On The Importance Of Supportive Allies

Barley, a dog, rests her big block head acros the body of a soft stuffed toy in the form of a blue monkey.

I am regularly surprised by what a good investment these big soft toys have been. They were purchased from PetSmart on impulse at the unreasonable price of $5 each, because in spite of the obviously flimsy materials, I figured Barley would at least get a brief kick out of some new toys before their inevitable demise. Instead, they’ve stuck around for months, needing only small repairs from time to time despite getting some pretty heavy use. I’m particularly pleased to see how often Barley uses them as pillows, their friend-shaped bodies apparently having hitherto-under-appreciated ergonomic qualities.