Happy Birthday Mlle. Caissa

I remember being 9 years old and going with my dad in our '95 Subaru Outback to pick out my very first puppy. My parents and I disagreed on the particular breed of dog we were to welcome to the family ( I wanted a super-lame Labrador*, and they wanted a Weimaraner), and had thus compromised to see puppies of both varieties. My brilliant parents, knowing that at 9 years old I was going to take home whatever puppy I saw first, conveniently chose to see the Weimaraner litter before the Labradors.

Sure enough, I took one look at the adorable blue-eyed puppy and lost my shit-- scooped her up in my red Hanna Anderson jacket and took her back to my house and she's been with us ever since.

Mademoiselle Caissa Franconia Monix DeLisle turned 13 years old today. Here are a few links in honor of this:

• The name Caissa, contrary to my idiot friends' popular belief, is not a feminine version of the Spanish word for 'cheese'. Since you asked-- it comes from the modern myth of the Thracian dryad of the same name, who is often touted as the patron goddess of chess. Read more here.
• What's a Weimaraner, you ask? You know, the dogs that that guy dresses up and takes pictures of. You knowwwwwww. The ones they use to count with on Sesame Street.
• So my dog turned 13... how old does that make her really? Glad you asked.. here's the explanation. And here's one of the 1974 Alpo advertisements (featuring actor Lorne Green) that popularized the notion that one dog year equals seven human years. You might notice that the featured dog is also 13 years old.

That's it.

Here's to you, old lady.

* I apologize to proud Lab owners for thinking that your dog is boring. Doesn't mean he's not a good dog. Just... you know....... boring. If it makes you feel any better, at 13 years old, my dog sleeps like 92% of the time so I guess that makes her kinda boring too.