I’m a little trepidatious, I have to admit. There’s no way to prepare the cats. They’re just going to be pissed for a while. But I was also not able to sleep all night, like a little kid who knows that Christmas is right around the corner.
The Butcher said last night, “I am glad to have a dog again.”
And my parents are being adorable about this. My dad is all insisting that we take a letter of recommendation from the owners of the Butcher’s dog friend. I am not doing so, but I will have my phone with me which has pictures of Sadie on the couch and being adorable and sleeping with the cats and all the stuff that we hope another dog will want to do. Come, Rufus, fill the empty spot on our couch.
As for “Rufus,” I’m not in love with it. But I can live with “Roo.” And the Butcher likes “Rufus” a lot, plus it’s what the dog is used to being called. We’ll probably just roll with it. No idea yet what he’ll be called here. But we’ll see.
Tiny Cat Pants 
Rufus was my name before I was born. My parents were superstitious about referring to me by my “real” name before I emerged and so that was the name they gave me.
I think he looks like a Rufus. Mazel tov!
I had a great uncle named Rufus. He died when I was very young. One of the earliest memories I have, however, is being on his farm and playing with bunnies that he kept in a cotton trailer. So, I’m a little partial to the name. Oh, and George Carlin’s character in “Bill & Ted’s” was named Rufus, so there’s that.
All dog names get transformed anyway. In our house, he would eventually be Roo, Rooroo, Mr. Rooroo Pants, Rufuzzi Zoo, Rufus T. Dog, Esquire, etc. etc. We used to have a cat named Jehosafats (she was a girl) but we called her Miss Kitty. The only exception is our current cat Roger, who is so very Rogerish that we can’t come up with a better name.
Anxiously waiting for the update… :)