Well mom, really, ....really....WHAT WAS THAT!  First you put my crate in the car and then me in the crate while the old man gets to roam the car.  Next you take us both in the building that had the most smells I can ever remember.  You weren't paying attention to me.... I repeat:  you weren't paying attention to me at all!  I had to do something!  Boom...that got your attention.  The old man looked at me in disgust as I watched you take off your shoe and ask the nice lady behind the counter for paper towels.  Somehow you didn't like the smell or the brown stuff on the bottem of your shoe at all; even when we went downstairs in the elevator, you left your shoe outside the building and walked around with only one shoe.  Well, I told you it would make you think of me.  Wait....they are taking the old man away!  No...no...no...NO!  I only pretend I am tired of him.  I don't know what to do with myself.  Don't ever tell him that!  I shall cry and whine, maybe they will bring him back!  There that did it!  Wait...sniff, sniff...he smells like medical smell and his leg is stiff.  They are taking me now!  Old man, old man, what will they do to me!!  Lot's of ladies in blue smocks.  I will struggle....hahaha you can't make me sit still for that silver needle thingy.  Bark, bark, bark, struggle, struggle, struggle....oh darn there is the stick....OUCH!!!! No fair!  Mommmmmmmmm!  They are taking me back to you.  Mom, mom, mom, mom,....don't ever make me do that again... I love you, I am sorry I made you do away with your shoe...Thanks mom for lots of hugs and kisses...I love you!

Toto's Tribute

Dear Mom,

I love writing to you, but today I am writing to the old man.  I have to say that I am grateful you lead the way for me.  I pretend you really bother me and I tease you and I eat your food before mom snatches it back up and I take your toys away, but I only do that because I love you don't you know?  Mom is the only one who understands.  I watch you; I look to you; I adore you; I love you.  Tomorrow it is back to the tease, but for now and today I have to say Happy Birthday to one special old man.  I don't know what I would do without you! 

Love,

Toto

Toto's Tea Party

Dear Mom,

I am all up for cuddling.  I really am.  I understand the girl child loves to hug and snuggle.  I am far older than my two years of age and I already realize that she needs a bit 'o love now and then, but......COME ON!!!!   And you didn't even save me!  Oh I tried to run, really.  I had her chasing me all over the kitchen until the father figure came in and yelled.  And then, .... then you plucked me up and out of my stillness into her arms.  You said it was cute.  You even went and got your camera.  You took a picture.  And all the while I was asking you to save me and you didn't.  Don't you love me mom?  Then later lots of girl children came over and my girl child snagged me again and sequestered me in her room.  I was made to have tea with these dolls that look amazingly life like and they are my size.  They were all dressed up in Colonial garb and clothes from the 70's.  Then I was nice, I really was, to let the girl child show all the other girl children MY entire wardrobe:  a blue snowflake sweater, a grey hoodie (YO, PEACE, out....),  an orange pumpkin costume, a seafoam green merMAN costume, a santa coat with jingle hood....really, REALLY!!!   Then....horrors of horrors I was made ...MADE I TELL YOU...to get snuggled in a blue blanket and tucked into a doll's blue stroller and strolled around the girl child's room.  Mom I am seriously wondering if you love me anymore.  After the girl children went home and the girl child was still in her bed and the house was quiet the old man came up to me.  He whispered in my ear and walked away smiling.  The young mom did that to him when she was the girl child's age!  HA!  Now I don't feel so bad.  I still love you mom!

Love,

Toto

Toto's Tension

Dear Mom,

Well......that was a crazy afternoon!  I was very tense after that the whole day.  The old man was in his crate, as usual, sleeping on his pillow bed.  I felt like something was going to happen.  When I started barking, you said, Shhhcht, like the dog whisperer on TV I like to watch.  I couldn't help it....I just had to bark; something was going to happen.  Then I felt the kitchen floor hum.  It got louder and louder with my barking.  The old man came out of his crate and stared at me.....he is always just staring!  The floor started rumbling and that big brown rectangle of a thing in the foyer with the gold colored swaying circle on a stick starting chiming by itself.  The girl child came over and scooped me up and started crying.  What was going on!  I barked louder and louder.  You ran past the shaking brown desk, got our leashes and we ran outside.  Yay!  Run, run, run, run,.....oh...you wanted to stop in the street where everyone was.  I could feel the ground become still.  Let's just run and run....that was fun!  Mom, I didn't like the big trembly shaking thing!  It makes me nervous!  Will you love me forever, mom?

Love,
Toto

Toto the Terrible

Dear Mom,

I am sorry that I made you and the little girl child chase me all over the neighborhood, but I couldn't help it.  I was enjoying a nice warm nap on the deck, except for barking away all those birds that always fly by.  You are welcome for me keeping them away for you.  I bark really loud and long to do that for you.  The little girl child came out and was bouncing her little round bouncy thing...I was watching her.  It bounced up and over the railing into the yard below.  You told her to go and get it and I was worried for her.  She didn't even let me follow her down the stairs, but closed the gate on her.  I whined and whined until you came out onto the deck.  I really wanted to make sure she was safe.  And then YOU went down the stairs.  You tried to close the deck gate on me, too, but I wasn't going to let that happen!  I had to check on the little girl child and pave a safe journey for you down the stairs and into the yard!  When I got down to the bottom I couldn't help it!  The smell of the grass and wind and trees and the scents of all the animals that ever travel through the yard at night was too much.....I ran!  I ran to be free...I ran to find scents and read the yard...I ran to stretch my legs - I have never run so far (except when I made you chase me last winter in your PJ's at 5 AM)...and I ran just to run!  The little girl child ran the fastest...you are very slow!  Run, run, run, run, run, run....oh wait, a smell...can see the girl child running up to me...now run again!  Run, run, run....oh wait, a rabbit must have been here....again that girl child coming up ...and take off!  Run, run...oh wait, I must claim this tree...oh...not done yet....and here comes the girl child!  She caught me!  The father figure came out on the deck to see what was going on and was very loud again.  Well, at least I got to get a ride back in your arms, mom.  Didn't you like carrying me all the way home?  Don't you just love me?  I love you mom!

Love,
Toto

To'to's Tail

Dear Mom,

I hope you are noticing my tail.  It goes up and around like a donut and an "O" for Toto.  The old man's tail is just straight like a carrot.  He says, with his British accent to my cockney accent, that they are supposed to look straight like a carrot.  Well, I am different I tell you.  Hey mom!  Look at me and I will wag my tail for you!  Oh wait, don't walk by with all that laundry...stop and notice me!  Oh darn, there you go.  I will follow you down to the basement.  Down, down, down, leap, leap, leap, ...stairs are fun.  Oh yeah...I forgot for a second that I was trying to get you to notice me and my tail!  Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk in front of mom, beside mom, in front of mom....oops...sorry....didn't mean to make you spill that laundry!  Okay you looked at me so tail do your stuff!  Oh wait, you just turned around.  Here we go upstairs again.  Up, up, up, up...sit on the landing 'til you get there....up, up, up, up.  Now will you notice me?  Kitchen!  Toast....oh the glory of the golden cooked bread with the yellow stuff melting in.  Oh!  A piece for me?  Just for me?  The old man isn't up yet.  Okay....wag, wag, wag my tail!  Mom you are the best!  I love you mom!

Love,
Toto

Toto the Tattletale

Dear Mom,

Mom!  Did you see that?  I barked for you and you didn't come.  The old man just decided to claim the family room rug right there!  I do NOT want to get blaimed for that again.  I did NOT do that this time.  Mom!  Whine, whine, bark, bark.  Oh wait here comes the girl child.  She is watching the old man finish the claim.  Wait!  Bark, bark, whine, chase tail.  Little girl child, little girl child, did you see that?  Okay....and he is just walking away.  What IS this?  You JUST took us out for our morning jaunt.  The old man can't have this room.  I own this room.  It is where the father figure wrestles with me and where mom holds me and where the little girl child bounces the round chewy rubbery thing with the yellow fuzz on it for me and where the wise one talks to me and where the young mom teaches me.....I own this room.  FINE....I will try and claim the room, too.  Where, where, where....oh, on top of the old man claim...that is where I will stake MY place!  Haha!  Oh no.....here comes the father figure....and he is loud again.  Okay, really....I get out one drop on top of this whole wet spot from the old man and I get blamed!  I didn't do it, really I didn't.....Wait, here comes mom! She will stick up for me!  I love you mom!

Love,
Toto