It took me a while to find a copy of My Name is Bill: Bill Wilson and the Creation of Alcoholics Anonymous, by Susan Cheever, which Constant Reader suggested some time back. It was excellent! There were other groups and plans, back then, for those with a drinking problem, some with a modest success rate. From them Bill, (and co-founder Bob Smith) developed the guidelines that have made AA (and the many spinoffs) highly successful. Talking and listening to other drunks is better than a speech or sermon. Calling to check in when you want to drink works. Committing to one day at a time is achievable, and any one is welcome at a meeting (which can be held anywhere) ... there is a spiritual aspect, but not religious (he saw folks walk away from groups where that was a requirement), anonymity was key. (He would later turn down awards/honorary degrees because of this). He and Bob wanted the program to be as accessible as possible for anyone who wanted to stop drinking. It was an amazing process.

It took a while for the idea of hiring someone to walk your dog caught on in England. Kate MacDougall was one of the first to offer this service. Her book: London's Number One Dog-Walking Agency: a Memoir is a nice telling of those experiences. Of course, it's not just about the dogs, is it?! There's always the owner ... and some were ... interesting, eccentric, maybe just a bit crazy. Not a bad way to spend a much too hot summer day (for me, anyway) in front of a fan.

Reading Hermit With Dog