Carolyn Holm

Dear Puffin,
Do you realize we’ve been corresponding for ten years now? Every week for ten years!
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Mais oui, of course. We all know this. Did Madame only come to that conclusion now? Did we need to spell it out for Madame?
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
There is no need to be sarcastic, sweetie. I’m just remarking on it because I think it is, well, remarkable.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
There has always been a lot to say, a lot to write about.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
That’s for sure! Remember how Molly was always warning us that our security was inept? She thought we were all helpless and doomed. 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Molly was a very serious and competent Terrier who had a strangely negative view of the world. 
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
That she did. Then on the other hand there was our sassy Mia, a very social party girl.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
A bon vivant sort of cat.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
So true! You hit the nail on the head.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
That is a violent way for Madame to express it. 
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
Just an expression. Don’t be so literal. 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
You humans love your expressions.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
Then there is our sweet Winston. 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
That crazy cat is practically illiterate, and he has nothing intelligent to say. Nothing whatsoever. 
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
Let’s be easy on him. He’s still young. And then finally, our lovely Poppy. She likes to discuss our everyday life. Her squeaky ball. What we see on our walks. The neighborhood cat who visits our garden.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
That dog is obsessed with Louie the neighborhood cat.
Regards M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
You are right, as usual. And of course, you always have a lot to say. And not just in our letters. I’ve never known another cat with such a wide range of vocalizations! Everything from sweet to grumpy. You carry on with yowls, chirps, yodels, and conversational meows. And, of course, there are your cussing hisses. You always make abundantly clear what you want to communicate.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
It is necessary to explain things to Madame. Or nothing would ever get done around here.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
You do keep us on schedule. Meals every day are right on time, thanks to you. But the most extraordinary communication was recently, right after the visiting dogs went home. For over a month we hadn’t been able to play your evening game because our schedule was disrupted. The night after they left, you marched down the hall precisely at game time, meowing loudly, clearly reminding me that it was time to resume the games! That knocked my socks off. 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Socks now? There we are with another expression. But this petit cat appreciates the compliment. Madame is too kind.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

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A note to our readers…
Puffin, Poppy, and Winston are looking forward to sharing their weekly correspondence with you! Each week one of them is featured here, 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!