Not to cause unpleasant associations, but I lost my mother on Memorial Day (observed) several years ago. It's difficult to live so distant from parents and have to come and go when you'd like to just stay with them for a while if you could at a time such as this. I had just returned to Texas for a few days when Mom died. Best wishes to both of you.

On another matter, did anyone else see the fine succinct discussion of duck dogs that BWL published elsewhere in the 'Cat? (here, for your reference)