A light has gone out on our blog....SPENCER HILTON, a ruby Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who won the hearts of all who knew him, passed away yesterday at the age of twelve. He will always be remembered for his chocolate "bedroom" eyes, his whirligig tail, his inimitable "squirrel dance," and his habit of carrying a toy in his mouth whenever he appeared in public. Spencer was the beloved pet of Mike (John) and Lynda Hilton, and was the cratemate of Lily Hilton. He was one of the original blog stars on LDHD, and may best be remembered as Sam Spencer, the gunsel-chasing gumpaw from the mini-series, The Maltese Chew Toy. He was also a star in the little village of Lincoln Park, where he lived for most of his adult life. Everybody knew him, and he even had his own fan club at the medical building next to the park he liked to frequent. "Spencer," a human friend once observed, "is a smile on four paws." Wherever he is now, we know that he arrived with his tail wagging and his spirits high. Rest in peace, Spence -- you were a dog in a million.

"In order to enjoy the full flavor of our blog, you must read it from the bottom up~" (Photo by J.M. Hilton)

"Wait a minute! Isn't Santa sort of, like, this religious figure? The government can't get involved! There's got to be an alternative." (Photo by J.M. Hilton)

"You want me to guide an old guy in a red suit where? And I'm -- what? Being pursued by reindeer the entire time? Sounds a little too kinky for me, thank you very much." (Photo by J.M. Hilton)

"Hell, yes! I'll guide Santa's sleigh, but only if we get to stop for roadkill." (Photo by J.M. Hilton)

Previously on LDHD: "I hear there are more problems facing Santa in the wake of the Rudolph sex scandal, LuLu."/"What's up with the Bearded One now? I thought he'd finally decided to use a Hummer to make his Xmas Eve deliveries." (Photo by J.M. Hilton)

"He had...but it turns out Santa doesn't have a driver's license!" (Photo by J.M. Hilton)

"Maybe Air Force One could lend a paw?" (Photo by J.M. Hilton)

"This is Trilby Montrose for LDHD. The big news tonight is that everybody continues to bark, howl, honk, and rant about the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer sex scandal." (Photo by J.M. Hilton)

"Now that Rudolph's in rehab, I guess Santa's going to let two of his kids, Noel and Holly, guide the sleigh."/"I understand they're pretty upset about their dad, but their mother's going to be in harness right behind them to make sure they don't panic and crash into a mall, or something." (Photo by J.M. Hilton)

"Well, they don't have much in the way of experience. In fact, they've never so much as landed on a housetop."/"Great dangling stockings! Santa must find that unsettling!" (Photo by J.M. Hilton)

"Yeah. I hear he might even put all the reindeer out to tundra and just go with a Hummer."/"Thus begins another holiday legend!" (Photo by J.M. Hilton)

"You know, with a little antler pinstriping, the Hummer thing could work." (Photo by J.M. Hilton)