March  17, 1998
 

Dear Winnie,

I'm so excited about your being in the family.  I understand you are
larger than I, so that makes me happy too!  For a while there, I heard I
was the largest doggie in the family.  Whew!

I want to tell you about my travels this past weekend.  I told Roy, the
charming retriever who lives across the back fence, about where we went
and he was so snobbish.  He acted as if  he got to travel out of his
yard all the time, but I know he doesn't.

Well, have you ever been to Kerrville?  I am sure you have been to lots
of nice places but  Kerrville, TEXAS, like I did?  It has lots and lots
of big hills; very large rocks and wind.  I had to really dig in my toes
when we made stops along the way, careful not to just blow away.  One of
the yellow signs read, "Watch out for falling rock".  I tried to.
Another sign read, "Watch out for cross winds".  I didn't know what to
make of these signs.

We finally arrived at a large place with lots of bedrooms.  I didn't
understand at first why there were lots of other humans I didn't
recognize.  J. Patrick Parkinson was there also.  J. Patrick has lived
with Rosemary and Emmet for about 15 years and is very handsome.  He has
long blond hair.  I hear he's a cocker spaniel.  Do you think that makes
him from Spain?

I was rather tired after we arrived but I checked everything out, and
then went to bed.  The closet made a perfect place to view both doors.
Remember that when you and your humans travel - closets!

The next morning, guess what?  There were lots and lots of little
birdies chirping outside my front door.  I have never seen so many.
Sparrows I am told.  I tried to count them, but there were so many - 1,
2, 3 - off they go again.  They were really fun to watch which I did for
nearly all day (with the exception of nap time).

That night, my humans, Hilda and Madison, got all dressed up and left
the bedroom place where we were.  They told me they would bring me back
something from where they were going.   When they returned, I couldn't
believe my eyes or good fortune because, by my food dish, they brought
me back a very, very large roll.  It looked delicious, but then I went
to chew it, it was also very, very hard.  I carried it all over the room
and did not know what to do as I didn't want to hurt my humans'
feelings.  I hear there were lots of older, more toothless humans at the
dinner and don't know they managed to eat their roll.  Anyway, I decided
to hide the roll in a large chair in our room for later.

The next morning, I again tried to chew the roll and it hadn't gotten
any softer; in fact, it seemed harder.  When it was time for our walk, I
took the roll out with me, thinking I would bury it so I could have it
when I came back to Kerrville, that's in TEXAS, you know.

Well, I decided to leave the roll for the sparrows which I did.  I
wonder how they are managing with it as their beaks are so small.  Maybe
it will still be there when I go back to Kerrville, which is in TEXAS,
don't you know.  I hear it rained there yesterday so it must be softer
now.

I'm really a little bit jealous that you have your own E-Mail address,
but that's okay.  I let my humans share my E-Mail address with me.

Love,
         Suzy Matilda