Last Sunday we took my niece Ellie to Quechee Village to ride the train there. While she and her parents shopped inside, my mom and I rested near the entrance. It was hot and we were soon joined by other weary shoppers looking for a seat and some shade. The most interesting of these was a tall, slim blonde woman and her dog, a teeny comical wisp of a creature, part Schnauzer and part Yorkie -- "a Schnorkie" her owner proclaimed her. At four years of age, she had reached her full height and weight. She was happy to climb up on the wooden bench next to her Mom (just out of sight) and pose for my pictures, stopping only to meet and greet the other shoppers passing by. Her exuberance and no doubt unique appearance brought a smile to every person who stopped to pet her. It was interesting to observe their interactions. Some people seemed annoyed at first to have a dog hop in their paths. They would start to walk on by, but her persistence would make them look down and in every single instance, they warmed to her -- a smile passing from their lips to their eyes. She seemed to excel at hospitality. She wore her self-appointed job well.