The New Year is off and running. It seems like only yesterday we were talking about the new millennium and wondering what sort of technological catastrophe awaited us because our computers couldn't count to 2000. Y2K compatible was the catch phrase of the day.

The late Iben Browning, earthquake prognosticator who missed his prediction of a major quake along the New Madrid Fault on December 3, 1990 would probably have appreciated the near hysteria which accompanied Y2K. Actually, there was quite a rumble on Dec. 4, 1990. That's when all the national news media left New Madrid in their vans with satellite dishes atop. Browning probably did more for the economy of the city of New Madrid than anything this side of Noranda.

Speaking of "Our Fault," the verbiage burnished across the front of t-shirts sold in December 1990, there is actually a theory out there now that the New Madrid Fault is dying.

While meeting with MoDot engineer, and Hornersville native, Eric Krapf to talk about Highway 412 he mentioned an article by a Northwestern University professor. In an interview with missourinet reporter Bob Priddy, Professor Seth Stein said, "thermal and geologic findings indicate the New Madrid fault is dying---and that any tremors coming from it are actually aftershocks of the big earthquakes of 1811 and 1812."

Don't get too excited though, the professor says the fault system will die "within the next few thousand years." Of course, that is if Prof. Stein is any better at his job than Iben Browning was at his.

Anyway, I got off on that tangent to point out that the decade is 60 percent over. Time flies and while some things change, some stay the same.

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Differences in 2007

The Perez household is going to be different next year. Nelson and Michelle have added a family member. Their new puppy is already trained, just not trained the right way.

Louie Cordell is going to dramatically lower his golf handicap next year. "The kids" gave Louie a paid membership to the local club. I hope they also gave him a cell phone, because once the weather warms up that will probably be the only way to get hold of him.

There is also a change at my household.

After 14 years we had to put the family dog down back in November. It was very traumatic as one might expect. We talked about whether or not we would get another dog. We talked for about two weeks, then I started getting pictures of dogs e-mailed to me from my wife. At that point the discussion was basically over. Oh, she kept talking, but I knew what was going to happen I just wasn't sure when.

One Saturday a couple of weeks later I came in and waiting to greet me, sorta, was a new puppy. My wife went out for the day with "Charlie" Madden's mom, so I wasn't too surprised she came back with a dog.

The puppy, a wire-hair terrier and schnauzer mix, was certainly energetic. At least more energetic than I remembered, but the last few years our dog was alive it was kinda like, "Okay, where's breakfast. Let me outside for a few minutes then I'll be ready for a nap."

The new puppy is actually about 18 months old. It is, in Carol Pelts' terminology a "rescue dog." My wife got it from an animal shelter. The puppy was obviously someone's pet. It is pretty much already housebroken and minds pretty well except for the living room couch. It loves to be petted and craves attention.

The new puppy already has a bed. Ours. It likes to sleep right at the head of the bed and is really only a problem when she decides to stretch her legs out during the night which always seem to be pointing toward the middle of my back.

For the most part she has settled in and adapted pretty well. For the most part.

Regular readers will remember that we already have a cat. With the old dog the cat pretty much had the run of things. It would jump at the old dog, a Labrador-mix of some sort, take a couple of swipes and be gone. The old dog pretty much ignored the cat until she just got too annoying which brought forth a growl.

New dog isn't quite so tolerant.

For the first couple of days the cat stayed on top of the kitchen cabinets, looking down at the invader. On occasion she would venture to the counter where she could reach out and swat at the dog. New dog apparently thought this was some kind of game.

New dog likes to go one-on-one with the cat. All of the sudden, the cat doesn't want to play.

When the cat grew brave enough and ventured off the kitchen cabinets new dog would run right up to her wanting to "play" some more only to be greeted by hissing and an arched back. There have been a couple of altercations. I'm not sure who got the better of whom. At least twice my wife has had the misfortune to be caught between them when the play escalated. She has the battle scars to prove it.

New dog is developing a jealous streak as well. If she thinks the cat is getting something like extra attention, food or treats, new dog wants hers as well.

So things will be different this year around our house. Hopefully, we'll all make it without too many scratches.

One little bit of good news is that so far we haven't been guilty of putting makeup on the new dog like Sharon has done. Honestly, I'll bet there are days Charlie is embarrassed to venture out of the house and be seen by other dogs in the neighborhood.

Bud Hunt is the publisher of the Daily Dunklin Democrat.