Dear Gavin,

I think I might be tired of winter. Gramma says that she is. Every day is the same as the night. It is cold and dreary. I can't go out to play. The ground is wet and it squishes between my toes. It is cold. I can't sit on the ground............ well I tried it and I got all muddy and then Gramma gave me a bath. You know how I feel about baths! I hate baths. I confess that I did like the warm water Gramma used to wash me with and it was fun to chase Oscar and Emmy. Hey! They didn't have to take a bath!

Remember that I told you about the bobcats? It has been really foggy here at night. That is what Gramma called it. All I know is that it was hard to see very far even with that big light in the back yard. We went outside to go pee-pee before bed and Gramma couldn't see us very well. She called for us to come in, but Emmy didn't come to her. I came in and Oscar came in, but Emmy didn't come. Gramma called her name again and again, but she did not come. This was not good, no it was not! First of all, it is never good to not come when Gramma calls you. And second of all, Gramma sounded scared. She was scared because she could not see Emmy and there are bobcats in our woods. So Gramma went outside in her slippers and got her slippers wet and muddy and Emmy was in trouble. She brought Emmy in and scolded her. Then she looked at the mess on the floor from her slippers and she was mad about that. She was really crabby when we went to bed. She told Papa that her feet were cold and that he would be the one to take us out in the middle of the night. He didn't, though, Gramma did. She always wakes up when we want to go out.

Gramma told us that her arthritis was hurting. I asked Oscar what that meant and he told me that Gramma's bones were hurting. Emmy said that Oscar was wrong. Emmy said that Gramma's joints were hurting. I was so confused. I know what bones are. They are yummy treats, right? Well, after Gramma stopped laughing, she explained that I have bones in my body and she has bones in her body. She held my arm and showed me where my bones were. Then she showed me where two bones come together. That is called a joint. We have joints so that we can move. Gramma's joints are sick. When the weather is cold and wet her joints hurt more. She takes medicine, but they still bother her. Now I know what arthritis is. Emmy says that she knows about it because her back has it where she broke it when she was a young dog. Gee, I hope I don't get it, don't you?

Well, my boy, this is all that I can put in your letter today. Gramma's joints are hurting and she says that she is going to the kitchen to wash the dishes. She says that the hot water feels good. Gramma is a funny lady, don't you think? I hope that you are having a fun day at kindergarten and that you will come see me soon. Don't forget that you are my boy and I love you!

Your dog, Wall-E