Dogs and Baby Birds

Dear Gavin,

The weather here has been very strange. I do not like thunder. It scares me. A lot. I just want to hide when I hear it. Sometimes there is a flash of light with the thunder. They call this lightning. I am not fond of this, either. As you know, Gramma has my kennel under table beside the couch. It is dark and cozy in there. I have your old shoes in there and Gramma has not attempted to wash them, so I find it very comforting to sniff your smells. I have been sleeping in my kennel at night, because these storms have been happening at night.

One of the storms happened last weekend. The whole weekend was strange, if you ask me. It started with Miss Barb finding some baby birds in the dumpster! She is feeding them while some children are watching. Did you know that birds eat worms? I wonder how they taste .......... Gramma was pretty mad that someone would put these little baby birds in a dumpster. She said it was just plain cruel and inhumane. Does that mean that whoever did it was not a human?

While the birds were eating worms and the children watched, I looked out the window and I saw this dog. Gramma said he was very handsome. He was waiting for his boy and his girl. He didn't even bark! I confess that I barked at him. Oscar joined me at the window and we barked at this dog that Gramma called handsome. Emmy just watched us. She said that it was rude to carry on the way we did. She is such a goody-goody. I was missing my boy and I was jealous of this dog that was handsome and had a boy and a girl.

So, the dog that Gamma said was so handsome went to his campsite with his boy and his girl. Gramma and Miss Barb finished squishing worms into the tiny little birds and finally it was time for Gramma to lock the door to the store. Us dogs like it when we hear the door lock in the store. It means that Gramma and Papa will come in the house and sit down with us. Gramma will hold us and kiss us. She also inspects us for ticks ever since she found that one on my neck.

We all went to bed, but I could not seem to sleep. I kept getting in and out of the bed. Gramma scolded me and told me to make up my mind about my sleeping arrangements, so I retired to my kennel. Everyone was sleeping, except me. There was none of that loud thunder or lightning, but I could hear the wind. It sounded really scary. I could hear stuff blowing around outside. I was scared, so I stayed in my kennel and that is where Gramma found me when she finally got up. She usually gets up really early on Saturdays, but she overslept. She went outside to clean the bathrooms for the campers and she told Papa that the wind had blown the box with the baby birds to the ground. They were still alive and she fed them again. She said that they had pooped. That was a good sign. It meant that everything inside them was working and the worms they ate had been good for them.

Miss Nan and Cooper came to the store to see Gramma. Cooper's eyes got really big when Papa told every body that Mr. Marshell's canoe had flown into Miss Yvonne's fifth wheel! He was shocked to hear that canoes can fly! He is still very young, you know. Now I know what I heard outside while I was hiding in my kennel!

Gramma always holds Cooper and he licks her. Gramma loves little dogs. Gramma loves us dogs here the best, though. She told me so. Us dogs love Gramma and Papa, too. But, of all the people I love ........ I love my boy the most! Don't forget, okay?

Your sleepless dog, Wall-E

Goodbyes Are Sad

Dear Gavin,



I was so sad when you left. I wanted to go with you, but I wanted to stay with Papa, too. Gramma scolded Papa. She told Papa that he should let me go with my boy. Papa loves me. A lot. He told Gramma that he couldn't let me go because he loves me. Gramma said that she loves me, too ............. but she loves you more. I love you, too. I love Papa, too. Papa told Gramma to let Oscar go home with you. Why would Oscar go home with you? You are not his boy!

So, there I was in your arms. As much as I don't like car rides, I was willing to take one just to be with you.


Everyone was talking at once. Gramma was taking pictures and crying .......... she always cries when you leave. I was thinking that I would need all my stuff. I have stuff, you know. Actually I have a lot of stuff. Gramma has some sweaters for me ........... she can keep those. But I have toys and pillows and stuff. My kennel and my blankets, oh, and my treats. I have a supply of delicious treats. I get one every morning from Papa. Gramma says that Papa should make us dogs earn those treats, but Papa just gives them to us. Gramma makes me sit pretty.


I jumped down to tell your mom about the treats and that is when Uncle Jeffy said that there was not enough room for me in his van. He said that it was not his van and that Aunt Diane would not want a dog in it. I think he made that up because he felt bad for Papa.



You were so disappointed! Gramma said that her heart was breaking to see you so sad. She was crying and you were crying and I did not know what to do.


Gramma put me in your arms so that I could comfort you. I felt your tears on my neck and I knew what Gramma meant about feeling like her heart was breaking. I was so sad to hear you cry.

Gramma told me that she would take me with her when she went to see you. She told Papa that he would have to buy a puppy for you. I will need to go and see this puppy when you get him. I will need to teach him so many things. Just don't get a big puppy like Zeke. Big puppies are hard to handle ......... just ask Gramma. She will tell you. I am glad to know that you made it home. I heard Gramma talk to you last night.

I will be dreaming of you, my boy. Don't ever forget that I love you!

Your faithful dog, Wall-E

I Am Waiting ........

Dear Gavin,

Today is the day!! You are coming today! I have been waiting all week. I almost wish Gramma had not told me that you were coming. Waiting is hard. I keep looking out the window, hoping to see you getting out of Uncle Jeff's van. Lots of kids come here every day to swim, so I keep thinking that you are here. But, not yet.

Gramma has been busy all week. She has the extra bedroom all ready for you and the girls. She said that your mom and Uncle Jeff can decide who gets the big bed and who gets the cot. All I know is ........ I am sleeping with you! If you will just hurry and get here!

Gramma has clean sheets on all the beds and she sent Papa to the store for food. She is making a birthday cake for you and your mom. I did not forget that yesterday was your birthday!!!!! You are seven years old now. Gramma says that you are very independent for your age. I did not know what that meant, but Emmy says it means that you do things for yourself.

Gramma was talking on the phone and petting me today. She was talking about you coming here to see me. Anyhow, she was rubbing my neck and it felt really good, cause the spot she was rubbing was itchy and sore. She stopped talking about you and shouted "a tick ......... Wall-E has a tick on his neck!" I froze to that that spot while Gramma removed that blood thirsty tick from my neck! Now I know why I was itching. Gramma killed that hateful pest and then she gave my neck a thorough search. She checked me all over and then she checked Oscar and Emmy, too. Gramma does not like ticks. She said that it was time for our special flea and tick remedy anyway. Then she said that bad word that I do not like ............. she said that we would have to have a bath!!

She made me go first. I tried to hide in my kennel with your shoes, but when Gramma is determined, there is really no way to stop her. At least she didn't go pawing through my treasures this time. I have some things hidden in my kennel that I do not want her to throw away. Like your old shoes. I have been hiding things under the pillow. I know, it is only a matter of time until she finds them.

Speaking of time ........... isn't it time for you to be here?

Your waiting dog, Wall-E

Celebrate!

Dear Gavin,

Gramma was so excited last night when your mom called and told her the news. Us dogs could tell that whatever she was saying to Gramma made her very happy. We waited patiently for her to get off the phone and then she told us ................ you and your mom are coming here in just nine days! I could hardly believe my ears and now my tail won't stop wagging. I am so excited to see you!


Gramma will make a snow cone for you, any flavor you want. These things are good. I know because if you squish them in your hand they will spill and I have licked up some spills. Papa tends to pour too much of the yummy syrup and cause them to overflow when he makes them. I think I like banana the best. Emmy prefers watermelon and Oscar says he would rather have something solid to snack on .........

............ like when someone drops a cookie!

I like popcorn, too. Gramma says that Maya, Jada and Zara will be coming, too. Emmy says she will be hanging out under the dining table. She says there will be plenty of spills and food dropped ............ She is beside herself with joy. Gramma says that means she is happy, but I don't know exactly how one gets to be beside them self. Emmy says to just let it go, it is one of those sayings that make no sense. People are funny, you know.

I heard Gramma asking your mom what kind of cake she wants. Today is your mom's birthday and you have a birthday in just eight days! We will celebrate while you are here! Just getting to play with you is reason enough for me to celebrate .............. but, cake, too. I think I might even be beside myself with joy!

I will be resting up until you get here.

Let them eat cake! Your celebrating dog, Wall-E

Moles and Obsessions

Dear Gavin,

I keep waiting for the air to become warm, cause I know that means you will be coming soon. But, I have to tell you it has been downright cold at night. I don't mind cold air so much. I sleep next to Papa, under the covers, and we stay all nice and toasty warm. The thing I don't like is thinking it will be longer until I see you.

I think it is supposed to be warm by now. I heard Gramma say so. Gramma was busy all day yesterday. She only came into the house to let us dogs out every few hours. Yesterday morning, the most disturbing thing happened. Gramma was brushing her teeth and us dogs were waiting on the love seat for her. Oscar and I always try to get to the warm spot she leaves first. Oscar was going to beat me again, I thought. But all of a sudden he jumped up and started barking his warning bark. He was mad, let me tell you! The hair on his back was standing straight up! Have you ever seen this happen? When Oscar and Emmy get mad or scared, a line of hair straight down the middle of the backs stands on end. What? Oh, Gramma says this also happens to me. Well, as you know, I cannot see my own back.

But, I digress. I like this new word 'digress' and have been waiting so long to use it. It means that I got a little off subject. So, as I was saying, Oscar jumped up and I thought I was going to get the warm spot until I looked up to see what had him so riled up ............ there was a man close up to our window looking in!!!!!!! Emmy and I joined in to let Gramma know that we had an intruder on our front porch. It was still early in the morning. Gramma's computer was still open on the table beside us. Gramma takes her computer into the store when she goes in to open it up and talk to all the campers.

Gramma came into the living room and she was still in her nightshirt, the great big t-shirt that your Uncle Jeff gave her from his work. She saw this intruder and the others with him. She was not very happy, either. She went back to her room and got dressed, then she went to the door and asked these people what they wanted .......... after she called Papa on her cell phone to tell him that we were being invaded by imbeciles. I am not sure what that means. Neither does Oscar, but we don't think it is good. After that, we hardly saw Gramma all day and she was so tired last night, she didn't even play with me before we got into bed. I sure hope that you will be here soon. A young dog like me needs to play!

Do you see this creature? Papa found it in the pool skimmer and brought it up to show us. Oscar and Emmy knew what it was and so did Papa. Do you know what this creature is? It is a mole. He digs tunnels under ground. Sometimes we see the dirt where one has been. It makes Papa crazy when he is mowing. He buys these stick things that make smoke to scare the mole away. Gramma says it is an obsession of his. I think this means he really likes doing it.

This mole drowned in the pool. Gramma said the water temperature was too low to be swimming. Wonder why this mole was swimming? I have never been swimming. I am not that fond of being wet. Gramma makes us dogs have a bath once a month ........ is this an obsession of Gramma's? Emmy tells me that she went into a mole hole once when she lived in Minnesota and pulled the mole out! We have agreed that moles are really ugly creatures. I was wondering, though, would Gramma bathe this mole and cut his toenails if he lived with us? Oscar says I am being silly. Gramma says that I am curious.

Whatever I am, I am always your dog first.

Your curious, silly dog ............. Wall-E

Toenails, She Wants To Cut My Toenails!

Dear Gavin,

I must tell you that I am feeling a little jealous seeing the picture of you and Kiley with Laila. You look so cozy there with her. You have not forgotten me, have you? Gramma says that boys never forget their first dogs. How does she know this to be true? I will admit that I have not found anything that Gramma does not know so far, but how can she know so much?

I saw that Papa filled the pool with water, so that means that it won't be much longer until I see you, right? I see other people all the time and that is nice; but it is you that I want to see the most. I like your mom, too. And I love Gramma, but they are girls and it is just not the same. Only you can understand that.

Gramma has been stalking me for two days with the toenail clippers. She is obsessed with the idea of clipping my nails. I am perfectly happy with them the way they are. Why must she insist on clipping them? She says that they are too long and that I will feel much better after having them cut. No, I think I will be quite stressed after such an ordeal. It is so scary to have those clippers around my nails. What if it hurts? Oscar tells me that once Papa clipped his nail into the quick. Quick? What is a quick? I thought quick meant fast. Oscar says that this is part of the nail that has feelings and it will actually bleed!

His bled. He says it was very traumatizing. So traumatizing that even the sight of those clippers causes him great anxiety. Emmy says he is just a big baby and only carries on so that Gramma will hold him and kiss him. He tries to act like he doesn't like it when Gramma holds him and calls him her handsome devil, but I know better. Sometimes Gramma will pick up his paw and ask if she can clip his nails. He will howl and cry and she will pick him up and hold him. I think this is their special thing! Like my special thing is helping Gramma make the bed. I am so smart. Gramma told me so.

Gramma clipped Emmy's nails last night. She just sat there and let her. Sometimes I just want to bite her! She is always so perfect. Gramma told me to watch and she even let me smell the clippers. I will admit that I smelled no blood and Emmy was fine, but I still would not allow Gramma to clip my nails. Gramma was telling Papa all of this and I was listening. Before I knew what was happening ......... she cut my nail! Okay, it didn't hurt, but I still jumped down lickety split before she could trick me again.

I suppose Laila, the boxer, is okay with having her nails clipped. She is, after all, a girl. I will never understand them, will you?

Your boy dog, Wall-E

Why Do I Need A Bath??

Dear Gavin,

I am confused. Really. Gramma mowed grass yesterday and today. I was good. I did not roll in the fresh clippings until my white hair turned green. I did not go near the bag that held all the poop Gramma removed from our yard. I did not leap into the air and bounce off the side of Gramma's leg causing her pain. I did none of these things. I was good, I tell you. My behaviour was very close to perfect! So, why, I ask you, did Gramma insist on giving me a bath today?

Gramma actually missed the monthly washing of us dogs last month. Emmy wanted to remind her, but Oscar and I threatened to tell on her for getting out of the fence and show Gramma where the opening was. Gramma found it anyway, so I guess it was just a matter of time before we would have that bath ............

Oscar just closes his eyes and lets Gramma bath him. Really, there isn't much he could do to stop her. When Gramma decides it is time for a bath ..... it is time for a bath. Gramma says that Oscar was starting to smell like a hound. I thought he was a hound. But, Gramma says that if you sleep in her bed you will also have a bath.

Emmy likes a bath. Her hair gets curly when it gets wet. She likes for Gramma to hold her all wrapped up like a baby. Oscar and I prefer to shake and run round and round in circles. You should try it, it is fun.

After I run in circles and am almost dry I snuggle up on this blanket. Do you remember this blanket? You gave it to me when I was a little puppy. You told me that it was your blanket when you were a little baby. It doesn't smell like you anymore. Gramma washed it. She sure does like to wash stuff, doesn't she? She sat down with me tonight after I ran round and round in circles. She picked me up and held me. She told me that I was a good boy for not fighting with her while she washed me. That made me feel better. Then she told me that you hated to bathe, too! She told me that you did not want to take a shower while she was there and that she had to make you get into the shower and then she had to make you use shampoo and soap. Then, she said you would not get out of the shower!!

Gramma says that when you talked later you admitted to her that the shower made you feel good! She said that you told her that you didn't know why you hated to get in. This is amazing! I feel exactly the same way! Gramma scrubbed me until I was squeaky clean and I have to admit that I feel great! We are alike, you and I. I am missing you tonight, my boy. But, the weather is getting warmer every day and I know I will see you soon. I will make a pact with you. I won't give Gramma a hard time about my bath if you won't give your mom a hard time about your shower. Deal? Okay. Don't forget that I love you!!

Your deal making dog, Wall-E