15.) Shop Dog

Before I go any farther I need to introduce you to an important partner in this project.  Her name is Cosette and she 's a Yorkshire terrier.  My wife and I took her in two years ago after the untimely death of a friend of ours. Robert named Cosette after the orphan in Les Miserables, and that's exactly what she was when we adopted her.  The photo below shows Cosette in her new role as official shop dog, inspecting the work of the day.

Coko (Cosette Koten) is ten years old and doesn't want your sympathy. She does, however, want any food you might happen to have with you. Years ago in England, terriers were trained to accompany their masters to the furniture shops and coal mines where they were entrusted guard the day's lunch from vermin. My gene-diluted descendant of these ancient beasts would eat the food herself rather than guard it. But never mind. She's someone who feins interest in what I have to say. So I like having her around.