Carolyn Holm

Dear Puffin,
The last several weeks have continued to be difficult.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Pourquois difficult?
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
Seriously? We’ve been over this many times. It’s about your early morning caterwauling. Which has been driving us crazy.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Oui, Madame has brought this up several times.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
I have to say I think we’re making progress. Thank heavens, lately you’ve been a bit quieter in the morning.
Love, Carolyn 

Cher Madame,
A bit? This petit cat does not know what “bit” Madame is referring to.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
You still yell in the morning, but fortunately not so much now. We appreciate that. We were about to strangle you.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Strangle? Mon Dieu, would Madame and Monsieur be so violent?
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
We wouldn’t have actually strangled you, sweetie. That’s just one of those things one says. We just want you to knock it off, for heaven’s sake.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
This petit cat has had this knocking-it-off conversation with Madame already.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
I know, sweetie, so now I’m just thanking you for bringing the level down a notch.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
A “bit,” a “notch,” Madame she is imprecise.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
It doesn’t matter. The point is, you are getting better. We were extremely annoyed with you, but yesterday you pretty much redeemed yourself!
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Comment?? This petit cat does not know the redemption.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
I was all of five minutes late with the evening meal, so you went to Monsieur.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame, 
Oui, as one must when Madame completely forgets the dinner. 
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
You were meowing on and on. Meow. Meow. Meow. Mow-wow. Yowl. Complaining loudly and in great detail. 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
The French, we are known for the complaining. 
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
Finally Monsieur said “Can you say it nicely?” You were silent for a beat.  Then, in a very quiet little voice, you answered “Mow?”* Who could be angry with you after that? All is forgiven. For now anyway. Depending on the noise level.
Love, Carolyn

*Some folks think we make this stuff up, but yes, Puffin actually did this.

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Poppy, Winston, and Puffin 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!