towser.

[tou-zer]

noun

1. a big dog.
2. Informal. a big, hearty person, especially one who is very energetic.

One of my favorite people sent me an email with today’s word of the day and this note:

“I am sure that Dictionary.com is reading Beth of Fresh Air….I had to laugh when I saw this!”

I guess I have a bit to say about a certain big dog.

A girl around the age of eight stood on her tiptoes on a balcony that Pal and I walk by daily. She said, “A DOG!” with complete and utter excitement. “JOHN, LOOK AT THE BIG PUPPY!” she said to what I imagined to be her brother.

I smiled and told Pal he had admirers. Then, I kid you not, the little adorable thing full of curly hair started belting out “I Will Always Love You” to the towser. I had to pick my heart off the floor.

And yesterday, on a hike, we ran into another sibling pair. These blondies were probably three and five. The five-year-old asked if she could pet Pal and his tail starting wagging like a huge whale’s. “He likes you,” I said.

Her little brother squealed, “Does he like me, too?!” and ran up to pet the big boy.

And at the Farmer’s Market, we were sauntering through town and a woman asked, “Is that Pal?!” It turned out to be one of his lovely friends from the shelter and he leaned in for some good loving. He’s a special towser, I tell you. We saw a beautiful waterfall the other day and he gulped it down; I wish it had the Tuck Everlasting effect and my towser would be around forever.