Karen Carpenter

When I lived in Dallas, one of my best friends was a woman much older than I whose name was Karen.

Karen was so cool. She was an ex-hippie, had fair skin, long red hair, a vegetarian, and owned two huge Basset hounds named Josh and Abbey. I became Josh & Abbey's foster-dog-dads and spent a lot of time taking care of them when Karen needed to be away.Eighty-pound Basset hounds are difficult to maneuver in-and-out of bathtubs when bathed. Eighty-pound Basset hounds are adorable but not the smartest of animals.

One time as I was walking Josh one night, he took off after an errant raccoon. Before I knew it, he'd slipped off into a sewer drain on the side of the street. I still had him on the end of the leash, but the majority of my dear Basset hound was desperately clinging to the side of the storm drain.
I grabbed him by the front paws and pulled him to safety.

Karen hooked up with a really good friend of mine in Dallas -- a much younger guy who played minor league baseball. He was eleven years her junior. His last name is Carpenter.

Dan and Karen Carpenter have been married for seventeen years now.

I just love having a friend named Karen Carpenter. . . .
Dan's a pretty incredible guy too. . . .

Here's a pic of moi when I doggy-sat for them.