Carolyn Holm

Mom!
The bird in the box is CHIRPING!!!!!!!
Winston

Dear Winston,
The what?
Love, Carolyn

Hey Mom,
The Bird in the Box!!!!
Winston

Dear Winston,
What bird? What box?
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
The bird in the box in the living room.
Winston

Dear Winston,
You mean the TV?
Love, Carolyn

Hey Mom,
The box filled with the things that move!
Winston

Dear Winston,
Ok, you mean the TV.
Love, Carolyn

Hey Mom,
The bird there was chirping.
Winston

Dear Winston,
That was a documentary that had a bird in it. I think it’s interesting that you watch TV.
Love, Carolyn

Hey Mom,
I like things that move!!!!!
Winston

Dear Winston,
Of course you do. You’re a cat. Cats notice movement. But not all cats notice what’s on TV.
Love, Carolyn

Mom!
Last night there were children running!!!!!
Winston

Dear Winston,
That was an ad on the news program. I noticed you were watching it.
Love, Carolyn

Hey Mom,
If I sit on the sofa arm, I can see what’s in the box.
Winston

Dear Winston,
We used to have a cat in our family who watched movies. Chanel’s favorite was The Parrots of Telegraph Hill. So many birds! She was riveted by the sight of all those parrots wheeling about in the sky.
Love, Carolyn

Mom!
I want to see that!
Winston

Dear Winston,
Ok, maybe we can stream it one of these days. She also liked to watch nature docs. So do I, so we watched quite a few of them together. She wasn’t all that interested when they featured big animals like giraffes, or hippos, but she loved when it was about snow leopards. Or meercats.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
I want to watch meercats!
Winston

Dear Winston,
They are very entertaining. Chanel also loved the animated movie “Ratatouille.”
Love, Carolyn

Hey Mom,
You had ratatouille for dinner last night.
Winston

Dear Winston,
How do you even know that?
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
You said “We’re having rat for dinner” and then you laughed and laughed, and then you said “ok, ratatouille”. Why was that funny?
Winston

Dear Winston,
We don’t usually eat rats for dinner.
Love, Carolyn

Hey Mom,
Why not? I thought rats were good to eat!
Winston

Dear Winston,
Is that the word on the street? Well, maybe I’d try rat one of these days, except I don’t eat meat. So I guess I’ll stick to my vegetable ratatouille.
Love, Carolyn

– 

A note to our readers…

Poppy, Winston, and Puffin are looking forward to sharing their weekly correspondence with you! Each week one of them is featured here, all based upon actual conversations. And yes, you can get the week’s post conveniently in your email every Friday by subscribing in the subscriber box at the top of this page. (If you are reading this in an email, go to blog.carolynholm.com to subscribe.) If you have already subscribed, multiple paws are raised to salute you!

Cher Madame,
It is the breakfast time. Madame she is retarded yet again.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
In English that doesn’t mean late. 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Madame is being difficult.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
Seriously? You’re going to give me a hard time just as you ask for more food?
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
It is clear that Madame means well. En tout cas, now is the breakfast time.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
You were fed your breakfast already, early this morning. 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
C’etait the first breakfast.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
The first? And now there should be others? Is that what you are making a fuss about?
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Mais oui, this petit cat cannot sustain himself on just one tiny breakfast.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
Yes you can. You are fed the correct amount according to the instructions on the cat food package.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
The dish she is empty.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
Your dish is empty because you ate everything that was in it.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Therefore the dish should be filled.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
You are still overweight, so you remain on a diet. Two meals a day. Its all very regulated. I know you like a regulated life.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Toujours le sarcasm.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
No, this time it isn’t sarcasm. You have always made it clear that you prefer a regulated life. When I’m five minutes late for your dinner, you are immediately on it, to inform me.
Love, Carolyn 

Cher Madame,
It is necessary to remind Madame because she may forget the meal time.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
Have I ever forgotten?
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Possibly. In spite of the reminders there are never enough meals served each day. 
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
I see. Perhaps we should institute a new program of multiple meals. Two dinners and two breakfasts. Or better yet, why not just provide a meal every hour?
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Je rêve! This is genius. Madame she finally understands. Meals served all day long!
Regards, M. Le Poufin 

Dear Puffin, 
No, that time it was sarcasm So, how about this: you could just eat little bits at a time, all day long. That is what Winston does.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
One does not follow the Winston.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
But by eating little bits at a time it spreads the food out all day!
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Ouf, non, c’est incorrect.  Madame does not understand. The little bits they are quickly gone. And an empty bowl she requires filling.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
I think I do understand. This is Cat Math.
Love, Carolyn

– 

A note to our readers…

Poppy, Winston, and Puffin are looking forward to sharing their weekly correspondence with you! Each week one of them is featured here, all based upon actual conversations. And yes, you can get the week’s post conveniently in your email every Friday by subscribing in the subscriber box at the top of this page. (If you are reading this in an email, go to blog.carolynholm.com to subscribe.) If you have already subscribed, multiple paws are raised to salute you!

Dear Poppy,
You look lovely in your holiday attire.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Is attire the same as wardrobe?
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Pretty much the same.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
I’m all dressed up in my fancy wardrobe, just like you!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
We’re all dressing up for our family party.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
I knew you were going to do something special, by what you’re wearing. You don’t wear your yoga pants to something special!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy
You certainly keep an eye on my wardrobe.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom
I do! Because what you wear tells me what you are going to do next!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Good point! You definitely are an expert on wardrobe clues. I can see you watching closely when I open my closet door.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Dogs have to know this stuff. When you change your clothes, that always means something important. If you put on fancy clothes, you’re going out without me. 
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
That’s true. I see your disappointment when I dress up. I’m not likely to take you to a concert. Or out for dinner.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
And when you put on your nice jeans I wait to see which shoes are going on with them!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
So that’s the time for suspense! Shoes do say a lot. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
If it’s your sneakers, we might be going for a walk!!!!! So I have to watch for what’s next!!! 
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
The anticipation builds! What’s next after sneakers?
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Your jacket! And if you put on your jacket, I have to watch for what’s next after that!!!!!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
So much excitement! And what is next, after the jacket?
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Your EARBUDS!!!!! If you put them on, YAY!!!!! For sure we’re going for a walk!!!!!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
In this house, daily life simply explodes with drama! So if I don’t put the earbuds on, what then?
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Sometimes that’s because you forgot them, and we start on our walk and then go back for the earbuds. But usually it’s just that you’re going out without me. Maybe for groceries.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
So much suspense for such a letdown.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
That’s ok. The best is when you put on the garden pants. And the garden shoes. That means one thing!!!!! We’re going out to work in the garden!!!!!!!!!
XOXO Poppy

– 

A note to our readers…

Poppy, Winston, and Puffin are looking forward to sharing their weekly correspondence with you! Each week one of them is featured here, all based upon actual conversations. And yes, you can get the week’s post conveniently in your email every Friday by subscribing in the subscriber box at the top of this page. (If you are reading this in an email, go to blog.carolynholm.com to subscribe.) If you have already subscribed, multiple paws are raised to salute you!

Hey Mom,
We all got together today. For a meeting.
Winston

Dear Winston,
That sounds serious. Are you sure it wasn’t just to hang out?
Love, Carolyn

Hey Mom,
No. We had something to discuss. And they’re making me do the hard part.
Winston

Dear Winston,
That doesn’t sound fair. But I’m sure you’ll rise to the occasion.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
We have something to tell you. We want you to stop vacuuming.
Winston

Dear Winston, 
Just today or forever?
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
There’s a CHOICE?
Winston

Dear Winston,
Not really.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
Now I’m confused.
Winston

Dear Winston,
I’m sorry, I’m just messing with you. The answer is no and no. No stopping. No stopping today, no stopping forever.
Love, Carolyn

Hey Mom
Poppy says you mess with us a lot. But I like messy stuff, so that’s ok. But we really hate the vacuum.
Winston

Dear Winston,
I know you do, sweetie, but if I didn’t vacuum, we’d be living in a huge nest of fur.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
That sounds AWESOME!!!!!
Winston

Dear Winston,
I knew the moment I wrote that, I’d made a tactical mistake. Let me rephrase that. If I didn’t vacuum, I’d need to find homes for all of you because we could no longer live here choking in fur.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
That’s HORRIFYING!!!
Winston

Dear Winston,
Yep, all that fur. Mostly blonde. Poppy really wins the Output Award.
Love, Carolyn

Hey Mom,
Award? There’s an award? You’re confusing me again. 
Winston

Dear Winston,
Sorry. There is no award. It’s just that most of the fur is Poppy’s. But you boys contribute a fair amount yourselves. Dark gray from Puffin, white fluff from his belly, shiny seal brown hairs from you. It’s an impressive daily haul.
Love, Carolyn

Hey Mom,
There’s also some very very very long silver hairs. What animal is that?!!!
Winston

Dear Winston,
That’s me! 
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
YOU!!! You shed fur too? I thought maybe it was from the Demon Dog.
Winston

Dear Winston,
The who???
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
Musso. Puffin and I call him the Demon Dog. Some of the house fur is from him.
Winston

Dear Winston,
Demon Dog, that’s hilarious. He’s about as demonic as a kitten. Wait, I take that back, kittens can be demonic. Puffin was definitely demonic when he was a youngster. But Musso is about as demonic as a perky little spring lamb.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
I’ve never met a lamb. But Musso stares at us. Puffin says that’s demonic.
Winston

Dear Winston,
Musso stares because he is fascinated by you. He thinks cats are exotic.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
He’d better stop. Puffin doesn’t like the staring. And you should tell him to stop shedding in our house. So the vacuuming can stop.
Winston

Dear Winston,
Whoa, you boys are getting tough! Well, calm down. Musso isn’t here all the time. He’s a visiting dog. And he is a tiny dog with very short hair. He weighs only ten pounds, you doofus. You weigh more than he does. He’s not making much of a contribution to the vacuum load.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
Well, whatev’s. Meanwhile Puffin wants to know if you’ll be finished vacuuming soon, and which room it will be safe to move to next.
Winston

Dear Winston,
You boys can move back to the bedroom. I’m finished there. Go on, run, run, RUN! Run for your lives!!! I’m turning the vacuum cleaner on now!
Love, Carolyn

– 

A note to our readers…

Poppy, Winston, and Puffin are looking forward to sharing their weekly correspondence with you! Each week one of them is featured here, all based upon actual conversations. And yes, you can get the week’s post conveniently in your email every Friday by subscribing in the subscriber box at the top of this page. (If you are reading this in an email, go to blog.carolynholm.com to subscribe.) If you have already subscribed, multiple paws are raised to salute you!

Dear Puffin
I love your morning greeting. Even if it is a bit early for me.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Early? Surely Madame is making the little joke.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin
6:00 is on the early side for me. 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Madame does like her sleep. 
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin
But still, I love when you jump on the bed at 6:10 and greet me with your cheerful “Good morning! Thank you for the lovely breakfast!” and then you purr and curl up on me, requesting that I give you a quick head scratch before I fall back asleep. 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
It is a lovely breakfast, without fail, every morning precisely at 6:00. 
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin
Thank heavens we got that automatic feeder. Before we got it, you were driving me nuts. 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Surely that is an exaggeration. Madame does tend to exaggerate. 
Regards, M. Le Poufin.

Dear Puffin
Not about this. You used to start lobbying for breakfast at 5:00. 
Love, Carolyn 

Cher Madame,
That was unfortunately quite necessary. 
Regards, M. Le Poufin 

Dear Puffin
It was not necessary, and it was extremely annoying. You made a LOT of noise every morning. 
Love, Carolyn 

Cher Madame,
Once Madame threw a pillow at this petit cat. 
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin
That is all in the past now, isn’t it? We have the automatic feeder now. Thank heavens.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
There was one time Madame let it go empty. Mon Dieu, Madame, so there was no breakfast deployed. 
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin
Once. Just once. And that won’t happen again. But I have to say, you are a very articulate cat. You made it extremely clear to me then that the breakfast had not been delivered that morning. 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
The situation she was dire. 
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin
Yes, you were all over me about that. But I have to say, I really do love it that you are so articulate. I’ve never known such a chatty cat. 
Love, Carolyn 

Cher Madame,
Chatty? Madame makes this sound trivial. 
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin
No! It isn’t! Not at all! 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
So many exclamation points. Madame does not usually use the exclamation points. 
Regards, M. Le Poufin.

Dear Puffin
You don’t either. Unlike Winston and Poppy. But you make yourself quite clear without them. 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
This petit cat gets right to the point. 
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin
And you can be so graciously chatty.  I especially like it that when you walk in the room, you give me a greeting. 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
It is the proper thing to do. To enter and say very politely “Bonjour Madame”. 
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin
And when I ask you a question, you always meow me an answer. Or several answers. 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Mais bien sûr, of course one provides the answers. 
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin
Sometimes when you are meowing a lot about something, I can ask you what’s up and you respond with a short chirp. A chirp that echoes the tone of my question. That’s so cute! 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
This petit cat does not know what Madame is going on and on about. 
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin
I’m complimenting you on your conversational skills, you lunkhead. 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
It is all very civilized behavior. Something that perhaps Madame still needs to learn. 
Regards, M. Le Poufin

– 

A note to our readers…

Poppy, Winston, and Puffin are looking forward to sharing their weekly correspondence with you! Each week one of them is featured here, all based upon actual conversations. And yes, you can get the week’s post conveniently in your email every Friday by subscribing in the subscriber box at the top of this page. (If you are reading this in an email, go to blog.carolynholm.com to subscribe.) If you have already subscribed, multiple paws are raised to salute you!

Dear Poppy,
I’m glad you and Musso are getting along so well.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
He and your daughter visit us a lot, so I’m used to him.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
That always makes a difference.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
He says Berkeley is freezing cold. It’s practically the Arctic here.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Not exactly. It’s just he’s from Los Angeles. He’s used to warmer weather. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
But we’re both on the same team!!!!!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Team?
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Team Dog!!!!! The cats wish they were us!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
I’m not sure you’re right about the cats, I think they feel vastly superior. But I’m glad you’re feeling some canine solidarity.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
I don’t know what that means. But I’m pretty sure the cats wish they were dogs when you say “Time to go outside!” and we start barking and run to the door. It’s so exciting!!!!!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
It is pure joy, that’s for sure. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
It’s what Winston calls a WhooHoo Moment!!!!!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
It’s clearly a whole bunch of those moments.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Yes!!! We race out to the patio, down the stairs, and out into the garden. Barking and barking and barking and BARKING!!!!!!!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
While I beg you two to stop barking.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
We can’t. It just bursts out. And then we run around the garden in a big circle. And then we do that again. 
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
I appreciate that you two both observe the rule that the vegetable garden in the center is off limits to dogs.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
The vegetable garden is what we run around and around. And then we run to the gate to shout at the dog across the street.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Even though barking at the gate is also off limits. Which you do anyway.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Your neighbor says we’re just being dogs.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
I have very understanding neighbors.
Love, Carolyn

 – 

A note to our readers…

Poppy, Winston, and Puffin are looking forward to sharing their weekly correspondence with you! Each week one of them is featured here, all based upon actual conversations. And yes, you can get the week’s post conveniently in your email every Friday by subscribing in the subscriber box at the top of this page. (If you are reading this in an email, go to blog.carolynholm.com to subscribe.) If you have already subscribed, multiple paws are raised to salute you!

Hey Mom,
I love the hall rug!!!
Winston

Dear Winston,
I got some material to stick it to the floor so it won’t go anywhere when you come flying through.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
But I love it when it scoots with me! Woohoo!!!!!!!
Winston

Dear Winston,
No kidding. Your zoomies were leaving it all twisted up.
Love, Carolyn

Hey Mom,
But it’s so much fun!
Winston

Dear Winston,
It is. I get it. But someone was bound to trip over it, sweetie, so I needed to stick it in place.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
With Zoomies I skid around corners! I love skids!!!!!
Winston

Dear Winston,
That’s another Woohoo moment. You can keep doing skids all you want to!
Love, Carolyn

Hey Mom,
Zoomies and Skids are the Best Things in Life.
Winston

Dear Winston,
They certainly are. And pillows.
Love, Carolyn

Hey Mom,
Yes!!!!! Pillows are also the Best Things in Life!
Winston

Dear Winston,
Nothing beats a pile of pillows.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
Especially when they fall off the sofa!!!! Woohoo!!!
Winston

Dear Winston,
And snacking. Another thing you love.
Love, Carolyn

Hey Mom,
I love snacking!
Winston

Dear Winston,
The sound of you crunching on your kibble is such a happy sound. One look at you and it’s clear that your kibble is Pure Joy.
Love, Carolyn

Hey Mom,
Snacking is another Woohoo moment!
Winston

Dear Winston,
So many things to feel good about. The Crow Watch is another.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
The crow is SO BIG!!!!!
Winston

Dear Winston,
He is indeed a very large bird. You seem to know when to wait at the patio window for him.
Love, Carolyn

Hey Mom
He always comes at 5:00!
Winston

Dear Winston,
He does. And he brings his posse.
Love, Carolyn

Hey Mom,
They are his friends!
Winston

Dear Winston,
They may be family members. They clearly defer to him. 
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
He sometimes shares his treat with them.
Winston

Dear Winston
Not if it’s something he really likes. Like cheese. You can see him taking a moment to evaluate the treat, and either fly over to the others, or quickly consume it there on our railing.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
He really likes the cheese.
Winston

Dear Winston,
When the crow is here, that’s another Woohoo moment!
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
It is!!!!!
Winston 

Dear Winston,
We all need our Woohoo moments.
Love, Carolyn

 – 
A note to our readers…

Poppy, Winston, and Puffin are looking forward to sharing their weekly correspondence with you! Each week one of them is featured here, all based upon actual conversations. And yes, you can get the week’s post conveniently in your email every Friday by subscribing in the subscriber box at the top of this page. (If you are reading this in an email, go to blog.carolynholm.com to subscribe.) If you have already subscribed, multiple paws are raised to salute you!

Cher Madame,
The brushing every day is appreciated.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
That’s because you get treats when I brush you.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Toujours le sarcasm. 
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
I’m not being sarcastic! The treats are necessary because you were cursing me every time I tried to brush you.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
The treats are delicious. Madame is too kind.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
These aren’t ordinary treats. They are intended to be good for skin and coat. The vet said your coat needed some attention. I’m glad you are letting me brush you.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
There are no ordinary treats.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
I’m glad you are pleased with them. Otherwise brushing you would be a blood sport.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Toujours le sarcasm. But one appreciates that Madame does the eye as well.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
Yes, the drippy eye. You have a visit to the vet tomorrow. We’ll ask him about your eye. Meanwhile I’m glad to wipe it for you. So you won’t wipe it on my bed when you are lounging there.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Encore the vet? There have been too many vet visits.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
They’ve been a series of follow-ups. 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
C’est simple. We can skip that. 
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
No, the visits are very important. You have diabetes, and we are making sure your medication is effective.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Enfin, the vet visits, the brushing, the eye wiping – Madame has been very attentive.
Regards, M.Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
There’s been a lot to take care of lately. Getting old isn’t for sissies. But you are still otherwise quite healthy for an old guy! 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
It is not necessary to continually emphasize the getting old.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
It’s not all about getting old. Your claws are quite youthful! I wish I could trim them, but you effectively resist that activity.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
The claws they are an inviolable part of this petit cat. 
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
You are so grouchy about your nails. I’m not going to remove them. I just want to shorten them.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Grouchy? Madame is offended because I have the opinions. 
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
You do have strong opinions. 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
The opinions are a result of this petit cat’s finely tuned intellectual acuity.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
I have to agree, you are sharp as a tack.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
The talk by Madame is now about the tacks? 
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
I’m just saying that you are quite healthy for a grouchy old man of sixteen! 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Toujours le sarcasm.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
We’ll keep you kicking with the exercise you get every evening with your Game.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Now Madame is talking about the kicking.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
It’s just a turn of phrase. 
Love, Carolyn

– 

A note to our readers…

Poppy, Winston, and Puffin are looking forward to sharing their weekly correspondence with you! Each week one of them is featured here, all based upon actual conversations. And yes, you can get the week’s post conveniently in your email every Friday by subscribing in the subscriber box at the top of this page. (If you are reading this in an email, go to blog.carolynholm.com to subscribe.) If you have already subscribed, multiple paws are raised to salute you!

Hey Poppy,
You have a rich dream life!
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
I’m rich?
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
In dreams you are! You dream every night.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
How do you know what is going on inside my head?
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
I wish I could actually tell what’s going on inside your head. Sometimes I really wonder. But I can tell when you are dreaming because you twitch your paws and make little yipping noises! It’s adorable.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
I didn’t know I do that! That’s embarrassing!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Don’t be embarrassed. It’s cute. You must be running and barking in your dream. Which is not surprising, because you bark so much when you are awake.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
You say I bark too much.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
It is a bit much, sweetie. But I read that it is a characteristic of your breed. Barky. Which supposedly makes German Spitzes good security dogs. Y’all bark at everything!
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
I’m protecting you even in my sleep!!!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
I really don’t need as much protection as you seem to think I need. But I appreciate the thought. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
I wish I could see my dreams! They sound like fun!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Not always. The other night you had what clearly sounded like a nightmare. Deep growling and high frantic sounding barks, instead of your usual cute yips. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
I think I was dreaming about the bear we saw at the cabin.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
That was certainly the stuff of nightmares. But we’re safe here. So far there are no bears in Berkeley! 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
So far?
Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Don’t worry sweetie. I was messing with you. We’re safe here.
Love, Carolyn

– 

A note to our readers…

Poppy, Winston, and Puffin are looking forward to sharing their weekly correspondence with you! Each week one of them is featured here, all based upon actual conversations. And yes, you can get the week’s post conveniently in your email every Friday by subscribing in the subscriber box at the top of this page. (If you are reading this in an email, go to blog.carolynholm.com to subscribe.) If you have already subscribed, multiple paws are raised to salute you!

Hey Mom,
Why do you scream when we play?
Winston

Dear Winston,
When you grab my hand with your teeth and claws, it hurts!
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
I use Soft Paws in the Hand Grab Game!!!!!
Winston

Dear Winston,
You start out with the soft paws, but you soon forget and grab at me with extended claws. In full Murder Mitt mode. 
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
It’s just little claw pokes.
Winston

Dear Winston,
There is blood involved, honey.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
I’m just playing with your hand! Your hand is like a kitten buddy!!!!!
Winston

Dear Winston,
If it were a kitten, it would be covered with protective fur and your Murder Mitts wouldn’t do so much damage.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
Damage!!!! No!!!!! Your hand is fine with it!!!!!!
Winston

Dear Winston,
I know you don’t mean to hurt me, but accidental bloody encounters are not fine.
Love, Carolyn

Hey Mom,
You make such a big deal about this. The roses in the garden scratch you, and you don’t scream at them.
Winston

Dear Winston,
Don’t be too sure about that.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
No one else screams about my claws.
Winston

Dear Winston,
I heard Musso let out a yelp.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
Everyone takes a swipe at Musso. He’s always sticking his head where it doesn’t belong.
Winston 

Dear Winston,
You don’t play with other hands like you play with mine.
Love, Carolyn

Hey Mom,
Of course not!!!!!!! I love your hands! They are my special buddies!
Winston

Dear Winston,
Who can resist that? I give up. Between your Murder Mitts and the rose bush thorns, scratches are going to be inevitable. I guess I should wear them with pride. 
Love, Carolyn

– 

A note to our readers…

Poppy, Winston, and Puffin are looking forward to sharing their weekly correspondence with you! Each week one of them is featured here, all based upon actual conversations. And yes, you can get the week’s post conveniently in your email every Friday by subscribing in the subscriber box at the top of this page. (If you are reading this in an email, go to blog.carolynholm.com to subscribe.) If you have already subscribed, multiple paws are raised to salute you!