It's not a criticism, it's an observation.
The tiniest thing may grow...and grow...and grow...
Mike Cox

It is true. One thing does lead to another and another and another. A new drug is discovered and suddenly there is a previously unknown disease it cures; the circuit board is invented, and we are inundated with can't do without electronic devices; Paris Hilton releases a CD and the suicide rate doubles.

The Woman Whose Garbage I'm Responsible For recently decided she wanted a new sink. Just a sink. In my bathroom. She bought one with a teak table and a matching mirror. Removing the old stuff revealed a need for new tile flooring. This led to a new shower to replace the old bathtub, a new toilet, even new wallpaper.

The result is beautiful, well worth the three months I did without my bathroom. The old tub was plain and ordinary. The new shower has style. It is simple to squeegee the glass when all I used to have to do was pull a shower curtain. I don't mind pushing the excess water toward the drain because the tile guys didn't slope the floor correctly; the pattern is stunning.

The pretty new sink doesn't have much storage space. All the stuff I kept in the old medicine cabinet is now in a wooden box on the back of the toilet. The things that used to reside under the sink are now in a plastic container in the bedroom armoire. But that's okay; they are easy to find.

I don't even mind that the new mirror is too far away, and I can't see as well. It isn't that far to the upstairs mirror, and I do need the additional exercise. But you see my point. One little thing led to massive changes.

Another example happened one afternoon after a recent medical procedure. In my groggy state, I heard hammering. Later in the day, I found the back yard had been redesigned.

The dogs had been invading flower beds, so Suzy enclosed several places with wire. As the dogs adjusted, the fencing multiplied. While I recovered, the yard was divided into two parts. One for people and plants, one for dogs. It was a really good idea.

The next afternoon, two of the dogs greeted me in the driveway. Since one of them was my new favorite son Quigley, I was alarmed. There must be unintentional escape routes in the new fence.

For the next two weeks I bought enough welded wire and five- foot poles to secure a third quarter profit for the fencing company. To no avail.

MeercAatn Myoanneo wr ho watches knows mammals can work as a team. Quigley and Newt have outsmarted the humans who cohabitate with them. They like running free in the afternoon. Quigley was climbing over while Newt was crawling under. It took me several tries to realize this and find all the secret passages. Finally, I was done or was I?

I saw Newt and Quigley whispering, looking at me, and actually snickering yesterday.