Moonset

Whip was on top of the window seats and barking at something outside.  I went over to see if it was that pesky squirrel that has been coming in from the forest to raid the bird feeders.  That's when I noticed a red object on the floor.  It was a heart - a puffy plastic heart that just fit into my palm.  It had a small white topper w/ holes in it and the initials B-A-B embossed across the front.  I looked over my shoulder.  Had someone been in the house while I was gone?  Nah ... they would have cleaned up.  However, I'd never seen this object before and knew no one w/ those initials.  Fortunately, before I entirely freaked out, I closed my hand around it and it emitted a squeak.  Oh, that's what it is!  I searched and found the little fabric sloth my sister and brother-in-law had given to Whip at Christmas.  My sister had warned me multiple times to take the squeaker out of it so the dog didn't ingest it.  I'd assured her I would but hadn't.  Whip tends to nibble at things more than rip them apart.  Didn't think she would open up the toy and she liked the sound it made.  When I turned the sloth over, however, the seam in the back was open and it's squeaker missing.  OK, it's a little creepy that the company chose a heart shaped squeaker to put in the body of a stuffed animal.  Even more eerie that Whip chose to rip it out on Valentines Day.  

(cue Twilight Zone music)