Carolyn Holm

Mommy,

That was the worst walk ever.

Poppy

 

Dear Poppy,

I’m so sorry you had a bad time. I didn’t realize it was going to be so hot. When we planned the walk we thought there would be a nice ocean breeze up there in the hills.

Love, Carolyn

 

Mommy,

It wasn’t just the heat. The walk was too long. It seemed to go on forever.

Poppy

 

Dear Poppy,

It did seem to go on forever – that’s because you kept stopping and lying down. Every time we came to a shady spot, you flopped down. No wonder it took so long.

Love, Carolyn

 

Mommy,

I was trying to signal to you and your friend Jill that it was too hot to be out walking. But you two kept blathering on and on. Completely ignoring my distress. I was trying to say What is WRONG with you women??? This is pure hell!!!

Poppy

 

Dear Poppy,

We did not ignore you. We gave you water. We let you stop and rest. And we were very sympathetic about your thick coat.

Love, Carolyn

 

Mommy,

That didn’t make up for the hellish heat. And that’s not all. There were stickers. I hate stickers.

Poppy

 

Dear Poppy,

I know you do. And I’m glad you are so good about pulling them out of your feet. But maybe you’re a little too fastidious. You didn’t need to keep sitting down to pull them out of your tail. I was going to comb that out when we got home.

Love, Carolyn

 

Mommy,

From now on we need to stick to city streets when we go for a walk. Sidewalks are made for walks.  You can tell because the word “walks” is right there in the word “sidewalks”.

Poppy

 

Dear Poppy,

I had really hoped you would like the countryside. Most dogs do! There’s fresh air and wildlife smells. Wide open spaces and cows grazing on a hillside.

Love, Carolyn

 

Mommy,

Clearly you and this person Jill were all excited to be out in the countryside. You went on and on about it. And you picked up pinecones. Pinecones. Really? I don’t understand the purpose of pinecones. They don’t even feel good in the mouth. The countryside is pretty much just stickers and pinecones. And I smelled a skunk.

Poppy

 

Dear Poppy,

The skunk wasn’t a threat to us, honey. You’re really making too much of this experience.

Love, Carolyn

 

Mommy,

From now on you can count me out for the country hikes. I’d rather stay at home and sit on the deck.

Poppy

 

Dear Poppy,

What about going for walks at our family cabin in the mountains?  I thought you loved it up there.

Love, Carolyn

 

Mommy,

That’s country too?

Poppy

 

Dear Poppy,

Of course it is.  Molly loves hiking up there.  Actually Molly likes walks anywhere.  Too bad she’s getting too old for a lot of that now. She loves walking in the countryside.  Even if there are pinecones and skunks.

Love, Carolyn

 

Mommy,

Molly is welcome to it. What I need now is a good brushing.

XOXOXO

Poppy

 

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