DEAR DAPHNE #7

“WAG, WAG, WAG, WAG, WAG, WAG….!!!!”

I’ve changed my greeting as I’m so excited, I’m afraid to make too much
noise (neighbors, you know….)!!

First, some “me” news …

Guess what: I’m a Great Aunt! Woo hoo!!
Here’s the scoop (I almost typed “poop”, but Mom caught it in time):

My folks’ grandchild, Elie, got a puppy! Check the photo…..isn’t Julius the
cutest ever??!!

So, how do we get this relationship? I have a human sister, Nancy, and Julius is my Great Nephew! Ta ta!

Now, this week’s letters …

Dear Daphne,

I just love Marsh Creek and all my good friends here. I
have velvet ears and I love when my 2-legged friends pet me. My older
sister Lila (the beagle) says I am too easy with my affections. Lila says I
should not even be nice to anyone unless they give me a treat. But I just
love all my friends here and I don’t even like treats very much.

So, Daphne, am I a bad girl?

Love, Gigi

Dear Gigi,

You are most definitely NOT a bad girl! You are a wonderful, sweet, lovable, friendly, and absolutely terrific pooch! And so smart to have picked Luisa and Dan Mantini for your forever parents! It took some time, but now you love treats! Lila is a great teacher! Your sister makes a beeline for Mom when we come near, and makes a nice sit, so Mom can give her a treat. And, now, you do, too….although we need to work on the sit. I love you both (tho I get a little jealous when you snuggle up to Mom so she can rub those velvety ears).

Dear Daphne,

It was so much fun meeting you. My parents (Pat and Ken
Lea) think I have a problem. When they take me for a ride, I usually
upchuck. I get excited and worried when we start traveling, and whine and
yip and bark and just want to be home. My family hasn’t traveled much since they adopted me and it is my fault. I have used Dramamine and a script for my nervous behavior. Can you help me?

Love,

Darling

Dear Darling,

Hmmmmm … you throw up in the car, but love riding in your
dad’s bike basket. I’ve even seen you jumping up and down to get into the
basket! Maybe your problem is more anxiety than motion sickness. Here’s
a suggestion from Aunt Sharon Mirzai (Paislee’s mom): Have your mom or
dad put you in the car, give you a treat, and just stay there a bit. Do that a
few times; then get into the car, take a treat, have mom or dad drive to the
end of your driveway, and get some more treats. Do that a few times, and
then go for a longer distance—don’t forget the treats! Soon, you should be
enjoying car rides with the folks. Please let me know how this works for
you.

Dear Daphne,

I was excited when Mom told me I could write you! She says she knows your family, and that they are very nice. You must have trained them well! Anyway, I’m a very active kitten and my new name is Sampson.

I came to my forever home on September 4th, when I was nine weeks old.
I don’t know what a September is, but that’s ok. Now that I’m going on three months, I’m very grown up and know about a lot of things, just not what a September is! I live with my new Mom, Lynn (Pauquette; my new
big sister cat, Emma; and Jake (I’m not sure what Jake is!).

My favorite place is something called a lanai. I can play with these little
crawly things that run around on the screens. I also watch people in funny
little carts drive around and swing sticks at a ball. They hit them in the
water and then they fish them out, so those balls must be very important. I
wish they would give me some! Sometimes, I hear a lot of loud noises
when I’m on the lanai, but I’m not afraid of them. (I think the noises are
making the grass shorter.) I just sit on the lanai and look around. Emma
runs inside and hides under the bed; Jake also runs inside.

Jake is a dog, so he’s not as coordinated as I am. One day, he fell right into the pool! I didn’t laugh, as I didn’t want to embarrass him. He loves to chase another type of ball (called tennis), and his mom (another Lisa)
throws them to him all the time. Lisa calls my Mom, “Mom”, too, so I guess that makes Lisa my sister and Jake, my nephew.

Now that I’m so grown up, I talk a lot; I also like to write and hope you’ll let
me write again.

Sampson

Dear Sampson,

What a wonderful letter from a Marsh Creek neighbor! I
know your mom, and now I can’t wait to meet you, your Aunt Lisa, Emma,
and Jake! (I don’t take offense at your saying a dog isn’t coordinated—tho
I am very coordinated! I have to admit, tho, that cats can be pretty quick; I
can’t catch one!) Please know that everyone is welcome to write me! And
thanks for the shout-out to Wags and Whiskers!

News of a passing …

Well, everyone, unfortunately, I have to close with a sad note. My friend,
Sadie, has passed over the Rainbow Bridge.

According to her folks (Doreen and Bob TeBockhorst), Sadie turned 13 on September 7. She was a Mernese Mountain mix, expected to live until around 7. So, a blessing that she lived, loved, and was loved for so long.

She’s shown with her sister, Gracie, an Aussie Shepherd mix, who was 12 on October 25. Gracie’s life expectancy is 12-15, so we all hope she will get to spend a good number of years with her family. Doreen told me that their kids and grand-kids absolutely adored both of their “girls”.

’Til next time, have great walks, enjoy new sniffs, and wag often. See you
‘round the Creek! And have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!
Woof!!