Last summer, our beloved Lou Ann was in the final stages of canine lymphoma, and my pal Deirdre decided some retail therapy might take my mind off the situation.

In search of nothing in particular, we encountered a rescue group holding an adoption event. Right in the middle of a puppy-filled playpen was a long, upside-down, sound-asleep black pup. Deirdre watched me watch the little guy. She correctly pointed out that the timing was all wrong, but I did get his name and the group’s phone number.

We lost Lou Ann a few weeks later, and though we really weren’t ready for a new dog, our border collie mix was so heartbroken that we decided to get her one. I called the rescue group and said, “I don’t suppose you still have a black puppy named Bandit.”

“He was adopted,” the woman said, “but the family is bringing him back because they decided they want a smaller, white dog.” Bandit was a victim of what I wrote about in a recent Creatures Comfort column: Big Black Dog Syndrome, so named because Big Black Dogs are hardly ever adopted.

We agreed to meet two days later at a PetSmart store. The rescue group had lots of adorable critters, but as my husband held the bewildered boy, he said, “This one needs us most.”

Bandit—now called Bogart—turned out to be loving, smart, and laugh-out-loud funny. Next time you’re looking for a four-legged addition to your family, linger awhile over the Big Black Dogs. Chances are good that you’ll find a sweetheart of your very own.

            

Get started at www.pets911.com, which shows dogs available from your local shelters and rescue groups.

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My kids' lunchboxes are plastic-and-cloth affairs loaded with zippered secret compartments. But I say the old metal kinds were superior, especially the domed type. You unlatched the top and opened the hatch like a treasure chest. I particularly coveted the Snoopy doghouse and Lost in Space models. Pair that with a chicken roll sandwich on white bread with plenty of mayo and a Ding-Dong, and you're officially in lunchbox heaven.
     

      

You can still find vintage types online at www.lunchboxcollector.com, or go to www.lunchboxes.com for a new remake of old style. Take a virtual tour of the Lunchbox Museum of Columbus, Georgia, by visiting www.lunchboxmuseum.com.

 

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If you’re giving a Halloween bash this year but want to mix things up a bit, why not consider a theme party? A theme will get your creative juices percolating, and give guests inspiration for costume ideas.

I love theme soirees, so hosting a James Bond party was a mission I couldn't resist. Invites went out requesting guests to come dressed as their fave 007, Bond babe, or bad guy. Although I searched in vain for a vintage white bikini with a bullet bra as worn by Ursula Andress in Dr. No, I settled on a generically sophisticated black one-piece with a mesh cutout, them immediately went on the Bond Girl diet of champagne and caviar (okay, it was actually melba toast and lots of salad).

      

I canvassed garage sales for Barbie dolls, spray-painted them gold, and strung the gilded girls across the dance floor in homage to Goldfinger. Next, Jimmy, my husband, transformed our backyard into the Kiss Kiss Club, the tropical beachfront bar in Thunderball. To make the sign, my friend Anne, who should have been an architect, sketched out huge letters, which we painted lipstick red and cut out with an X-Acto knife, carefully leaving a border to give the sign stability once we hung it. Jimmy popped white Christmas bulbs through holes he made in the letters. The sign added to the ambiance and, if you’ve seen Thunderball, was pretty dead-on.

     

I even invited Pierce Brosnan, whose sister-in-law, Aubrey, is my mom’s esthetician.

The night of the party, the Miss Moneypenny Martinis were flowing as guests arrived. There were lots of Dr. No’s and Oddjobs. Friends streamed through the door accessorized with scuba gear, stuffed iguanas, artfully applied scars, and silky kimonos. As we danced to Bond theme songs under the stars, Aubrey arrived sans Pierce, who was off filming in the U.K. My heart sank. But then my buddy Shari (AKA Xenia Onatopp) burst in with her guest, a hard-body named Bo. Clad in a blue swim trunks like Sean Connery in Diamonds are Forever he turned the dance floor into a one-man show. We soon forgot all about Pierce.

The party was a total blowout, and definitely worth the work. I was dazzled by my friends’ creativity. Months later, the Kiss Kiss Club sign still hangs in our yard. It reminds me of that fun night, and who knows? Maybe Pierce will stop by for a drink some time. After all, you only live once—or is it twice?

Bond links: www.jamesbond.com (great for boning up on vintage bond flicks and characters)
www.party411.com (free theme party ideas and planning)

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Kolo carries many lines of fiberglass and composite planters that fool the eye into looking amazingly like zinc or terracotta. At Silk Trading Company, I fall in love with the huge selection of cotton ticking including strips that are oh so French.  Now I need to find time to make slipcovers for the battered rattan loveseat exiled to my basement. To some they might be everyday dishes, but because Star Provisions has a knack of displaying their wares as if they were priceless, I linger too long. Don’t forget to pick up a cupcake to go.

The next day is a fast and furious walk through the Atlanta Gift Show.  It would be impossible to cover the exhibits in four days, let alone my meager one. But, try I do.  A visit with JoAnn Salyers is a highlight. Her Halloween rattles are all lavishly presented and ready for any loved trick-or-treater.  

Find her at www.tinseltrading.com and www.christmastraditions.com.     

                     

Links
Kolo,   www.kolocollection.com
Silk Trading Company, www.silktrading.com 
Star Provisions, www.starprovisions.com
JoAnn Salyers, www.christmastraditions.com
Tinsel Trading Company, www.tinseltrading.com   

 

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