Dear Louie,
It has been a while since I have heard from you. I hope you are having fun with our friends at the dog park. I am still all alone here in my yard, but the other day I had an encounter with a hunting dog. He was a big dog like a blue tick hound. He came up to the fence, and we rubbed noses. He jumped around like he wanted to play. That didn't last long, however, because his owner called him away. Sigh. I do want someone to play with here. I finally discovered what all of those holes I have dug in the yard are good for. Now I take all of my treats outside and bury them. Burying things is almost as good as digging the holes. And I have found that the added dirt makes them taste even better. But I must admit that my nose is pink and little sore from the activity. Jim and Maree have taken to calling me Rudolf - I think it has something to do with a song. There has been more snow since the last time I wrote to you. But it was a very wet snow and then the rain started and washed it all away. I was disappointed. I love to go out in the yard and lay down in the snow. I am pretty sure that we will have more snow before the winter is over, and I am excited about that. But now the weather has finally gotten above freezing, so it won't be for a while. I have a new nighttime activity. I go outside on the deck, even in the freezing cold, and just sit for hours staring out into the darkness. I know there are creatures out there. I can hear them walking through the grasses, but I can't see them. Sometimes I think I see little eyes staring back at me, but then they disappear into the night. Fortunately, these creatures, whatever they are, don't come in the yard. I am not sure if I should be afraid of them or if I will like them, so I stay close to the door just in case. I hear there are wild boar out there and porcupines and foxes and sometimes a deer. But there are not many deer here. I think the hunters have killed most of them. But somehow, the boar manage to elude them. Speaking of the hunters, they seem to be here all of the time now in their orange vests, carrying guns. They walk around like they own the place tromping through our property with great entitlement. They park their cars everywhere even sometimes blocking our road. I am pretty sure I don't like the hunters. Even when I don't see them, I can hear the gun shots in the distance. I am a great sentinel, and I let Jim and Maree know they are around. I can bark at them for hours non-stop. I chase along the fence when their cars go by. Fortunately, there is no one around here for my barking to bother, but Maree says she hopes I am not like this when I return to California or the neighbors will be complaining. Even after hours of barking I am not hoarse. I think I was made to bark. There is one little creature out in the dark that keeps me company on the patio some nights. It is a tiny, furry grey thing. I can smell it when it is near. We play a game of hide and seek. I chase it and try to get it. But it is so small it can disappear under small cracks in the stones. I am fast, but I think this little thing could be faster. I haven't actually caught one yet. Apparently, after we go to bed, these little creatures like to come in to the house through a little crack in one of the stone walls. Jim has caught a couple in a trap. Now he is determined to fix that little crack in the stone wall to keep them out. I first noticed these little grey furry balls when the weather got really cold here. I guess they are just searching for a place to stay warm and dry. Jim and Maree's favorite activity here seems to be going out for lunch or dinner. We have been to several restaurants since I last wrote to you. A few weeks ago, we met some of Maree and Jim's young friends for Sunday lunch. First we drove to Osimo on the autostrada and met Olimpia at a cafe, so we could follow her car to the restaurant in Loreto where we would have lunch. Osimo is a hill town surrounded by walls. The streets were very narrow and made of small stones that are hard to walk on. We met Olimpia at the Cafe del Corso right in the middle of the center of town. Maree had a glass of prosecco while we waited, but she complained to Jim that it did not taste like prosecco, and she didn't drink it. Gabriele was still home taking a shower after soccer practice with his son, so we went back to their house to get Gabri, Santiago and Ginevra and her boy friend. Gabriele and Olimpia have a big dog, but it did not seem to like me much, so I couldn't get too close to the fence. And I was disappointed. At the restaurant, we met Fabrizio and Elinora and their two boys and Silvia and Gianfranco and their two sons. In total, there were 16 people at the table, and only one dog, me. I was trying to lay quietly behind Maree's chair, but then one of the waiters stepped on me. He was very apologetic, but after that I decided that maybe it was safer under the table. Gabriele ordered the lunch for everyone, and everything was served family style. First there were platters of fried stuffed olives, called Olive Ascolani here, fried mozzarella sticks, the most beautiful homemade potato chips, and fried eggplant sticks along with some seasoned croutons. Then there were platters of ravioli in a butternut squash and proscuitto sauce and tagliatelli in a porcini mushroom sauce. This was followed by heaping platters of meats - lamb, beef, and pork. At my space under the table, I kept hoping for some things to drop to the floor. It all smelled so good and my nose was working overtime. But, alas, I had to settle for some of my treats and a taste of bread. Lunch lasted until about 5:00 pm, and then we had a long drive home. We have also been to the little restaurant in our town a couple of times. It has good pizza. Last week when we were there, Maree met an older man she knew from when they lived here before. He seemed to like me, so when I saw his pizza arrive, I stood up and put my paws in his lap looking so sweet and forlorn hoping he would share. Well, apparently this is not good restaurant etiquette, and Maree made me get down and told me no. I kept looking at the man though because I know he wanted to share with me. I had to wait until Maree's pizza finally arrived to get some. That was more fun than the other restaurant we went to where all I was given to eat were some of the same old treats I always eat. BORING. Yesterday we went to the Moncaro winery for a little wine tasting. Actually, Jim and Maree did the wine tasting. I just had to lay down and be quiet which is very difficult for me to do. Next to where I was laying I noticed a box of wines that had stuff like Easter grass in it. I thought that looked appetizing, so I tried a few pieces. Actually, it is dry and tasteless, and I eventually spit it out. The people at the winery remembered Jim and Maree and Luca, my doggie predecessor, even though they have not been there for more than three years. The man even remembered that Luca had been named after an Italian guitar player. I tried my best to be noticed, so they will always remember me too. I hope you remember me Louie. It has been more than three months since I left California. I am starting to feel like an Italian dog, but I miss my California home. I wonder if I will miss Italy when we return? I do think I will miss Italian dog food. While some of the dry dog food here is the same brands as in California, there is a much broader variety of different canned foods, and I am trying them one by one. My favorite so far is the lamb, but sometimes I like salmon. I had wild boar this week, but I really didn't like the taste much. Or maybe I just didn't like the idea of it because I know what a wild boar is and I feel bad that they are being hunted. There are lots of other varieties that for one reason or another Maree refuses to buy for me like horse, rabbit, veal, and deer. There is also all types of fish. I tried tuna one day, but I prefer salmon. I wonder which ones you would like Louie. As I recall, you seemed to like to eat anything. Hoping to hear from you again soon. As we say in Italy, Ciao, a presto. Dino
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Dear Snowy,
It is a new year, and I have some New Year's Resolutions. First, I am going to dig the biggest hole in the yard ever. I am well on my way to making this resolution a reality. Second, I am going for the Guinness Book of World Records for most uninterrupted times jumping up and down, up and down. I think so far I have hit about 40, but I am continuing to try to improve that number. I jump higher than the counter top on each jump. Maree has suggested that perhaps they misnamed me, and I should be named Tiger. Frankly, I am not sure I understand the reference, but apparently it has something to do with Winnie the Pooh, a bear. Maybe he is like you Snowy Bear? My final resolution was to learn how to get out of this fenced in yard. Well, I have already accomplished that one. It was somewhat by accident. I was working on my first resolution and digging a hole near the fence, and suddenly I saw an opportunity. I knew that if I just crawled on my belly I could get under there and be free. And so I tried it and sure enough, there I was in back of the house with no fence impeding my movement. Well, I was out there munching on some grass when I saw a big dog up the road. That was my mistake. I started to bark, and Maree apparently recognized that the bark was not coming from the fenced in yard. Next thing I know, she is at the gate yelling for me to come. Well, I had a decision to make. Do I go for the dog or come back into the yard. As I was trying to decide, Maree went into the house and brought out my favorite treats. Gee, at this point in time what could I do. I ran back into the yard for a treat. I still had my escape route. I grabbed the treat, devoured it, and as Maree was closing the gate, I scooted under the fence again. When she turned around, there I was in back of the house. It took her two days to figure out my escape route, and now it is blocked. But I have a plan for another one, and a new adventure, so stay tuned. We had more snow here last week. It was only a couple of inches, but it was enough to play in for a day. I LOVE SNOW! I love the way it feels on my paws as I run through it. I love the cold taste on my tongue; and I love making tracks through the virgin snow. I like sticking my nose in it to find shoots of grass to eat. And I also like turning it yellow. Maree came out in the yard with me and threw snow balls. They were fun to chase and to eat. I ran around the yard in big circles with the snowballs in my mouth. My teeth were getting cold, so I had to finally drop them. I hope we will have more snow before the winter is up. I told you in my last letter that we ran out of propane on New Year's Eve. Well, it took two days for the truck to come and put gas in our bombola as they call it here. So, we spent the night on New Year's day at our friends BNB. Jim and Maree were missing hot water for showers and gas for cooking. It didn't really bother me much. Jim made a fire in the fireplace and it heated the radiators, so the house was warm enough for me, but they needed showers. Just another way in which dogs are a superior species. We don't take showers every day. Just think of all the water we save and the energy we save. If humans would only follow our example there would be no water shortage in California and no energy crisis. Sometimes I think they will never learn. Well, I seem to have gotten sidetracked here because what I really wanted to tell you is that last week on Friday, the propane ran out again. Apparently the man put very little in the tank and never returned to fill it. It happened to run out on the day it was snowing. Fortunately, Jim convinced the company to come that day to fill it. After all, it was their mistake that made it run out a second time. Actually, our contract says that they will routinely come around and check the status of the gas and automatically fill up the tank when it is getting low. Apparently, they are not doing a very good job. But at least we have heat, hot water and gas for cooking again. Hopefully this time, the tank is full. Oh, Snowy, I found a new food for you to try. Pizza crust!!! Saturday we drove down the hill to a pizza restaurant. Fortunately, Jim made reservations because the entire restaurant was full. We had to sit in the front room which has glaring lights and funky tables. Jim was not happy because the light hurt his eyes. Once again, I was right where the servers had to walk, but I found that I was happy between two tables where I could just watch the parade of people go by. I did get in the way once when the two children at the table across the aisle wanted to give me attention. They were nice and I had fun getting pets from them. There were many large parties of people at the restaurant on this particular night. One group of people started walking past the table, and I noticed that there was something different about them. So I had to figure it out. As each person walked by, I walked close, lifted my nose in the air and took in a deep breath. I sniffed each one as they passed. I still didn't figure out what the issue was. Maybe they were aliens or something, but there was sure something about them that made me want to check them out more. The people at the table next to us were dog lovers, and asked if I was a Spitz. Maree told them that in America I am called an American Eskimo but that the breed is derived from the German Spitz. They then mentioned they have a volpino. The word translates as little fox in Italian. Apparently the American Kennel Club refuses to acknowledge the volpino because they are so similar to us - American Eskimo minis. I kept a look out for more aliens and munched on some treats when finally the pizza arrived. I could smell it and I wanted to taste it. I decided that maybe if I made sure Jim and Maree remembered I was there that they would share. So I gently put my paws on Jim's knee. UH, OH. Jim has been suffering from gout in the knee for the past week, so that was not a good idea. I then tried my best, look at me I am sitting and being perfect routine. Well, that got Maree and she started to give me bites of pizza crust absent any of the filling unfortunately. But, I found that I really like the crisp, crunchy crust. It was browned to perfection. If you haven't already tried this delicacy, Snowy, I suggest you do. I am sure you will love it too. Well, I better be off. There is a lot more yard for me to dig up today and more jumping to do. I hope to hear from you soon. All the best from Italy, Your Brother, Dino Dear Friends,
Happy New Year to All. My first holiday season in Italy has been a busy one. There were a lot of new people for me to meet, but, unfortunately for me, no dogs - well, almost none- and there were lots of new experiences. Santa Paws must have thought I was good this year. I guess he overlooked all of the things I chewed up as a puppy - thank goodness. When I woke up on Christmas, there were presents all wrapped up in pretty paper. Trying to unwrap them was like a big puzzle. I started out slow and meticulous because I didn't want to destroy what was inside. I know, this is not very like me. I usually just rip things up at a fast and furious pace. All I can say is maybe I am growing up and learning patience. Or maybe not, because I managed to destroy one of my toys that day but I am still working on totally destroying the other two. The good news is that Jim and Maree miraculously recovered from their illnesses on Christmas Eve, and we were able to go to our friend's (Giuseppe and Graziella) for a Christmas luncheon. We were among 12 guests who sat at a long table in Graziella's kitchen. The table was very festive set in reds and whites with red champagne flutes and wine glasses. I thought it was quite pretty. I do think red is my favorite color. It is the color of meat after all. The guests included family and a few friends - like us. Our friends Frans and Ingrid, originally from Netherlands, were there, and so was a British couple, Will and Nasim. As lunch was ending, Will and Nasim invited us to have drinks with them on Thursday evening in their home in Mergo. This was my first trip to Mergo which is about 10 minutes from Poggio San Marcello. Maree was very interested in following up with Will on a conversation that had started on Christmas. It seems that his parents were the stars of the movie Born Free. They were a married couple who were approached to make the movie because the director wanted a couple familiar with each other who did not need to build a rapport with each other in addition to the animals. So the entire family, Mom, Dad, and three children under 6 years of age, moved to Africa for a year to make the movie. At first, there were two lions from a zoo who were to be used as Elsa. But it turns out they were rather aggressive and one attacked Will's dad. Then they searched for other lions. There were twenty different lions in all used in the movie, and some of these were provided by Haile Selassie. Eventually, Elsa was played by four different lions because each lion liked to do something different. One liked to ride on the roof of the car, another liked to swim, another liked the hunt. At one point in the movie when they were teaching Elsa to hunt so she could be reintegrated into the wild, Will's mom was attacked and suffered a broken leg. The entire experience was a life changing event for the family. Will's dad started producing wild life films and they started the Born Free Foundation. (Here is a link in case you are interested in more information https://www.bornfreeusa.org/ ) The story of the making of Born Free was quite a story. I noticed that Will and Nasim, true animal people, also liked dogs. Nasim played with me a lot when she came to my house on Friday. That is when we learned that the Born Free Foundation has a monkey preserve in Texas and an elephant preserve in San Andreas, California. Will said that maybe one day we can go and visit the elephants, but it is not open to the general public. I am not sure about visiting elephants myself. They are bigger than the biggest dog I have ever seen, and I am not sure they are so friendly. Honestly, I hope dogs are not allowed. We were finally able to get together with our friends, Cristina and Massimiliano, on Sunday night. I met them at Thanksgiving. We planned to met them in our little town to see the live Nativity scene. Who knew that this event would be so popular? Well, the line was like Disneyland, but it was not moving at all. While the people waited discussing what to do, I had a chance to play with two little dogs. I didn't want to leave. This was the most fun I had in weeks. But no one counted my vote when they were making the decision about whether to go stand in the line or do something else. So, we came back to my house, for some prosecco. I had some play time with Cristina's brother and his wife. They were fun too, but it is just not the same as playing with a puppy. They were very impressed with my ability to jump high, so I kept jumping up and down and up and down to amuse them. I find that people are easily amused by my antics. Oh, well, entertaining them was better than boredom. And it was some much needed exercise. An hour later we were back in the car driving off into the darkness to find a restaurant. I always shake in the car at night. I just don't like riding in the dark when I have no idea where I am going. On this occasion, it seems, I was not the only one who didn't know where they were going. Cristina had made reservations at a restaurant that no one in our group had ever been to. It is well hidden. In the past Jim had tried to find it and was never successful. So, in the dark of night it took several 6 point turns on a narrow and winding road before we found it, but we did find it. The setting and the restaurant itself were really pretty. The room was painted red and had a nice fire burning. But, our table of six, which included Cristina's brother and sister in law, was the only occupied table in the restaurant. From Maree's perspective, she understood why no one else was there. First, there is really no signage and it is difficult to find, but secondly, the food was not up to the usual local fare. Of course, I didn't get to taste it. So, personally, I cannot voice an opinion. Jim's answer to the issue is that maybe it is a front for some illicit activity. I think he said this tongue in cheek, or I hope so. Last night was New Years Eve here. I guess it was New Year's Eve in California too, but we got to celebrate 9 hours earlier. Maree and Jim had been invited to join 12 Dutch people at a tiny restaurant in Rosora. It was another restaurant we had never been to before, and Maree was hoping it would be better than the last one. When we arrived, it was so crowded that I was a little nervous. The spot where I chose to lay down was right in the way of the people serving food. So, I kept being pulled under the table. Do you know what is under a table?. Lots of legs and feet. Nothing very interesting to see or do unless you like chewing socks and shoes, which I like but I knew it would not be proper on this occasion. Sometimes I might find some discarded food under a table, but not on this night. The floor was wiped clean. I wanted a spot where I could see what was going on and that had a clear shot to the door in case of emergency, So, for the first hour it was a battle of wills - me laying down in the way of the servers and Jim and Maree trying to pull me back. Unfortunately, I lost this battle and finally laid down next to Jim in an out of the way spot after I was lured by lots of treats. I was to learn that New Year's Eve in Italy is all about food and wine. The dinner goes on for hours. The food started to arrive at 8:30 pm and it continued until after 1:00 am. How can people eat this much, I wondered? And how can they sit at a table for so long? I was getting tired hanging out in my cramped place next to Jim, but no one let me go to stretch my legs. About the food, for starters there was a bruschetta and a cabbage and vegetable dish. This was followed by two pastas. Since the two pastas they were serving had tomatoes, they made Maree something different. She had pappardelle al cinghiale followed by ravioli in a squash and prosciutto sauce. Then there was salmon in an orange sauce and next quail in a truffle sauce. During the hiatus between the meat courses, three of the Dutch couples, who were staying in Frans and Ingrid's bed and breakfast, got up from the table and sang a song of thanks to Frans and Ingrid who will be moving to France in January. When the singing started, I thought about joining in, and I did get out two very weak notes, but then I stopped. What language was this song in? I realized I did not understand a word - it was not English and it was not Italian. I do know a few Italian words now and at least it does not scare me when people speak it. But this language was scary. The song did go on and on and on, and my ears were hurting. I was quite relieved when the singing stopped. While the song had come to an end, dinner had not. After the pasta and meat courses, of course, there was dessert - a coffee mouse served with a chocolate spoon. At this point in time it was time to celebrate the New Year with champagne, sparklers, and music. There was a lot of hugging and kissing and clinking of glasses going on, but no one except Maree and Jim gave me a hug. I was feeling a little left out at this point in time. As everyone lit up their sparklers, music and dancing started up in a tent outside of the restaurant. It was very cold out there, but I don't think any of the people were feeling it after the bottles of wine and champagne consumed. While all of the people were saying, "Buon Anno Nuovo", that means happy new year in Italian I learned, more dessert appeared. There were cakes and candies and tangerines. But I was to learn that this was not the end of the meal. There was still more was to come. The final course on New Year's Eve here is always lentils with sausage. They are thought to bring luck in the New Year. Unfortunately, we left before the lentils because it was way past my bed time, and I was getting a little anxious with all of the noise of the music. I think I am not too big on loud New Year's Eve celebrations. Next year, I hope we stay home and watch a movie like Beverly Hills Chihuahuas. Oh, I almost forgot. On New Year's Eve, in the afternoon, while Maree was in the shower to get ready to go out, we ran out of gas. She was not amused. Our house here is heated by propane, and there was no more. Jim called and left messages saying we needed gas, but so far no one has come. Fortunately, we have a backup heating system with a fireplace that heats the radiators, so we do have some heat in the house. But it requires Jim to do a lot of wood chopping. There is no hot water though, and any cooking will have to be done in the oven or microwave. I guess we can survive another day without gas. Nothing like roughing it on New Year's day. The worst part is the smell. There is an odor additive that appears when the gas is running out. The whole house smells of it. So Maree has the windows and doors open trying to get rid of the smell, but it keeps coming back. Lucky for me, I have a nice warm coat because the house is getting cold even with the fire in the fireplace. I hope this is not an omen of things to come in the new year. Wishing all of my friends a warm and safe 2019. I hope to see you soon.. Ciao from your Italian friend, Dino Dear Santa Paws,
It is Christmas eve here in Italy, and the fog is rolling in again in Poggio San Marcello. My yard now looks very spooky - more a Halloween setting than a Christmas card. The naked trees are waving their branches in the wind, their dark frames silhouettes against a gun metal grey sky. I sit here by the door not sure whether I want to go outside or stay in. This morning it had been nice and clear, but the fog rolls in very fast here and very unexpectedly. I am pretty sure there was no fog in the weather forecast for today, so I hope you will be prepared. As I watch the fog obscure the hills and valleys, I am starting to wonder if you will be able to find my house in this weather. Does your sleigh have fog lights? Is it pulled by reindeer or sled dogs? If you have reindeer, does Rudolph have a special nose light for the fog? Even in good weather, it is hard to find my house. There are no street numbers on any of the houses on my street. And there are actually two streets that run parallel to each other (well as parallel as any streets could run in Italy) that have the same name. Amazon deliveries sometimes never arrive, so I hope you have good and up to date GPS. Well, honestly, I hope you have something better than GPS because sometimes GPS does not work in Italy according to Jim and Maree. When you do arrive at my house, will you come down the chimney? I hope you will find another entrance because the fire is burning there now and I think it will still be hot. But I guess as all things magical, it will not matter to you. You must go down lots of hot chimneys on your voyage around the world to give presents to all of the good little dogs - and big dogs too. I am leaving you some dog biscuits and a greenie by the Christmas tree. I want you to know that I hold the Christmas tree sacred and I have not touched one ornament or branch on the tree. Well, if it was a real tree I might have had a harder time resisting it, but since it is artificial, I have shown a great deal of self restraint. I hear it is almost impossible to find a real Christmas tree here. Santa Paws, I have been very excited all week about your visit. I think I have been a good boy this year, or at least I have tried to be a good boy. So I hope you reward effort not only outcome. You know, sometimes it is hard to be good when there are so many things to get into and chew up. And when you have so much free time. But, I have abstained from chewing furniture and shoes and books - things that my predecessors have been blamed for. I did, however, chew the siding on the house in California. But I was only a baby then, and I am so much more mature now. Well, mostly more mature. I have tried a little of the stone from this house, but I don't like it near as much as the mulberry leaves and branches. You know, it is hard to be good when you are in need of exercise and attention. Both Jim and Maree have been sick over the last week, and so I have pretty much had to fend for myself except at meal times. Unfortunately, the doctor told Maree today to stay home instead of going to Christmas lunch at our friend. Graziella's house. I was so looking forward to seeing her dog, Ercole, again. At 12, he is rather old for me to play with, but he seemed nice the one time I met him. So, we will just be home alone for Christmas day. I hope you can bring me something to alleviate my boredom. Something very chewable, tasty, and interesting. Of course, the best thing you could bring me would be a friend, like one of my new brothers and sisters, but unfortunately, I know that another dog does not exactly fit into Maree's plans right now. And I might be somewhat jealous anyway as I do so like to curl up in a lap or snuggle up in the bed. Of course, last night I did a little more than snuggle up in the bed, I ate a tiny hole in the comforter cover. OOPS, I did not mean to let anyone know that I did it. So, Santa Paws, can this be our secret? Even though Maree and Jim have been sick, they had to go to the police station twice this week to try to get their permesso di soggiorno. That means their permission to stay here, like a green card in the US. They had to take the receipt they received from submitting their applications at the post office a couple of weeks ago. When they arrived they were asked for their passports and their expired Italian documents, and then they had to have fingerprints. Well, that does not sound so bad, but Maree was a little nervous as in the US, the FBI rejected every set of fingerprints she submitted. So, she was not expecting a good outcome. Here instead of paper and ink, they did the fingerprints using a electronic device, so you can tell if the print is acceptable right away. The woman had to redo lots of Maree's fingers many times, but finally she did get readable prints. The very next day, we had to go back for more fingerprints and whole hand prints. These were done by a different person with a different machine. I don't understand why everything could not be done at the same time, but apparently, that is not the way it is done here. Again, a number of fingers had to be done several times, but I guess they were finally good enough as we were able to leave. During this entire ordeal, I was very good. I just sat like a perfect gentleman next to Maree and Jim and I never made a sound. I was anxiously awaiting my turn to get my paw prints. Well, that never happened. I am rather put off however that no one asked for my paw print. I guess they don't care if I have a criminal background. Well, what they don't know won't hurt them as they say. And besides, there is nothing to find our anyway, Santa. Really, I belong on the good dog list. Santa Paws, I hope you have a good journey this year. Watch out for those Apennine Mountains just west of us as you come in to land at my house. And be prepared for a hot fireplace. I'll be listening for your sleigh bells. Merry Christmas to All, Your Pal, Dino Dear Snowy,
I finally understand the true meaning of your name. I have seen snow!! Not just one time but three times this past week. The first time I saw it was at my home in Poggio San Marcello. There were some flakes mixed in with the rain, and when I stuck my head outside the door, I rapidly turned around and went back inside. I thought those cold, wet drops were annoying as they fell on my head. Then, suddenly, there was no rain just lots of those white flakes calmly floating down to the ground. It was rather peaceful and pretty. It snowed pretty hard for a few hours. When it started to stick, I went outside and licked it up. YUMMY!!! I like the icy cold feeling on my tongue. It is almost like eating frozen green beans (my favorite) without the green bean flavor. It had a more earthy flavor. Maybe that was because I was getting a little dirt with every mouthful. Anyway, we did not have much snow that time. It only lasted a couple of hours, and it was gone. My second snow experience was in the city called Bologna. I had to take a train to get there. I do not like trains. When we got on the train, we got on at the wrong end of the train, and it was about to take off, so we had to walk between the cars. Walking between the cars is loud and scary when the train is moving. I did not like the strange noise of the wheels on the tracks going clackety clack and the whooshing sound of the doors between the cars when we tried to open them. We went from car to car, and it turns out that our car was the last one on the train. So I had to endure going through lots of doors - whoosh, whoosh, clackety clack, clackety clack. Gee I hate that sound. I was starting to feel like Walter MItty and his "ta-pocketa-pocketa-pocketa." Unfortunately for me, this was no daydream. I started to shake. I think I shook the two hours to Bologna. Unfortunately, the next day I had to get back on the train again. I hate trains. Bologna was sort of a bust I think. I did not see one slice of bologna. I actually think they call it something different here, mortadella. Well, I did not see that either. But I did meet lots of friendly dogs, and I tried to play with a couple of them. That was the best part of the trip for me. The second best part was the snow. It was Maree's birthday, and we walked a ways to a nice, well-established restaurant. Much of Bologna center has covered walkways, so we walked under the cover of arches, and we watched the large snowflakes drifting down into the street. It was very pretty. Even though it was snowing quite heavily and sticking to the ground by the time we returned to the hotel, in the morning there was virtually no sign of the snow. I really don't understand this whole weather thing I am realizing. Why is it colder here than California? Why does it snow one day and it is sunny the next? What is this thing called fog? While there was no sign of the snow in Bologna, when we returned home to Poggio that morning, unfortunately by the train, there was about 8 inches of the white stuff everywhere the eye could see. We were supposed to stay in Bologna for another day, but unfortunately, Jim was sick. So we never got to the French Christmas Fair. Gee, I really wanted to meet those French Poodles. Oh, well, I guess I will just have to wait for our trip to France. I sure hope it is not by train though because even the prospect of French Poodles does not outweigh my now growing phobia of trains. Riding in the car as we drove the twists and turns in the road up to our little house, I was rather freaked out. Where was the grass? What is all over the tree branches. It keeps falling onto the car making loud clumping noises. Every time something hit the roof of the car, I jumped. The landscape did not look like anything I remembered. All I could see is white humps and dips. The hills and valleys had lost their contours, so I was not sure where we were. I really don't like not knowing where I am. It makes me very nervous. But what was even worse is that as we got closer to home, it became quite foggy. Between the fog and the snow covered ground, the world was veiled in white and very spooky looking. I was beginning to feel like I was in a Scooby Doo movie and that the ghosts and ghouls were about to appear before me. Actually, I have never seen a ghost or ghoul and I am not sure what they are, but I am sure that I would not like them. On our way from the train station in Senigallia back to Poggio, at least the roads had been plowed quite well. So that was not a problem. Well, it was not a problem until we got to our street I should say. Some of our street is a municipal road, but before you arrive at our house, it becomes a private road. From that point on, the road was not plowed. Jim was ready to just stop the car and walk down to the house, but Maree encouraged him to try to drive through the snow -- after all, we have new snow tires so what else are they for??? It turns out that snow tires actually work -- sort of. After a tiny bit of tire spinning, we made it to our parking spot in front of the house. I was very glad to be home. Home is the place I like best, and I don't understand this need to go traipsing all over the place to see different places. What does Bologna have that I don't have at home? Well, there were a lot of dogs I will give it that much. But, in general, there was a place to sleep and food. What more do people need in their lives? People should be more like dogs, I think. Our needs are very few, and they definitely do not include the need to wander all over the countryside looking for the best tortellini in brodo - whatever that is. At home, I had my first attempt to try to walk in the snow. When I stepped into the yard, I was in snow up to my belly. I had a very hard time dislodging my legs. They were encased in the snow and stuck. I pulled and pulled and finally got one free and then another. I learned that if I ran, sort of with a jump, I could get through the snow more quickly and without being so stuck. But it took trial and error to finally figure out how to move through the snow with any dignity. Eventually, I decided that I liked the snow. It is fun to eat and dig in. I dug through it and found one of my toys. That was like a treasure hunt. Next time I go out, I will have to use my nose and see if I find anything else. Of course, by tomorrow or the next day we probably will not have any snow left as the temperatures are rising. But, I guess there is still a lot of time for more snow this winter. As the cold is settling in, I am definitely missing California weather. There I don't need to wear this stupid coat they bought me with little elastic bands round the back legs that make me look like I am walking bowlegged. Oh, the embarrassment of it all. Happy Holidays, Snowy to you and all of our family. Your brother, Dino Dear Nucky,
I was very happy to hear from you, and I am glad that you appreciate my blog. It shows what good taste you have. I know that we have not met yet, but I hope we will meet when we return to the United States. Perhaps we can stop in Virginia on our way back to California. Or who knows, knowing the way my life is going maybe we will live in Virginia for a while. After all I am not sure that I want to move back to the land of smoke, fires and floods, but of course Brian and his family are there. I do miss those little boys. Today I have officially lived in Italy for about 6 weeks. I think I am getting accustomed to my new surroundings, but I do miss my friends in California. I haven't made any new friends here because we are rather isolated and there is not a dog park nearby. Also, the weather has not been good, so I have not been getting walks. This week we have had a couple of nicer days with a little bit of sunshine, but it has been near freezing. Since I have lost all of my undercoat and it hasn't grown back yet, it is a little cold outside. Maree dressed me up in a little doggie coat the other day when we visited Senigallia to do some shopping and have lunch, but I felt rather silly walking around looking like that. I did not really want to be seen. When we were in the clothing store, I hid under the racks. I don't want people thinking I am a fragile little thing that can't stand the cold. After all, I am a dog bred for the cold weather and wearing a coat is rather embarrassing. Confidentially, however, I do hope my undercoat grows in soon because I am not in California anymore. Speaking of embarrassing, the other day Maree said I was like a cat. Can you imagine that. I am all dog and not a cat -- although I have never really met a cat face to face, so I can't be sure whether this is actually something I should be offended about or not. But, what is the problem with washing my paw and then washing my face after my dinner. Do you think I want to walk around with food on my face. I do hold myself to a certain standard of cleanliness and etiquette -- although when I am excited the etiquette part goes directly out the window. Anyway, why can't a dog wash his face? Is there a law against it or something? I think people are just too prone to put everyone into a little box of their own fabrication based on little knowledge or evidence. If I want to wash my face I will. I don't care what anyone else thinks. I am my own dog forever. Nucky, do you wash your face? I think I will do a little poll of my friends to see if my behavior is so different. I guess today I am on a rant. Too little activity, so my mind is just going crazy and making me a little anxious. I tend to be a little anxious anyway. My latest anxiety is being caused by hearing the word Bologna almost every day. I thought bologna was a meat product, but I never see any meat, so I am beginning to think that it is something else especially now that I keep hearing about trains and hotels. I guess this means we are going to be going to someplace called Bologna. I have been in several hotels in my life already, but I have not ridden a train yet. I hope I like it better than the car, because I still do not like riding in a car. But at least I don't get car sick anymore even on all of the twisty turny roads here in Italy. Actually I don't like going to new places very much unless there are friendly dog smells and lots of things going on to distract me. I think Maree said there are a number of Christmas fairs happening in Bologna, so maybe that could be fun. She is very excited about a French Christmas fair there with little chalets and Champagne. I know about Champagne from California, and I know I am not allowed to have any of it, so I don't think I will have much fun at the French Christmas fair unless I meet some nice little French poodles. I have met a couple of fake French poodles in California, but it will be fun to meet a real one from France. I wonder if they will bark with an accent? Maybe in the spring we can go and visit France, and I can meet more French poodles. I know Maree is wanting to go to visit the Champagne region, so if we are still living in Europe then -- France here I come. (I better start learning some French to woo those poodles.) It is not likely that the house in Italy will sell before the spring as there is very little sales activity in the winter months. At least living here during the winter will mean I will get to experience some snow. I have never seen snow, but I think it will be fun to run around in as long as they don't try to dress me up in some coat and boots. How do I know there will be snow here you asked? Well, I know there is snow because Jim has been trying to get snow tires. He ordered them three weeks ago, and a week ago he went to have them put on the car. He had an appointment to return because the store did not have the right tires for his car. So, after two weeks, he went at the appointed time only to be told that he did not have an appointment. Well, he showed the woman the paper with his appointment time on it and her response was, "you must have changed it". Finally she works out that he can have the tires put on the car and they put the car on the lift. When they are done, the car has two of the four tires that were ordered. "Oh, signore", she said, " the other two tires have not arrived. Come back next week and we will put them on." So, today was next week, and Jim went down to the store for his appointment to have the other two tires put on the car. They put the car on the lift, and he waited about forty five minutes. Finally, the woman came up to him and said. "Oh, signore, Your tires have not arrived yet. They should come later today. We will call you when they arrive." So, Jim drove back up the hill, without his new tires, and told Maree this saga. A few hours later the phone rang. "Signore, your tires have arrived. Can you come in on Wednesday to have them put on the car?" By this point, Jim had enough, so he said he wanted the tires put on today. And the woman acquiesced. Well, after hearing the phone call, Maree turned to Jim and said. "This is life in Italy. You just have to love it." And she shrugged her shoulders just like an Italian. Nucky, I hope your life in Virginia is more stable and sane than mine in Italy. Have a great holiday season with your family. Ciao from Italy, Dino, the expat dog Hi Louie,
I have not heard from you in a while. I guess you have not had much time at the dog park recently since the air quality there has been so horrid. I think our air here has been good, but it has been so very foggy again that I don't like to be outside much myself. Who knows what creatures lurk out there in the foggy night. I sit on the patio next to the door and peer into the darkness, and I listen to the sounds, but I don't venture too far. Once I heard a very strange crying, almost shrieking sound. Whatever made the noise I know I never want to meet. I just had my first Thanksgiving in Italy, and actually, it was my first Thanksgiving with Maree and Jim. I am still trying to recover from the experience. First of all, in Italy they don't celebrate American Thanksgiving, obviously. But Maree celebrates it and she invites friends here to enjoy an American Thanksgiving dinner. It is not so easy to make a traditional American Thanksgiving here because it is hard to get some ingredients. Jim had to go and order a whole turkey at the butchers because it is not a common thing here. When you order the turkey you have to tell them you want a small one so it can fit in the tiny oven. Then you tell them to clean it and take off the head and feet. The problem, apparently, is that when it arrives it always still has quills in it. Maree was not happy about this and got tweezers to start pulling quills out. I think I heard her say a few expletives as she worked. I don't really understand why getting a whole turkey is a problem because I saw a whole turkey just down the road at our friend's house running around in the yard with the chickens. Well, if they asked me, I think I could have caught it for them. You know that I can run very fast. I heard Maree telling people that the Thanksgiving menu was a little different this year. It started with a rather traditional Italian antipasti with a lot of different things. Of course, there was the turkey and a sweet potato pie. Sweet potato pie you ask? Yes, because it is so difficult to get pumpkin here and the pumpkin can cost as much as 40 euro for a big one. (There is no Libbys pumpkin in a can.) What you can buy for pumpkin isn't even the type that are used for pies in the States. In Italy they call those Halloween pumpkins and you cannot buy them to eat. So, what you can buy is actually a squash and it is not very sweet. I didn't get a taste of the sweet potato pie much to my disappointment, but everyone seemed to like it and it looked very yummy. This year the stuffing had sausage in it along with pear and fennel. That sounds really good to me, but I guess it would not have been too good for my stomach. I don't think it could be any worse than some of the things I eat outside though. Maree made a pear bread, and apple sauce, and candied sweet potatoes. The apple sauce was to substitute for cranberry sauce since you can't buy cranberries here. Unfortunately, no one offered me any of these things to try either. I did get to taste some turkey, however, and it was really good. I hope to have more soon. I don't think there was too much left as we had 12 people here for dinner. The days before Thanksgiving were really hectic for Maree and Jim but boring for me because no one paid any attention to me. Jim and Maree were very busy cooking, cleaning, and shopping. Jim said he shopped for 24 hours straight. I think that was an exaggeration, but I do know that he shopped on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. So many bags came into the house, but to my disappointment, there was nothing in them for me. It was all things for Thanksgiving dinner. I kept hoping to find something for me, and I tried to get attention by jumping up and down and twirling around on my hind legs, but I was just told to stop jumping. I don't think I liked that part of Thanksgiving much , but when all of the guests started to arrive, and the food started to be served then it was fun. I actually got some table food - something which I don't think I have ever had before - and I got a lot of attention. The first people to arrive were Frans and Ingrid, and I had to show them how I can bark and jump up and down. Ingrid tried to teach me not to jump. I didn't like it but I stopped jumping on her. I still jumped on everyone else since they did not seem to know the technique to stop my jumping. Ingrid gave me treats and worked with me on sit. Frans brought a special pan to make a Dutch dessert that was like tiny pancakes. Next Cristina and Massimiliano and their family arrived. I had a great time with their son Federico and his girlfriend, Francesca. They liked to play with me and I liked chewing Federico's fingers because they tasted like turkey and gravy. Graziella and Alessia and family arrived last. When they came in, I raced out the door into the night. Jim ran out to get me and Maree was coming out too since I usually just think this is a chase game and I never come when I am called unless Maree tempts me with green beans. But tonight, all of the action was in the house, so I turned around and ran full speed back in. Of course, I don't like the dark anyway and tonight it was not only dark but also very foggy. Alessia brought her son, Alessio, who is five years old just like my Charlie back in California. I liked playing with him, but it made me miss Charlie and Rafe even more. I do get to see Charlie and Rafe on the computer once a week, but it is not like being able to jump on them and lick their bellies. After what was hours of eating, everyone finally left, and the plates were piled high in the sink. I sat there thinking how much fun it was having a house full of people all of whom played with me. As a matter of fact, I heard Alessia tell Maree, "I really like Dino." In the end, I decided that I like this thing called Thanksgiving. It's too bad it only comes once a year because I sure liked the turkey. As I contemplated the meaning of Thanksgiving, I realized that I am thankful for my family and friends. I am also thankful to have a yard to play in with lots of grass and branches to eat. But I hope one day to return to California and my family and friends there. I am missing dog park time a lot. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving, Louie. Your pal in Italy, Dino Dear Snowy,
Thanks so much for your recent letter. I would have replied earlier, but Maree has been sick and I had to wait until her fingers were ready to do the typing again. I just can't seem to make these paws hit the right keys. They need to make a paw friendly keyboard I think. What is with these computer geeks anyway, are they anti-four legged friends? Is this discrimination? Anyway, now, Maree is feeling better, so I can dictate this letter to you. With Maree sick, we haven't done much around here for a week. I have spent my time in the yard digging holes, eating twigs, leaves, grass and just about anything I can find. Digging big holes seems to be my new cure for boredom. After several totally foggy days, the sun is finally back and it is very beautiful here. I like laying in the sunshine out on the patio and watching the world go by. Mostly what has gone by lately is the hunters. When I see them marching down the street in their orange vests, guns on their backs, I run out and bark. But they don't seem to be deterred. They just keep walking. Some of them have dogs with them, but many are alone. I hear that when they are hunting the wild boar though they travel in packs - not the dogs but the men. Well, I guess the dogs do too. I have not seen the "squadra" of hunters here yet, and I am not looking forward to all of those strangers going by my house on my little road and all those bellowing hounds that don't want to give me the time of day. I am really missing the company of some friendly canines. The one thing I have done this week is go to the doctor with Maree. I don't know much about the way the doctor works in American since I have never gone to a people's doctor's office there, but from what I hear it is rather different. Here, the local doctor has hours in three different locations. We had a hard time finding his office on Friday night which was not located in our little town but down the hill in a place called Macine di Castelplanio. After driving up and down the street and around the train station, we finally found it. It is very easy to miss. It is in a rather nondescript storefront. There are no signs advertising that it is there It is just set in a row of little shops surrounded by a toy store and tobacchi. Inside is very spartan. There is a tiny little reception area with about 10 little plastic chairs and nothing else - no receptionist to greet you, no television, no paintings, just a couple of old magazines. People go in to see the doctor based on when they arrived. I don't think there is any such thing as a doctor's appointment. When we entered, the seats were basically full and there were a few people standing and waiting also. Maree took the one vacant seat and held my little carrier in her lap. Oh. did I forget to say that I had to go into my little carrier so I could not wander around and smell everything and everyone. I sat quietly and watched and several people asked about me and gave me pets. No one seemed to mind that there was a dog in the doctor's office, not even the doctor or his assistant. When we entered the doctor's office, he acknowledged me and said I was cute. Fortunately, he did not try to pet me because I have a phobia of doctors. But his office did not smell like the doctor's offices I have been to before, and I thought maybe I did not need to be terrified of what might come. Besides, Jim still had not taken me out of my carrier, so I was pretty sure I was not the center of the doctor's attention. The fact that there were no other dogs there also gave me a clue. This was not my visit. Well, I guess whatever the doctor did for Maree is working, because she seems to be on the mend, and she offered to type this for me. By Sunday, Maree felt well enough that we went out to lunch. To get to the restaurant, we had to drive past a town called Montecarrotto. Jim was acting all nervous and grumpy as we approached the town. I wasn't sure why until he turned to Maree and said something about returning to the scene of the crime. Then I remembered hearing a story once about Jim being arrested because he did not have an Italian license to drive. I deduced that this was where that incident happened. Apparently after living here for one year, his California license was no longer valid and he needed an Italian license. So, the police took him to the police station and he had to call a friend to go and drive the car back to the house. He could not use the car for 3 months as the police kept the registration documents, but it became a much longer time before he and Maree could get drivers licenses. Apparently, the driving test in Italy is very difficult and they had to take it in Italian. It seems to be fly and ladybug season here right now. And there are still some bees. I don't think I really understand the whole bee thing. I bat at them with my paw and try to catch them just like the flies, but Maree seems to freak out and shoo them away before I can ever capture one. She also does not approve of me eating the flies. The ladybugs are too small for me to be very interested in, but I must admit that I am curious because they come in different colors here. There are even black ones with red spots. I think they are supposed to be good luck, so I better not tempt fate by trying to paw one of those. Oh, sis, before I go, there is just one more thing to tell you. There do not seem to be a lot of good dog treats here. Maree has had to order some from Amazon.it and they come from a place called England. It could take over a week for them to arrive. In the meantime I could starve to death. I understand that we still have one package that was to be delivered on Halloween that is missing in action. You're lucky to be back in California, which I now think is dog treat heaven. I will be looking forward to coming back to visit and sharing your treats. Putting my best paw forward. Your big brother, Dino Dear Honey,
I'm sorry it took so long for me to write and thank you for your hospitality while I stayed in your guest house. I loved waking up every morning to your barking at the door and waiting for me to come outside to play. I would run to the door and jump up and down until Maree opened it and let me out. That was one of the best weeks of my life so far, and I miss you. I hope I didn't leave too much white fur on your carpet. When we left your Sonoma home, we went back to Benicia for a while, but now I am in Italy. I know, where is Italy you are asking yourself? Well, I can tell you it is far away from California, and there is a very different life here. They don't even speak the same language. We live in an old stone farm house out in the country, and the pace of life is much slower here. The one exception is that people talk so fast your brain just can't keep up with what they are saying. Last night we had quite a downpour. I have never seen it rain so hard, and the noise on the roof was deafening. I went out in the yard and ran around as fast as I could trying to avoid the rain drops. Needless to say, I came in pretty wet. But the best part of that is getting dried by the towel. Towels are one of my favorite toys. You can play tug of war with them and they are pretty tasty too. I think they have different flavors depending on the color. The towel last night was blue. It tasted like blueberries. I liked it's flavor more than the purple pansies I ate in the afternoon. But it was not as good as the zucchini flowers. Next to green beans, I think I like them best. This morning the sun has finally come out and it is the most beautiful morning we have had since we arrived here about two weeks ago. Now I can really see and appreciate the beauty of this place. But today I have to watch out for all of the bees and yellow jackets flying around though. I hear that our neighbor, Fabrizio, has bee hives. Jim's allergic to bee stings, so I am not sure about living next to bee hives. I just hope I never get stung, but I am always putting my nose in the wrong place and trying to pick up crawly things in my mouth. So, I keep Maree pretty busy telling me No. Sometimes I wonder if that is why she named me Dino because it has her favorite word in the name. After the storms we had this past week, my yard is carpeted with mulberry leaves giving the entire place a golden hue. I like running through the leaves, picking them up and tossing them in the air. I like the sound of them as I run through them, and I like the taste of them too. When I run, they reel crinkly under my feet. Outside of my yard all of the hills are very green except where the farmers have plowed their fields and then there is a patchwork of browns and greens. While the olive trees still have all of their leaves, the grape vines are starting to lose theirs and many of the trees are already naked including the bitter almond tree across the street. Its bare branches reach toward the sky and I wonder if it is praying for a mild winter. I hear that last winter was pretty brutal. As a matter of fact, on the forty olive trees on our property, there is not one olive. And that is pretty typical of our area this year. Apparently, a storm in March killed off all of little buds that make the olives. But from what I hear, last winter was not as bad as the first winter Jim and Maree lived here. I hear them telling tales of a Siberian winter where it snowed every day for three weeks. I am a California dog, so I am not sure what snow is, but I am pretty sure that I don't want it to snow that much. Maybe I will need to buy a coat and boots soon. I think I saw a little frost on the grass this morning, so winter is definitely coming and I don't mean on HBO. From my yard, I can see several hill towns, but the closest is Rosora where some of Maree and Jim's friends live and where we go to dinner a lot at Vittoria Il Graditempo. Alessia, the owner, is very nice, and she speaks English so I can understand her. It is a windy road to get to her restaurant, and I don't like being out on that road at night. I think I don't like all of that nothingness that surrounds us as we drive along streets with very few houses and no street lights. I am always wondering what is out there hiding in the dark and thinking a wild boar is going to run out in front of us any minute. There is one thing I do like about living in this very dark and sparsely populated area though. I can see the stars - millions of them. I never knew there were so many stars in the sky. Something called the milky way is very visible overhead and now I can spot the big dipper. Soon maybe I will learn more of the constellations. I am particularly interested in locating the dog star. I have to go now. Some truck just pulled up in front of the house with a box. I hope it is full of dog treats. I have to run and bark now. Hoping to see you again soon, Your Pal in Italy, Dino Dear Snowy,
I heard about your accident and that your cast has been taken off. I hope your leg is as good as new and we can run and play together sometime again. I really enjoyed the day we were able to get together in California. It was so much fun to wrestle and run with you. You are really fast, well, almost as fast as me. Now, I am far away, sister, very far away. So far that I had to fly in a plane to get here. That was an experience that I didn't really enjoy so much as it was almost like being in a cage. I had no space to move and I just had to be still and quiet. If there is one thing that I really don't like and that makes me nervous it is being confined. Maree held me the whole way though, so I was not too nervous. I must admit that I do like all of the cuddling - but don't tell anybody because I don't think boys are supposed to like that. Lately my days in Italy, my new home, have been pretty boring. There has been a lot of rain and fog. The fog here is very weird. Our house sits on a little hill with valleys on both sides and the fog starts in the valleys and rolls up the hill making the entire world grey and invisible. It rolls very fast and quiet more like a panther than little cats feet. It makes the world so silent too almost like you are wearing ear muffs or had cotton in your ears or something. And, you can't see anything. It is eerie, and when I go out into the fog at night, I am very cautious because I don't know what strange creatures might be lurking behind a tree or outside of the fence. Did I tell you that I saw two porcupines the other night. Boy, those spikes they carry look pretty awesome, but I would not want to get into a fight with them. It is hunting season here, and sometimes I see hunting dogs running down the road or down below in the field. They have this funny baying sound. They must be speaking in Italian because I can't understand what they are saying. They all just ignore me. I guess they have something more important on their minds. I hear they are looking for wild boar which live in the woods down below the house. I have not seen a wild boar yet, but sometimes at night I think I might hear their sounds. I don't think I would like being a wild boar. Living in the woods is not my idea of a good time and being chased by those dogs and men with guns is definitely not my preferred lifestyle. In a way, I feel sorry for them. They are just trying to live and raise their young. But apparently they eat all of the farmers grapes and crops and then there will be nothing for anyone to eat and of course, there will be no wine. I have never tasted wine, but I know Maree and Jim like it a lot. I hear wild boar are very fierce. So if I ever see one, I just hope that I am much faster than it is. I am keeping in shape by running circles around in the yard, but it is just not the same as being chased around in the dog park. My friend Louie was really fast, so I always had to run my best to keep up with him. Now I have no competition, so I don't know if I am slowing down. After all, I am one year old now, so maybe I am slowing down? I am really not sure how a one year old is supposed to act. I still feel like a puppy, but am I supposed to be acting grown up now? Well, I have no one here to ask, so I will just go with however I am feeling at the moment. Perhaps I will enjoy acting like a grown up one day, but for now, it is full speed ahead, chew everything, bark a lot, get as much attention as possible, and never let them catch you. I don't know how long hunting season lasts here, but I hope it is not too long because I don't like the sounds of gun shots even if they are far away. It is certainly strange seeing men walking down the street with guns. I always bark at them. I hope they get the idea that I don't approve of them walking down my street, past my house, carrying loaded weapons. Of well, at least since we put the barrier up across the street, they are not parking right in front of our house. Since I am so bored during this period of rain and fog, I have taken up a new hobby. I search for rocks and try to eat them. They really don't taste very good though. I prefer the taste of the patio furniture. But grass and twigs are still my favorite, and with the rain and wind that we had, there are a lot of new twigs in the yard just waiting for me to eat them. Yesterday, the boredom was interrupted by some people from Holland coming to look at the house. The realtor lady was very nice and went out in the yard to throw the ball for me. I know she did this to shut me up because all I was doing was barking and barking at the people. Well the couple looking at the house was very tall. I think the man was going on 7 feet tall and his wife was tall too. The man had a camera and was taking a lot of photos. I don't like cameras. I don't know why. Perhaps it is because they get pointed at me. Or maybe it is because I don't really understand what they are for. Anyway, the man took lots of pictures of the house and he did not once take a picture of me. I guess all of that barking was good for something if it kept me from having my picture taken. I really am camera shy. I hear we have two new brothers and sisters now. I bet they are very cute. Maybe one day I will get to meet them. I hope you are enjoying them. Say hi to Mom and Dad. All the best from Italy, Your big brother, Dino |
AuthorI am Maree, the voice of Dino - or at least I am the one who does the typing. For more information about me and my life in Italy, you can follow me at theproseccoproject.com. Archives
March 2022
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