Daybreak Kennels,
Richfield, Washington

Dear family,

    As summer wanes in the Great Pacific Northwest, we at Casa Doot are battening down the summer gear, and preparing for a long peaceful winter.  Although the days are hot, nights are beginning to chill.  The animals and insects are preparing for a dark, wet, cold season.  Horace, Jr. is getting ready for school, which will begin in a few days.  I went to school once (I graduated early because a Great Dane peed on me).

    Sharon is looking at her garden, wondering about the work that must be done this fall.  Horace is spending more hours at the office, and working on films, and me, I am trying to figure out how to get out of the house more consistently on garbage day.

    Garbage day is one of the best days of the week. It is a time when families up and down the street share their best, smelliest things.  It begins the night before.  Usually with Mr. Driscol.  He is a very intelligent man.  Mr. Driscol gives me bacon and steak.  He is so smart, that almost whenever I smell food, and go to his house, he gives me some, right out of his hand.  Mr. Driscol is almost as smart as the lady who was in the park down the street.  There is a park down the street, and in the summer sometimes people there feed me "hot-dogs."  One lady gave me seven of them.

    Mr. Driscol always starts garbage day first on our street.  He will put his good stuff out by the street, and it is always in a big plastic can, that I can knock over.  But here is the good part.  I usually don't have to knock it over, because Mr. Driscol saves the best stuff and feeds it to me when I get there.

    After I visit Mr. Driscol, then I run over to Jon and Missy's house.  They are really in the spirit of garbage day by the time I get there.  And if their stuff smells really swell, I might even roll in it.  Well it's about time for me to go now.  It is Saturday, and I don't want to miss going to the park.  Sharon has started a new game with me.  I have to eat my "breakfast" before she will let me "go outside" now.  That is a swell idea.  Because by the time I get to the park, my stomach is already stretched out, and that makes more room for more "hot-dogs."  I hope that lady is there again.