I can remember being on a flight once – pre-kid – when I was looking forward to viewing a movie, or, as they always like to suggest, to “sit back, relax and enjoy the flight.” Woe was me when I discovered the movie choice. A little flick by the name of “Lilo and Stitch.” You might be remember it. An animated film set in Hawaii about a freaky little alien beast who lands on Earth and tries to pass itself off as a pet dog. The young girl it attaches itself to is smitten and despite the penchant for trouble and insane habits of this repugnant creature, falls in love.

I was pissed off that this was going to be my movie, to the tune of an eye roll and an “Aw, geez! A kids' movie?!” Eighty minutes later I was wiping away a tear mumbling something about “Ohana means family (sniff)...”

Now I am not going to sit here and tell you that I have fallen in love with the evil poodle. Nor would I be surprised to discover it had connections to alien life forms. But I will admit that after eight days of feeding her and throwing her ball around the yard, she is almost, kind of, a little, cute when she bounds back with the slimy tennis ball and her ears bouncing; she likes to sit in my lap; and she's stopped barking so damn much. Mrs. Johnson is home. My flight has landed.