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Ilene Goldman @ilenegold.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Just finished Twelve Months. Now starting Out Law. I love being back in the world of the Dresden Files. Thank you, Jim Butcher!

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Ilene Goldman @ilenegold.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

No, Big Papa is fine. He just decided to sit with Ozzie and keep him company.

Ilene Goldman @ilenegold.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Well, this was an unexpected (though shortlived) development.

A black chihuahua sits against a sleeping black shih tzu mix.

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Sorry. I think it’s my fault. I started watching. I’ll stop now.

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Here they usually start before 7 am, along with the lawnmowers. Who needs sleep??

A8: the companionship Freelancing doesn’t always lend itself to frequent human contact, so it helps to have pets around to interact with. #StetChat

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A5: I am fortunate that I tend to work with and for people who welcome and often encourage pet participation in meetings. I even had a boss whose dog would exchange barks with my dog whenever we Skyped or Zoomed. They had their own meetings while we had ours. 😂 #StetChat

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A7: My pets have taught me to take breaks and to generally have a life outside of work. It’s really easy to let work fill your life, and pets are a reminder that there are other options! #StetChat

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I have dog beds under and next to my desk for the same reason! #StetChat

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I have to make the same adjustments as sunset gets earlier and earlier. #StetChat

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A6: I would share the advice I give and have been given about bringing a new pet in the house: It takes a pet 3 days to decompress, 3 weeks to learn your routine, and 3 months to feel at home. So be patient with them and give them space to adjust. #StetChat

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It’s especially helpful during the cold northern Illinois winters. #StetChat

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Hi, Obi! You’re a very handsome boy.

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A4: I give them the attention! I just take more frequent work breaks than I would otherwise. #StetChat

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A2: Having dogs helped me establish a routine and establish boundaries. Walking them in the morning is my commute to work. Walking them in the evening is my commute “home,” the end of my work day. #StetChat

A black shih tzu mix and a black chihuahua in a blue hoodie, both on leashes, walk down a leaf-covered suburban sidewalk.

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Ozzie prefers to be as close as humanly possible, as did Penny, my previous canine editorial assistant.

Two dogs—a black shih tzu mix and a tan chihuahua—snuggle against the leg of a person sitting in a chaise and working on. laptop.

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Hi, #StetChat! I’m Ilene, a freelance editor in educational publishing. I have two canine companions. My shih tzu mix, Ozzie, is an experienced editorial companion. Big Papa, the chihuahua, is a newbie in training.

A sugar-faced black chihuahua wearing a blue hoodie standing in front of a black shih tzu mix

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I’m about halfway through Twelve Months, the latest installment in Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files.

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Sometimes, when you don’t feel well, it helps to sleep on Mom’s bed.

A black shih tzu mix sleeping on a quilt-covered queen-sized bed

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It is. I prefer it to the original.

I don’t have a wagon, so our outside time will be sitting on the patio watching the birds.

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Thank you all for the good wishes. Ozzie has a back injury. He’s on meds and off activity for the next two weeks. ☹️

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Nothing I can pinpoint. He’s not himself. He’s trembling and moving gingerly. He’s reluctant to eat. He even refused treats—which is the sign that something is really wrong.

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Taking Ozzie to the vet this afternoon for the second time in a week. I’m really worried about him, and that worry is compounded by the way I lost Penny less than a year ago. Please send good vibes our way.

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I’m so glad! (About the test results, not the damage)