October 25, 2018

Dear Louie,
Yesterday was a very lazy day here.  It rained most of the day, but I did get out for a walk in the early morning before the rain started.  I met a little dog that looked a lot like you, but she was a girl which made her even more interesting.  She was just five days older than me.   We both really wanted to play and chase, but there was a gate in between us and the owner did not offer to open it and let us play.  I tried to get his attention by jumping around and barking, but he just ignored me.  So all we could do was rub noses and smell each other through the gate.  Maybe one day, when he sees how good I am, he will let me in to play.

Maree and I got home just before the rain started.  It seems it rains a lot more here than in California.  They even have something here that we call rainbows in California, but they call them arcoballene here.  As we were leaving for lunch, the sky turned black and the rain come down hard.  I got carried to the car,  so I did not get too wet and get my feet dirty.  I am starting to get more used to the car as we have been riding somewhere every day. 

The roads here don't have much traffic which I like a lot and most of them only have two lanes - one in each direction.  There is not all of that stop and go traffic we have in California, but the roads  are very windy and we seem to travel a lot slower everywhere we go.  Luckily, the windy roads do not seem to bother me.  I have actually become quite the good co-pilot, standing up in Maree's lap in the front seat and looking out the windshield.  I have not gotten sick once even on the four hour trip from the Rome airport.  Maybe I just like Alfa Romeos better than Mini Coopers.

Lunch is a big thing here I am learning as we seem to go out to lunch every day.  Today we went back to a place I had been before where there is a little dog and a cat.  There were so many people here for Sunday lunch, however, that neither made an appearance much to my disappointment.  They were the smart ones, however, as  It was very crowded and very loud.  I think we were sitting next to a table that was a soccer team and they were really enjoying all of the pasta and something called wine which the more they drank the louder they got.  The server stepped on me and she did not even have the courtesy to say she was sorry.  I hope we did not give her a tip.  I did get to have some pets from some children on my way out, and that was the best part of the lunch for me -- except for the treats, of course.

When we got home, all we could do was to sit, sit, sit, sit.  And I did not like that a bit.  I tried to get someone to play with me, but all they wanted to do was to watch something called The Big Bang Theory on the computer monitor.  So, I had a nice long nap.  Then the rain seemed to stop for a while and I went out and sat in the wet grass.  I had some to eat.  It was wet and sweet, and I ate some more.  Napping apparently makes you very hungry.  But eating too much grass and twigs doesn't sit too well in the stomach I am finding.  So, I came in and took another nap.

Later than night, before I went to bed, I went back out in the yard again.  I was very happy to go out as I had been holding it for a long while, crossing my legs.  So when the door opened, I flew out in a hurry.   I now have a favorite spot right next to the rose bush, but sometimes I go to the very back of the yard under the Mulberry tree.  At night, though, there is not too much light out there so I stay closer to the house.  On the patio I saw this little something move just to the left of the doorway.  I moved closer to check it out and it jumped at me.  I jumped back and the hair on my back started to come up.  I thought I better proceed with caution, so  I wiggled my nose to get a smell.  Then I moved slowly and with caution a little bit closer to get a better look.  What is this thing with those long back legs that jumps so high and far?  I had never seen anything like it.  I moved a little closer still to get a better scent, but it scurried behind a  planter box.  I heard Maree say, "oh, a toad", so I guess that is what it was.  Although if the fairy tales are true, then perhaps it was a prince in disguise.  Either way, I think I will keep away from them.  They don't smell very good and I don't like their looks.  They don't look like they would be good to eat.  Well, maybe those long legs might be tasty, but I don't think I will be trying any any time soon.  I was just glad it moved away from the door so I could go in the house where it was dry and there weren't jumping creatures. 

I hope you are having fun at the dog park.  Say hi to all of my California friends for me.

All the best from Italy,
Dino