Welcome to Don't Wait-Celebrate Week, a week dedicated to encouraging frequent festivities acknowledging small but significant accomplishments, such as team wins, good grades, completed projects, new neighbors, or balanced checkbooks. This is also Elvis Week, marking the anniversary of "the King's" death on August 16, 1977, and National Resurrect Romance Week, which encourages us to find ways to be romantic every day of the year!

This is also the week of the Perseid Meteor Showers, among the best-known and most spectacular meteor showers. As many as 50-100 "falling stars" for you to wish upon may be seen in a single night.

On Friday, there's something for just about everyone to celebrate: International Left-Handers Day, Skeptics' Day, and Blame Someone Else Day. Saturday is National Financial Awareness Day, and Sunday is National Relaxation Day, an excuse for overworked and underpaid individuals to do what they would rather be doing!

WHAT'S HAPPENING?

At Wednesday's 10:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. dinosaur storytimes, participants will travel to the time dinosaurs roamed the earth in stories, pop-ups, and puppets. Bears will be featured at Saturday morning's 10:00 storytime. Participants are asked to bring their favorite teddy bears to hear stories, enter the bear beauty contest, make bear crafts and have a "beary" good time!

BOOK TALK

Librarian Barbara Harris provides this week's book information. Cats may outnumber them, but the popularity of the library's books and videos about dogs proves that canines are an important part of many local families and have hopeful owners of all ages.

Adopting a puppy or adult dog from an animal shelter can be a great experience. Read "The Adoption Option," by Eliza Rubenstein and Shari Kalina, or "Adopting a Great Dog," by Nora Kilgore Bauer, before you begin your search for your new companion. They will tell you how to choose a pet that will be perfect for you and how to make him or her a part of your home and family. Both books advise having in mind the age, sex, size, coat, personality, and breed of dog you want. Many dogs now in shelters are there because their previous owners chose the wrong dog for their needs and resources.

The library also has good books to use in choosing the breed of dog you want. "The Perfect Puppy," by Benjamin and Lynette Hart, rates breeds by characteristics, such as excitability, playfulness, territorial defense, and ease of housebreaking. "The Perfect Match," by Chris Walkowicz, contains expert descriptions of 160 breeds, including who should not own particular animals. Mordecai Siegal's "A Dog for the Kids" describes 45 breeds known for liking children and outlines how children can be involved in training the family dog.

Among local sources for adoptable dogs are the City Animal Shelter and the Roswell Human Society. You can preview the pets available at the Human Society on their Web page at www.dfn.com/rhumane.

DID YOU KNOW?

If you are thinking of buying or adopting a second dog to keep the first one company, be aware that it will not solve such problems as barking or digging. According to an article by dog trainer Bob Gutierrez in "Dog Fancy," the first dog will just teach the second one its bad habits. You should get a second dog only if you want it as much as the first one and will enjoy watching them play together. Correct the first dog's behavior before getting the second!