<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)">
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple>
<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal>It’s me again – Norm!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Well, Mom finally got home from TAXES and I am back on the
grid. Mom said the trip to TAXES was really “ugly” and my
Grampa person has a bad case of rabies. Things were okay here at home with Dad
in charge, but it sure wasn’t the same without Mom. You see, Dad is
a terrier and Mom is a basset. Dad keeps a “schedule” –
and boy do I mean a SCHEDULE! We eat breakfast at 8:00 AM sharp, we go
outside at 8:30 AM, we take a nap at 1:00 PM, we eat dinner at 5:00 PM …
we even have times to p … - well, you get the idea. With Mom, it is
MUCH more relaxed and basset-like! Besides, Dad is kind of bony and not
fluffy and Mom is fluffy, so her lap is a lot more snuggly and soft. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>When Mom got home, we all ganged up on her and almost
knocked her down. She hugged and kissed us all and then we did the “rotating
lap” thing. One of us would get in her lap for lovin’ for a
few minutes, then someone else would get a turn. This went on for
2542387054 nickzillion hours. Everybody took turns nicely – except Grady.
He kept cutting in line and getting “doubles”. When he didn’t
get doubles, he got grumpy and yelled at me. Then – Mom made him go
to “time-out” – heheheh – then I got doubles! You
know, Grady is a real PITA sometimes – that is what Mom calls him.
I think that means he is some kind of bread – I don’t understand it
but since Mom says he is a PITA, he must be.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>The next day, Mom and Granny Pat loaded up the house on
wheels and we went on a road trip. We were suppose to leave in the
morning, but we had to wait until the afternoon ‘coz there were bad
storms. Since Granny Pat had the famous Sponge Bob Square Pants trailer
roll-over accident, she isn’t too excited about driving in windy and
stormy weather. She says one roll-over accident in a lifetime is MORE
than enough! So, after the storm passed, we hit the road. And we
drove – and drove – and drove – 423409 nickzillion
miles. Then Mom set up our travelling yards and Granny Pat got our house
on wheels ready for habitation. And, you aren’t going to believe
this – Mom entered a wet T-shirt contest. When she was setting up
our yards, it started raining. Granny Pat said it was raining cats and
dogs – but I didn’t see any cats – just lots of water!
So, picture this – fluffy Mom running around in the rain, setting up our
travelling yards, dripping wet! YHEW – not pretty!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>On Saturday and Sunday I was in the dog show. Mom wasn’t
happy ‘coz on Saturday, my “flag” was at half-mast. On
Sunday, it was so hot that I didn’t want to do anything but go lay under
the shade tree in the ring. Mom and Granny Pat didn’t get to
drink any Margrets ‘coz I didn’t win. Then on the way home,
the other guys were mad at me ‘coz we didn’t get to go to DQ
either! Oh well, I had fun and got lots of pets! <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>I am still doing the happy dance ‘coz Mom is home and
there is no place like home!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Drools to ya!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Norm (and the rest of the Red Bay Gang)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Grady, Hoagie, Johnny and Opie<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Sandi Wittenberg – Mom to the Red Bay Basset Boys<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>