Whenever we sat down to the table, she would entice me to toss a tennis ball into the kitchen for her to run and get. She would then race back with the ball in her mouth and toss it hard on the wooden kitchen floor with a loud, intentional 'thud.' This was my cue to toss it to her again...and again, and again. Whenever we started the table prayer a look of resignation came over her face, and she would settle down into her kitchen bed, knowing as she did, that now our meal had begun and there was not much hope of starting the ball chase game up again.
After a meal, I would sometimes stretch my arms and give out a yawn or a sigh. This would trigger a reflex-response in Leia, who would then jump up to toss me the ball again.
