My 90-year old mother claims that I was raised by a dog--a Weimaraner named Cindy. Mom wasn't kidding. During my childhood, Cindy was my protector and companion, and if I whimpered, she'd dash off and find my mom. Dear Cindy bestowed a life-long love of anything with four paws (even three--in the 70s, we adopted a Chihuahua who'd lost her leg in an accident). So it's no wonder that I chose a dog theme for my Christmas tablescape.