Happy Birthday Puppies

Anticipating by about 14 hours, but it's the Grafmax Jazz litter's first birthday today. The whole experience has been an immense privilege and joy. I think back to when they were small enough for all four to climb on my lap and go to sleep after their post-breakfast play, and I miss that, but there are new joys as they grow ... and, given the chance, Satch still climbs on my lap in the evening for a cuddle and a sleep. Sometimes he wants to curl up on my chest, but I draw the line at that (albeit with difficulty; it's no easy thing getting 35kg of dobe off your chest). I've sent the other three puppies birthday cards with dobermann puppies on them, which I'm sure they'll appreciate. I've got one for Satchmo (it was a special deal for four, honest) and I guess the best way for him to enjoy it is to let him rip it up. He has a present from Ella's family, which I'll give him later and hope Nina doesn't take it off him. I'm working at home today, so I can make a bit of a fuss of him. He's managed to steal the bed nearest me at the moment; that's normally Max's privilege. Just realised this blog service is obviously working on Californian time or some such as it thinks it's still 13 May, but it's definitely 14 May as I type, and that's their birthday.