I was sitting in our big comfy chair, reading a book, waiting for the oven timer to let me know that pizza was ready.  I hear a small ‘wurf’.  I look up to find our younger dog, Olive, standing in front of me.  I reach out to pat her and she turns around and starts to walk away, looking over her shoulder at me.  I think, ‘Fine, so you don’t want a pat’ and settle back to read, but she approaches again.  I reach, she walks away and glances at me again.  So, I have my Timmie moment…’what is it Olive? Do you need some water?’…I get up and follow her.  She glances back to make sure I am getting the message, leading me to the door outside.  I open it so she can burst out to greet my husband, who was sitting on the porch.  This from the dog who will sit outside in the depths of winter, staring at the door, willing it to open to let her back in, and not make a sound.  At least she is learning to be more obvious in her communication.  My golden retriever still expects me to understand eyebrow semaphores.