Trainer's work is done -- when Fido fits in
A veterinarian asked professional dog trainer Christine Johnson to help treat a suffering Rottweiler whose hips were out of alignment. The dog would not let anyone touch it. How could the vet treat a snapping, biting dog?

Local novelist loves to 'tussle with the plot'
St. Charles novelist D.C. (Deb) Brod fired her agent not long ago. During their entire relationship, the agent only called her once and sent her two e-mails, said Brod. "But she sent me an e-mail right away after I fired her."

Persistence, patience can lead to a darn loud whistle
The baseball I lobbed to my 7-year-old grandson thunked against his forehead. Astonished, he screamed at me, "You hit me," dropped his glove and ran crying to his mother. As I held ice cubes against the rising egg above his eyebrow, I said, I'm sorry, Aidan. But I didn't hit you, Bud. You missed.

Literary trucker shares his thoughts on the road
Several months ago someone named Fran Lawless began sending me e-mails such as this one titled: "Lucky Charms."