Thanks for the contribution. This makes perfect sense to me. We both have incomplete circles. We both have issues from childhood and young adulthood - most people do.
I can see how she is filled hers out with first her boyfriend, and now this dog. Obviously, she is trying to "cover" my part of her circle now. Living under the same roof makes this difficult for her.
PS: She inadvertently called me "honey" on the phone today. I am not going to read anything into that...
