to be suspect. And he did not like to have his picture taken. Over the months growing into years, he found joy faux dog fighting with Taler for hours and hours, romping at the dog park, so excited on the drive in that the car would swerve with his weight as he leapt from side to side, or just lying around back to back with Taler. The paperwork that came with Palmer listed his weight as 80 lbs. He looked kind of big, but Taler is around 70 so that seemed like a good fit. You might imagine the hilarity that ensued at the vet when I insisted he weighed only 80 when the scale clearly read 117. The other note on the papers was arthritis. Palmer stayed at a healthy 117 for the rest of his life. He was the most agreeable dog I've ever known. He never once fouled the house, or bit anyone or anything. He didn't chase the chickens or neighborhood cats. He barked, tail in full wag, to let you know he was there to say hello. He did throughly enjoy tearing up wrapped Christmas presents, something I learned returning home one December evening to find piles of boxes and paper filling the living room and one very embarrassed dog in the middle. Arthritis finally took him down. He took, without fail, all the meds to keep him comfortable -- no having to stuff pills down his throat, and would push through to keep up with Taler. He was so good natured that even on his last day he sought to please. It broke my heart to lose him but I was honored and privileged to have had Palmer for five years. Thank you LRROF for bringing him into my life.