The Adventures Of Caruthers P. Davenport

Abbot and Pickles

2012-01-22T09:58:00.009-06:00

It was a quiet and snow-covered day as Abbot celebrated his second made-day. I like that we are both two years old, the same age again. However, Abbot refuses to recognize numbers when he counts, so when I say we are 2, he says we are green. Or red, or yellow, or blue. Whichever color he is feeling happiest about in the moment. I find his way of counting unusual. But then again, I find many things about him unusual. That's why I like him so much, I must confess.
In honor of this occassion, our maker, who not only made US, made cookies for Abbot's made-day. Abbot and I sad to say, as in the incident of my birthday cake, are now banned from the kitchen any time there is dough involved. I am hoping one day out maker lets us back into the kitchen when dough is involved, as I so much like eating dough and batter, almost as much as I like what comes forth from the oven. Our maker did allow Abbot to be NEAR the cookies as they cooled, which is a good sign.

Abbot actually was allowed to scoop a few cookies from the hot baking sheet, which he did with aplomb....right before his energy caused him to flip a cookie halfway across the room, right into the pocket of our maker's son's coat. Abbot gargled a little, then winked at me. I think it was all a plan.

Abbot posed by his made-day stack of chocolate chip cookies, his OWN stack that no one was allowed to touch. I wasn't sure if he would share his stack, so I made sure I remembered the coat pocket cookie, and hoped he would forget about it. Of course, as the day progressed, that did not happen. He guarded that cookie like a dog guards a bone. Or an elephant guards a peanut.

Our maker bought Abbot a few gifts that she was sure he'd love. One was a cactus. And even though warned about the prickles, Abbot put his arm around his new friend. I asked Abbot what he would name his new friend, and wondered if Abbot would take the pet cactus everywhere he went, as he does with his pet cockroach Stanley 2. Abbot looked quizzical, pondering having to give a name to another friend. "Pickles," he said. "PRickles, you mean, right?"I asked. "No," he said, "Pickles.....my second favorite food. And Stanley is a 'second' too, so that makes sense." Then he asked me, "Why would anyone name a cactus 'PRickles'? Isn't that kind of a mean name?" "Only to you," I said to Abbot.

So, Abbot had to "pet" Pickles.....carefully. He didn't seem to mind the prickles, however.

"I want to take him for a walk!" Abbot exclaimed. Our maker got a pretty ribbon and tied one around Pickles and one around Abbot's arm, but it became apparent that Pickles did not care for the stairs so he was air-lifted by our maker down the stairs.

Abbot also received a pair of fancy shoes and a sparkly black purse, both of which he did not have to name, thank goodness. He said he has big plans for the sparkly purse, but the shoes were not really his style, and a tad uncomfortable for his straight feet. Not wanting to be a slave to fashion, he said our maker could wear them whenever she wanted.

Happy made-day to the most unusual, funny, silly, nonsensical monster I have ever known.

Until next time.

Merry Christmas Cards!

2011-12-19T12:07:00.006-06:00

It was a chilly December morning. Abbot and I had finished our breakfast of pancakes and hot cocoa, and our chores, which consisted of dusting the house. I could never understand why we were summoned to spread dust all about the house, but such is our job. And if you ever visited here you would find that Abbot and I do a splendid job. There is dust EVERYWHERE! My maker, sensing our chill, asked us to follow her to her sewing room where she removed a beautiful box from her shelf. We were excited to see inside and when she opened it we found our lovely winter clothing from last year. How thrilling to put it on again! Then she told us it was time for a Christmas project because Christmas was on it's way. Abbot and I had no idea what it would be, but we watched bubbling over with glee, as she gathered all her supplies and we pulled up our chairs to see what was happening. First, she had a wobbly piece of a white rectangle and she said she was going to carve into it with sharp tools. This was not a job for Abbot and I, but we could watch. We watched her scrape away the rubbery material until what was left behind was an image of a pine tree. A Christmas tree! Now it was our turn to help. My maker let me draw a picture onto another smaller wobbly rectangle and she carved that one too. The next part was even more exciting. She propped us up on the counter top because we were going to do something called block printing. The wobbly thing she just carved was now the block and we would be rolling ink onto it and making a print of the block onto a blank card.

The inks smelled funny to me but my maker loved the smell. But, then again, she likes how Abbot smells when he's wet. I couldn't wait to roll the ink! I had to be very careful not to get the ink on myself, however, it was washable so wouldn't do any harm if I got a few splotches here and there on myself.

My maker squirted some green ink onto a sheet of glass, and added in a little shimmery gold ink to make it sparkle. I rolled the ink onto the glass until it made a sound like sticky tape being removed from a package. Abbot did not like the sound and he tried to cover his ears by pulling his hat down farther, but his hat will only pull down so far. My maker said she needed to take over from here, so Abbot and I watched as she rolled the ink onto the block. The block turned green in all the spaces except where she carved! It looked like a Christmas tree! She then put the blank card carefully on top of the block and rubbed it. She let us help with the rubbing, which Abbot loved so much he pretended to do it all day, long after we were finished with our project.

We made all of these cards and tags from one little block! I drew a snowman on my block and I loved how it looked in GREEN! My maker said we could use these blocks over and over again and make thousands of cards if we wanted!

Then we tried some red ink. Red with a little silver mixed in. We rolled it out and listened for that sound again.

I couldn't decide if I liked the red or the green snowman best, and I wondered about making a blue one, or a white one on black paper. My maker must have heard me because she said, "Maybe next time, Caruthers. Right now I have to make some cookies, wrap some presents, make some monsters, and do some laundry." My maker...she's always so busy. Sometimes TOO busy, but Abbot and I are always happy to watch her on the go.

Have a very Merry Christmas everyone, and Peace and Joy to all of you. I feel warm and full of love all the way down into my tummy. And Abbot....well...his tummy is full of chocolate.

Until next time.

Contemplations of a Second MadeDay

2011-11-13T11:54:00.004-06:00

A few pictures from my MadeDay. I have a lot of thoughts to share, but first I want to show my wonderful cake that my maker made. Abbot and I were shunned from the kitchen after Abbot almost fell into the mixing bowl. We were told to go sit and watch television until the cake was made. We kept sneaking back into the kitchen, however, to take peeks. I don't think my maker saw us. And can I just say how unfair it was that she got to lick the bowl?

After the cake was complete Abbot and I were told to stay away from it until after dinner, but we couldn't help sticking our "fingers" in the frosting and having a taste. Abbot kept licking and licking, leaving one side of the cake bald. It was tricky to fix it back up before my maker noticed. Let it be a lesson to her not to leave a yummy chocolate cake unattended with 2 chocolate hungry monsters in the house. There should be a warning label.

It was all I could do to have my picture taken on my second MadeDay without stuffing my entire face into the delicious cake.

Abbot had to wash himself clean of evidence before this was taken. There was a lot of soap and water involved, and a smallish scrub brush pandered from the family dog, who keeps close tabs on its location. We had to force a deal with the dog, but I think it was worth it. Other than his ears being a little crinkly, and a LOT of gargling that had to be subdued while washing his belly, Abbot looks pretty fresh and clean.

So, having been in existence for 2 years, and observing what goes on around me in this world I have to say most of what I see is good.....happiness, kindness, and friendliness are three of the greatest virtues in this world. There is also a lot of bad. Selfishness, greed, and anger are the three most common vices of which I have been witness. There is also plenty of struggle within the human condition, a lot of which I do not understand. I think it should be so easy to be happy all the time....surrounded by friends.......it seems so simple. But oftentimes the things that are most simple take the most amount of work. This has been a difficult concept for me to understand, but I think it is because humans think an awful lot. And thinking is not necessarily a bad thing, but they seem to be preoccupied with protecting themselves and the things they hold dear, that they lose sight of what is simple. And what is so clear to one human often is not so clear to another. I suppose if everyone was of like mind life COULD be simpler, but that is just not the case. And, after some contemplation, I think maybe it is best not all humans think alike, because the world would look as if it was painted all one color. Colors are what make life enjoyable. Just open a fresh box of colored pencils or Crayolas and watch yourself smile. Colors are the creativity and laughter and makers of diverse, new ideas. So, what IS the secret then, to simplicity? And WHY can't life be simpler? No one really knows. My maker doesn't know. But maybe, just maybe while we're trying to figure it out, we should marvel in all the colors, even the dark ones....the dark ones that trap us and make us feel sad.....because when you rub at them a little, and tickle them, eventually new colors emerge from underneath. I like being green, and I like that Abbot is green, but I wouldn't want everyone to be like me. I want to see and enjoy all the colors. Because THAT seems simple.

Until next time.

It's Showtime!

2011-09-26T17:49:00.014-05:00

I don't know what it is about the fall that I love more: the leaves falling like little pieces of heaven or accompanying my maker on her trips to annual fall art shows. Though I am merely less than 2 years old, and haven't experienced a whole lot, even my second romp at The Country Living Fair in Columbus, OH, was more than I could ask for. Add my dear friend Abbot and I always know I'm in for a great adventure. So much to do and see. My maker, however protective of Abbot and I, allows us a little scurrying when we are there. She worries, but we always come back to her side. We posed for this photo by the antiquated outhouse. I had to explain this concept to Abbot, who understands very little when it comes to humans, and with a wide toothy grin he understood that an outhouse was not really a house at all....not a very nice place to PLAY.

My maker brought her wares, rather her folksy dollies that look surprisingly like Abbot and I, to this show to sell under the Earth Angels Toys Tent of Delights. I liked being under a tent because it reminds me of all I've read about camping. And I reiterate "READ ABOUT CAMPING" because my maker and nature don't always get along. Ahhhhh, to go camping. I wonder if I will ever get a chance? The Earth Angels Tent of Delights was brimming with customers and laughter. No one left the tent without a smile.

Abbot and I escaped any time we could. The Tent of Delights was indeed delightful, but we longed to stretch our legs and imaginations. We stopped at the infamous pumpkin pile and tried to blend in. We sat very very still until an unsuspecting child came to pose for a photo, then we wiggled, jumped, or otherwise maneuvered our way into a photo whenever we could. I wonder if anyone noticed? However, our fun came to a halt when Abbot, finding sitting still too tedious, tried to slide down the pile only to bring a tumbling of gourds behind him. You can bet we ran from there, lickety split.

We found a booth chock full of skirts. Perfect to hide behind. I boosted Abbot up onto the hanging rack, then climbed aboard myself, clipping us onto a hanger. Being such bright and colorful monsters, we blended right in with these colorful skirts. The owner eventually found us when Abbot sneezed on a customer who was thumbing through the rack. There was a faint scream by the customer, then a scowl as she walked away. The skirt booth owner approached to see what the ruckus was all about and found Abbot and I clipped onto the hanger. I have to say it hurt after she took me down, and my ears were blue all day. We told her how much we loved her skirts and wanted to wrap ourselves in the colors. We didn't want to tell her we were hiding because of the Pumpkin Incident of 2011. She placed us on the chair and showered us with lovely skirts that reminded me of a rainbow I had once seen.

Then she took a picture with us. She told us her name was Teri and we could visit whenever we wanted. I brought my maker over there later that day and she bought 2 skirts. Now when I am lonely for Teri's handiwork I can wrap myself again in one of Teri's skirts. Rather, two.

Abbot's tummy was a-growling after a while. We didn't have any money though and couldn't bother our maker to get some. We had to rely on free samples. It didn't take me long to find the hot fudge booth. Katie's famous hot fudge was just what the doctor ordered, had there been a monster doctor present. Abbot climbed the table amidst crowd of people. He grabbed a pretzel and started dipping. One, two, three, four times per pretzel. I told him his behavior was rude, that quadruple dipping is never allowed, and he needed to share with the other people, but his frenzy took hold of him as he cradled the entire cup and then began drinking it straight. It wasn't nice of him, but, knowing my maker's love of hot fudge, I knew she'd be proud.

Having had our fill of chocolate, and wiping our mouths on some nice woman's pink skirt, we smelled a most heavenly smell coming from a booth where there were cinnamon rolls, breads, cookies, and, well, after that we didn't care. Abbot, again, the little gargling troll that he is, climbed atop the table full of cinnamon rolls and grabbed a plastic knife. He tried to pry open a package until I weaseled the knife from his hand. Abbot continued to smother the plastic package, smelling, crushing, and even licking it. I told him we simply could not buy an entire tray of cinnamon rolls, especially if we had no money. The vendors there were so kind, however, that they let us take that package, no questions asked.

We were so sorry for our poor behavior, and so grateful for their generosity, we took a photo by their billboard. The Homestead Bakery from Illinois. Hey, that's the state where I'm from!

The following weekend we were off again to The Country Folk Art Fest in St. Charles, Illinois. There Abbot and I met quite a few new artists and got to pose with them and their art. There were painters and sculptors and papier mache artists. We had a lot of fun getting to know them, and they were all very kind to us....well, most of the time. They didn't appreciate us playing hide and seek under their tables, or pulling on their tablecloths or their pants. They didn't appreciate us playing statue tag on their tables, or eating a fresh frosted brownie and then fondling their creations. We didn't make everyone angry, though.

Joanna liked us very much. She even talked to us and treated us like friends. I'd never eat a frosted brownie at her table. Abbot, well, he's eat a brownie anywhere.

She let me sit next to a beautiful star named Gretel. Gretel gave me a piece of paper with a 10 digit number written on it, but I am not sure what that means. I wonder if it's her distance in light years from the sun, or her gravitational mass times one to the power of 12? I may never know.

Mystelle did gorgeous paintings of faces and figures. She was the happiest soul at the show. I loved her radiant smile and wished I had as many teeth as her. She made me happy just looking at her.

Alan and Donna made whimsical figures out of gourds. Yes! Gourds! They were bright and shiny and most had faces as silly as Abbot's. What fun I had looking at them, and talking to them! One wouldn't think gourds have stories, but do they ever. This alien one in particular. Not only could he keep an entire stash of chocolate safe from predators like Abbot, but he spun some wild tales about his days in the Intergalactic Navy, circa 2279.

Ed was a funny man. I dare say he was almost as funny as Abbot. He made wood sculptures that looked like real humans. They were pretty amazing. Some of them had strange legs and bodies. Some had regular bodies and simple faces. And some frightened me , which I guess was his intention. His attention to detail was second to none, and I must say I longed for a pair of those wooden shoes. The fact that he couldn't get my name right, he kept calling me Smuthers, didn't alter my fondness for him. I thought of it as a term of endearment. And whether he'll admit it or not, I know he liked me too.

Until next time....or next show.

A Place for Music

2011-08-27T19:50:00.010-05:00

Abbot and I recently got to travel to northern Michigan to retrieve my maker's children from the summer camp they had been attending for 6 weeks. The daughter was a camp counselor, having been a student at this camp two years in her past, and the son was a student at this camp. They lived in the woods of Michigan, in Interlochen to be exact, which is also the name of this world famous camp where students can go to become more proficient at their art. In my maker's children's case, they are string musicians and chose Interlochen Arts Camp to spend their summer leaning more about their violin and cello, and playing in an orchestra.

Abbot and I were tired after sitting in the car for such a long drive from Illinois that we were happy to get out and sit on a bench under the trees, while my maker opened the door to this cabin, our home away from home for a few days.

My maker, Abbot and I roamed the area that made up the camp, exploring all the while. We stopped in a practice hut to plink a few notes on a grand piano. All the practice huts on this road had pianos such as these, all wrapped in foam to protect them from bumps, bruises, and humidity. Abbot and I were not very good pianists, but we enjoyed listening to students that were.

All along this road of practice huts, the dramatic and angelic sounds of the pianos echoed throughout the forest. It was magical and serene listening. Abbot and I just had to stop and soak it all in.

The sounds coming from this stone hut were so soothing (my maker said the student was playing Beethoven) that we could have sat here all day.

There was a beautiful lake that the arts camp rests beside. Some wood had been thrown into this pit for a fire later in the evening. The loons were singing, and the gulls were calling, and music, either choirs, orchestras, bands, or small ensembles filled the gentle breezes with heavenly sound.

We stopped to have our photo taken with Pan, a sculpture dedicated to the arts camp's devotion to music and visual art.

Later in the weekend we were able to go to Traverse City on Lake Michigan. Abbot and I could certainly not balance on this rail without falling into the lake, so some strong hands held us in place. Ouch. I still have a few bruises. But my maker was adamant that we NOT fall into the lake!

Oh, and the weddings that day! We saw at least 3 of them, photographing near the lake just as we were. As we were leaving the lakeshore, we saw this lovely horse drawn carriage. We wanted to sit with the bride and groom, but the horse driver didn't think it was a good idea. She thought we were too sweet for any photos with a bride and groom, so she let us sit with her for a solo shot. The horses names were Cindy and Duke and we pet them for a while until Duke tried to bite Abbot's eyelashes. Abbot, I am afraid, will never go near a horse again.

After a full day of fun in Traverse City, we stopped at Moomers, the very best homemade ice cream in the midwest. Abbot had strawberry and I had, what else, chocolate! We were very careful not to spill on ourselves, just as careful as we were last summer at Ben and Jerry's in Vermont.

It was a fun little trip up to northern Michigan and we ended our final evening at Interlochen with a concert that has been closing the arts camp season since it's first year. Les Preludes was played by the orchestras and bands in one giant ensemble, and after that, the Interlochen Theme. My maker's eyes teared up and I did not know why. She looked at me and said, "Caruthers, this is my last child who will ever attend this camp as a student, and it makes me sad to see him grow up, but it makes me happy too because he is so wonderful and has an amazing life ahead. I am sad because I will never be back here to hear this beautiful music ever again. Usually in life days pass and milestones happen, and it is sad to see them go away forever. But there are always more good things ahead, so we musn't be too sad. Do you understand?" I wasn't sure I did, but I nodded anyway. I have only been in being for just under 2 years and I guess I have a lot to learn. But as sad as this occassion was, I knew my maker would be happy to have her children home again. And I would be too. It had been very quiet around the house without the sounds of their voices and instruments. That's what I miss the most when they're away....sound.

Until next time.

Fun on the 4th

2011-07-06T09:59:00.012-05:00

Independence Day was upon us again! The fun! The noises! The food! And even better, the PARADE FLOAT! This is the second year my maker's family has helped another family create a float in the Elgin 4th of July Parade. This year the theme of the parade was Toys on Parade, but being dubbed "People That Make Patriotic Floats" they wanted to design a float about toys, but also be partiotic. Abbot asked me what it means to be patriotic, and I wasn't completely sure. But I surmised by day's end, we would know.

As the float builders scurried about putting their thoughts into reality, Abbot and I found these funny wigs and a hat that we had to try on. My maker said those funny wigs were similar to the type of hair and costume we may have seen on July 4, 1776, the day the United States declared its independence from Britain. She said Ben Franklin had a bald head and long hair on the sides. He was a partiot, she told us. The other wig, and the hat, were similar to what George Washington wore, our first American president. We just thought they looked funny, and Abbot gargled for about 20 minutes when Ben's hair got tangled on one of my button eyes. We lounged in the chair and watched them flit about like bees, moving gigantic toys hither and yon so that the float would be a perfect balance of proportion and color. Abbot and I were quite sure we didn't fit into the color scheme, but when we were told by our maker that we would play a vital role on the float we were ecstatic!

Would we get to ride the bike that would spin the gigantic top? Would we get to throw the beach ball around, or sit on top of it? Would we get to wear those funny wigs or wave our flags?

Either way, Abbot and I were thrilled we'd be included, and all the children would see us and hopefully not be frightened. My maker's daughter played Paul Revere, another patriot, who rode the bike that looked like a horse, and warned the crowd, "The beachballs are coming! The beachballs are coming!" And my favorite, "One if by lemonade, two if by sunscreen!" But I didn't really understand why those sentiments were so well received by the crowd. Must be some sort of patriot humor I don't quite understand.

Just before the parade began, Abbot turned to me and pulled on my ear, which I've gotten accustomed to when he wants my attention, and asked me in his telepathic manner, "What do we get to do on the float?" My maker must have heard him because she called out to us and told us to come to the back of the float. There, tied to the giant wagon that became the base of the float, was a smaller wagon just big enough for us! My maker tied us in securely so we would not bounce out. She gave us sparkly garlands and told us to be careful because she would not be able to see us through the whole parade. That kind of scared me, and I think it scared her too, but she had members on the float check on us from time to time. I sat very still for the whole ride even though it was hot, but Abbot, true to form, squirmed like a tied up monster would and longed to run with the children and chase down the candy being strewn from other floats. I made him behave though by reminding him of where we got to go after the parade.

It was so wonderful to relax by a pool after a long morning. Abbot and I cannot get wet, of course, but just feeling the breeze off the cool water made for a very pleasant afternoon. One of my maker's family members had just put a pool into their yard and we were all thankful they let us come swim and spend the afternoon eating and playing cards, of which my maker's family never gets enough.

We arrived at our seats for the band show and fireworks display rather early. Abbot was able to run around with some children, and who knows what else he did, because when he returned to our seats he had broken his sunglasses and had a tummy ache. He wanted to wear his glasses anyway because he said last year the fireworks hurt his eyes. The noises he liked, however, because he said they remind him of the drums in the music our maker likes so much. And speaking of DRUMS.....

Abbot was SO excited about loud noises that he begged our maker to introduce him to the drummer for the DeKalb Municipal Band, Joe, who does such a great job keeping time for the big band ensemble every year. After a little harmless prodding Joe agreed to take a picture with us. He let us hold his fancy drumsticks. Abbot wondered why Joe's drumsticks didn't look like the ones on the Thanksgiving dinner table and was a little disappointed. We thanked him anyway, and as we walked away we thought maybe he wasn't used to seeing monsters in broad daylight.

Abbot kept his glasses with one lens poked out perched on his face the entire fireworks display. He closed one eye and only looked through the one lens with the one open eye, then turned the glasses around to let the other eye see, so both eyes got to see the fireworks equally. It was only fair, he said.

After the wonderful fireworks display my maker carried us back to the car. I realized I did not learn that day what a patriot was. I whispered to my maker, "How will I ever know what a patriot is?" She answered me, "Caruthers, do you love your country?"

"Yes," I said. "It is where you are. It is where my family is. It is where I want to be. Does that mean I love it?"

"I think so, Caruthers," my maker said. "Any citizen who loves his or her country is a patriot in my book. And any citizen who strives to make his or her country a better place to live is a patriot too. Our soldiers and armed men and women who protect us from harm are the ultimate patriots because they love their country enough to die for it. They are the bravest of all. Do you undertsand?"

"I think so," I said sleepily. My ears were ringing from the loud booms. Abbot was asleep in the crook of my maker's other arm. He rarely ponders life. I guess that's one reason I like him so much though.

Happy Independence Day United States of America!

Sweet Sunshine and Gardens Galore

2011-05-08T11:05:00.010-05:00

Winter has been especially brutal this year, according to the scuttlebutt around here. The poor weather has been the reason for the lack of stories recently. There was just nothing to report as the rain came down and the cold lingered for far too long this year. But eventually the seasons turn, as I knew they would. Convincing my maker of that and trying to raise her spirits has been a full time job this spring. But on Friday, finally, she smiled, put on a skirt, and took Abbot and I to the most beautiful garden center in the world. I jumped out of the car and took in the glory of the surroundings.....pots, plants, dirt, flowers, trees, yard ornaments, they had it all to explore. I climbed into the first planter I saw, right under the "open" sign at the entrance to the center.

Abbot couldn't climb nearly as high as I could and pushed some pots around to make a sort of stairway into the iron planter he liked. He blended right in with all the green ware, under the sign in which the street names were painted. We both donned our garden hats, Abbot with a giant flouncy one, and I going for a more classic style. We also wore our gardening aprons to keep us clean of dirt. Mine was legitimate, with pockets for seeds and tools. Abbot wore a vintage napkin tied with a snappy red chord. He didn't know the difference, and that's just as well, let me say.

Although we loved the beautiful plants and flowers, we were more excited about climbing in and out of pots. And running from the bugs. Abbot's friend Stanley 2, the cockroach that never leaves his pocket, escaped for a brief hour and made friends with some interesting bugs....centipedes, worms, beetles, and slugs. A bee tried to fly in to check out what was happening, but Stanley 2 cowered and made his way back into Abbot's pocket. Stanley then regaled us with his stories about the bugs and how no one understands them. They apparently live in constant fear of shoes. While Stanley 2 was on the prowl, Abbot and I catapulted ourselves into this planter using a rake, a garden hose, and a lucky step by one of the garden workers......well, it was lucky for US anyway. Not too sure about the garden worker. She went off running, holding her bloodied nose. The planter was high up so we could see all around. It was a good thing Stanley 2 returned to us because we simply could not find him.

The sunshine was glorious. I basked in this bright yellow pot while Abbot took in the rays on the bench. Our maker was off collecting an armful of plants she would later bring home and place in the soil.

There was so much to see! We enjoyed strolling arm in arm like old friends in a Hollywood movie, smiling at all who passed us by. Some of them walked briskly past us, assumingly frightened. We didn't know why.

All at once Abbot's hat blew off his head and we chased it like it was being pulled on a string by a silly jokester. Every time we reached for it, the wind took it again, and again, until....oh no....right into the pond. It lay atop the water like a lily pad, its felt flowers slowly taking in the water. I ran to my maker who had her arms full of plants, and yanked on her skirt. She dropped everything, and there was quite a commotion, and quite a few stares, as I thought I heard someone cluck and say, "Why can't people control their children?" I tried not to care. Abbot's hat was sinking in the abyss and I certainly couldn't go fish it out! I pulled on my maker's skirt, urging her to come and see. When she saw the hat in the pond slowly descending she grabbed a stick, leaned against the rocks, hovering the water, and fished the hat out just as it was about to sink. She shook it off and it dried quickly. Abbot and I then sat patiently by the pond. There were 2 beautiful mermaids perched on the rocks by the waterfall. They didn't have any clothes on, however, and Abbot was too bashful to say hello. I said hello, but when they didn't answer, or MOVE, I realized they were only statues, and my lifelong dreams of meeting a real mermaid were in vain.

My maker made her final purchases of succulents and herbs, and placed them carefully in the car. We posed for this one last portrait, a portrait for an afternoon well spent in the outdoors. Welcome spring. We are so glad you finally came. You are always worth the wait.

Until next time.

A very special thank you to Blumen Gardens, Sycamore, IL. By far the most beautiful garden center in the world. If you're ever in the area, it is worth the stop.

Color Forms

2011-03-23T10:39:00.008-05:00

(This one is for my maker's mom who loved my stories so much.)
I always love to get in the car. Strapped into my seatbelt, nose at the window, I always know I am in for some fun. Abbot bounced in his seat like a rubber ball. My maker's very tiny car bounced down the road with equal delight. The car gets to go everywhere, though, and Abbot and I barely go anywhere. This is fine with me, however. Such is the life of a monster. We remain hidden most of the time. But this day was different. I wondered where we were heading as I watched the farm fields turn to neighborhoods and the neighborhoods to the shopping district. As I thought about this my maker said, "Caruthers, I am taking you and Abbot on a great adventure. The fruits of this adventure my family will live with for quite some time, so you and Abbot need to concentrate and make the best decision possible. Can you do that?" I nodded to her that I could. Abbot shook his head. He meant "yes" but still has not figured out the whole answering with one's head thing. My maker tossed into the back seat our trusty bandannas. "Here," she said, "Put these bandannas on your ears. They will help you get in the mood." I took the green one and handed the black one to Abbot. But he was adamant that he would NOT be putting any bananas on his ears. "Not bananas, Abbot," my maker called from the driver's seat, "banDANnas. A cloth you put over your ears to keep the dust out when you work." Hmmmm, I thought. We were going someplace to WORK?

When we walked into the Sherwin Williams store it didn't LOOK like we were going to work here. It was shiny and clean and COLORFUL. After a few well regarded and confirmed stares Abbot and I gave a quizzical look to our maker. She lead us over to a wall display that was loaded with colorful cards, and on the cards were colorful colors in every shade of the rainbow. My maker helped us up onto the counter top and said, "Caruthers and Abbot, I need you to choose a color for my bathroom. It has been 11 years since I painted last and I'm ready for a change." Abbot and I were so excited we began scouring the cards for the perfect color. What makes the perfect color? Is it a question of philosophy, emotion, physicality, ambiance or all of these? I had never really pondered the meaning of color. I have watched my maker work, however, and I don't think she ponders the meaning of color either. After she arranges a design for a doll or a monster (or a purse, curtain, quilt, or blanket), she always stands back, looks at it from afar and nods her head yes, or shakes her head no, and then changes something. Maybe color and design is just what looks good to a person, with no meaning intended at all. Could it be that simple?

Abbot chose an orange color. He said it reminded him of orange Popsicles, which reminded him of summer, which reminded him of being warm, which reminded him of blankets, which reminded him of winter, which reminded him of summer, which reminded him of orange Popsicles. "That's a good color Abbot," my maker said. "But we already have that color in our hallway. Let's try another one."

I liked this green. I was certain there was a stripe of color in my nose that was this color, and it made me feel happy. Green is such a happy color. But so are yellow, red, blue, orange, purple, and a jaunty plaid. I was feeling so indecisive. I knew I'd be no good at picking one color. I wanted more than one. I wanted all of them! I told my maker that she'd have to let me pick about 14 colors, or make the choice herself if she wanted only one. Abbot and I couldn't decide. She took out two color cards that were similar in color. Both were bluish-green. She set them on the counter and Abbot and I tried to see a difference. Finally I could see one color had more blue and the other color more green, like Abbot's face after he tried a bite of a sardine and found out what it was.

When we arrived home again (after stopping for a few bags of chocolates, in which we were not permitted to come into the store and Abbot howled for 10 minutes, so loudly that people stopped to check our car as to what was making that noise) we started our painting project. My maker had to be very careful with Abbot and I around the paint. Water is one thing, but it dries clear. Paint, however, would never leave our fabric bodies. I helped paint the edges of the walls, until I started dripping paint all over the cabinets and lost my job. 2 minutes never felt so fun.

Abbot and I were then given tape duty. We were to unroll and stick the tape to the surfaces that we did not want paint to touch, like the baseboards, counter top, and window frames.

Yet, it was another exercise in futility. Abbot didn't want any paint on himself, however, so I guess it could have been deemed a successful account.

After the edging was complete it was time to roll the paint onto the big empty spots that remained on the walls. My maker was excited. She let us pose for this photo but in no way would she allow us into the bathroom once that tray was filled with paint. Abbot and I watched from the hallway as the drab, boring, off-yellow bathroom transformed into a beautiful bluish-greenish oasis. Abbot says greenish-bluish, but then again, he doesn't know a head nod from a head shake. I can't wait to watch the next room get transformed. I just hope it will be in 14 colors and not one.

Until next time.

Hide-ie Ho-tel!

2011-02-20T17:20:00.011-06:00

Abbot and I recently enjoyed a road trip with our maker to visit her daughter. This was the second trip for me to this hotel, however, this trip Abbot and I got to do a little "exploring". After a nice meal at The Olive Garden (my maker's daughter's favorite place to dine while she is away in college) my maker and her daughter played hide and seek with us in the hotel. Now, I know Abbot and I have played before in the pumpkin patch, but this was so much more fun getting to hide WITH Abbot and have my maker and her daughter find US! Some of the places we hid were just silly and in plain sight, and others we had to think a little bit more about not getting found. In some circumstances we tried to "blend in", but, in all fairness, 2 monsters in a hotel were a little easy to spot no matter where we tried to hide.
For instance, the ice machine was a little uncomfortable, and not to mention cold. And the fact that Abbot got a few cubes thrust into his pockets didn't help keep him silent. We were found almost immediately.
Riding the elevator was a thrill. Abbot and I kept it occupied for well over 10 minutes before we were found. Since we are so small controlling the buttons to operate the door was a challenge, and most folks who entered the car were a little unsure they wanted to ride with us. I can't imagine why.
Hiding atop the drinking fountains, I told Abbot, was not a very good hiding place. But he was certain no one would see us due to their thirst overtaking their senses. It was a good concept in theory, but, alas, didn't work.
The conference room attendees were on a break, so we slinked our way inside to see what we could discover from the white boards for The Conference of Shoe Shiners and Hula Hoopers. Quite interesting, it was. My maker's daughter left a note on some one's pad, "RUN AWAY!!!"
We were hard to find next to the false fire place because it was so dark in that corner. And, incidentally, the false fire was not only false in it's physicality, but it didn't emit any heat whatsoever. It was only due to Abbot's melting ice cubes and his incessant shivering moans that we were found.
Captain Billy Bootleg Beerbelly looked so real we began a conversation with him. His aloofness made us realize he was nothing but a statue with his foot on top of and protecting his keg. He had sort of a keg-leg, if you will.
In order to blend in, we had to get crafty. My maker and her daughter took a half hour finding us as we checked guests in and out of the hotel. The REAL employees were very nice about it when we put old Mr. Crocker into the same room with FiFi LeMure, and told hairy Mr. Belmont he didn't need a swimsuit for the sauna because his hair probably covered all the parts nicely.
Abbot and I snuck back to our room. We had a little trouble getting the slidey card into the door receptacle so some nice boy named Andrew helped us out. We told him to come on in and take whatever he wanted from our refrigerator because the hotel was so nice enough to leave us all kinds of drinks. He thanked us, took a small bottle of something, and giggled all the way down the hall. I think I heard him giggling later at night too. Anyway, we hid in the shower. An easy find, I'm sure. But we really waited a long time there before my maker and her daughter returned. It was almost as if they KNEW where we were and were pretending they didn't.
Abbot wanted to hang from a hanger like a garment, or open the ironing board and pretend to be a blouse. He has a strange sense of himself sometimes, but after he started gargling I knew he was just kidding. We shimmied up to the shelf and waited to be found. My maker and her daughter watched TV and didn't hear us calling for about 20 minutes. In the meantime, while we waited, Abbot showed me that someone stole his ice cubes and left two wet pockets in their place. We both blamed that one on Andrew.
Until next time.

Abbot's Made day

2011-01-31T20:07:00.008-06:00

After Christmas has come and gone one can feel a little let down and bored. My maker told me that this was the reason for creating Abbot a year ago. She was feeling a little like making a new kind of monster and she created him. He was so sweet looking she could not bear to give him away, and that is how Abbot came into my life. Abbot knew it was around this time of year when he came into being but he didn't know exactly the date. So when his MadeDay came around last week it took him a little by surprise. He had been telling me his ideas for celebrating his MadeDay for weeks. Having watched enough children's TV and reading enough books about birthdays he decided he wanted a celebration with clowns, balloons, a magician, a cake bigger than a bathtub, and a seeing-eye-dog. It took a little coercing and discussion to convince Abbot that maybe a quieter day spent with close friends was a better way to celebrate his special day. Nina and Ned were still around after Christmastime so we asked them to join us for Abbot's MadeDay. After delivering hand made invitations to Nina and Ned we waited for their arrival to the dining room where the fun would begin. We started with a game of Parchesi.
Parchesi looked good enough to eat, if you ask me. Those colored pegs made me think of candy. We rolled the dice in the little cups, moved our pegs around the board, bumped each other off, and made it to the home spot. There were some tears when we bumped each other, but my maker reminded us that a game is nothing to cry about....it's called sportsmanship. Of course Abbot was the winner of the game, even if it was because we let him win. He didn't know this, but we wanted him to feel good on his special day. That may not be right to let him win, but we liked seeing him smile more than winning ourselves.

We moved onto Monopoly, a game that's all about money and making more of it by selling properties. We got to build houses and hotels, and knock them all down again when we went bankrupt. Sometimes we went to jail, and other times we collected a pile of money that sat in the center of the board. We went to dances and lost our wallets, but it was still good fun for a shoe, a car, an iron, and a hat.

Wouldn't you know Abbot won that game too, and not because we let him. The little monster has some financial talents that will most likely go unrealized. If I were human and had stocks and such, I would let Abbot handle MY funds, for certain.

My maker then got out a fun game of mix and match. There were colored cards that depicted heads, bodies, and legs of different types of creatures. The fun part was we could mix up the cards to create even sillier images of the creatures! A lion head could have a penguin's belly and a clown's feet. We had so much fun creating different pictures! Abbot gargled so hard at the thought that these creatures could be real that we had to lay down next to them and let you decide.....

......who is sillier looking? Us or the cards?

After an afternoon of fun and games, laughter and gargling, we had some pizza and drinks. Abbot got to have chocolate milk because he was the MadeDay Monster. We giggled more about the fun we had that afternoon and hoped we could play games again soon.

Abbot didn't get a cake as big as a bathtub, but he did get a couple of giant brownies surrounded by jelly hearts that he shared with all of us. The our maker gave us each a chocolate to eat or put in our pockets for later. I'm sure you know what I did with mine and what Abbot did with his.

Happy MadeDay to my best friend in the world, Abbot.

Until next time.

Snug as a Bug

2011-01-16T19:12:00.002-06:00

Winter is cold. This is really no surprise to me or to Abbot, but I've noticed that the chill in the air keeps a lot of people in their homes....my maker included. She goes out when she has to but it's a process when she does. Boots, hats, coats, scarves, and mittens, all serve their purpose in the winter months. It's almost as if the donning of these articles of clothing becomes a habitual ritual. And time must be allotted for putting it on and taking it off, and finding a place to store it all. I've been around long enough to know that it is not cold all over the world. In fact, there are some places on the earth that never get cold....and stay rather hot. But I am not sure I would like a place like that. Not to LIVE anyway. Even though it is cold and snowy it seems to offer folks a chance to hunker down and do some things that maybe they don't have time for when it's warm out, such as reading, writing, thinking, and playing games. This makes the warmer months seem like a gift, like a special present to look forward to. We can dream about bare feet and warm sunshine, of flowers and leaves, of robins and wildlife. Everything that sleeps in the winter gets to wake up again for the first time.
Ned, Nina, Abbot and I have been doing a lot of that dreaming. We spend hours telling each other our stories and dreams. We have also been enjoying playing games, and we made up a few of our own. There have been some arguments over the rules, and Abbot is not happy when he loses, but generally we've been getting along swimmingly. And even though I look forward to the warmer months ahead, I can't help but feel cozy when we all snuggle up in bed at night, surrounded by oodles of blankets and pillows, and each other. My maker tucks us in, kisses our noses, and says goodnight. There is just something so familiar and safe to it, when all the lights are out and the moon shines in the window, like nothing else matters. Like there is nothing that can take it away.
Until next time.

Abbot's Christmas Story by Caruthers P. Davenport

2010-12-22T17:35:00.003-06:00

Abbot was a tiny little thing when Santa found him propped in a fuzzy warm boot on the front doorstep of his castle one March morning. He had long thick ears that stuck straight up like a bunny, and a green face. He wore no coat, but had pockets on his pants. Santa brought the tiny being and his boot into his house at the North Pole and set him before the fire in the fireplace. Mrs. Claus approached when Santa called for her, asking her to come quickly to see what he had found. Santa pulled the little being from the boot and examined the rest of him. The creature smiled at Santa and Mrs. Claus and they couldn’t help but smile back. A rolled up scroll peeked out from his pocket and Santa pulled it out to read it. It was written in such a way a child might write, with misspelled words and large, uncoordinated letters.

“Please take care of Abt,” the note read. “until I come back for him one day.” It was not signed.

Santa and Mrs. Claus looked at each other, and then at Abt, who, with a smile that could melt ice, would then become a permanent member of their home.

In time, Abt was changed to Abbot and he was introduced to the elves in Santa’s workshop, where all the toys are made. The elves enjoyed watching him learn their trade, and taught him as much as they could. His green face and funny ears always brought forth smiles, even from the most grumpy of elves. But Abbot was a dreamer, and a little short of attention, which often got him into undesirable messes. But he was a happy little being, secure in his new life at Santa’s castle. His happy go lucky attitude shone like a beam all around him, and it was hard not to be happy in his presence.

When Abbot became adept enough to use tools to make toys, he had the touch, some said, of an elephant. He hammered too hard, or painted too sloppily, or turned a screw until a hole was bored through. The other elves tried to give him pointers, but he simply couldn’t get the hang of making toys. His spirit was dampened, but then he tried other things. He helped Mrs. Claus in the kitchen making cookies and cakes, but after a few too many burned batches and a few too many “tastes”, he ended up in bed for a week with a belly ache. He tried working in the barn with the farmer elves that took care of the reindeer, but too often forgot to feed them while he was off chasing a mouse or trying to fly away like an owl.

As the years passed most of the elves just laughed about Abbot’s peculiarities. He was a harmless and sweet little creature who made all the elves happy. But, to Abbot, that didn’t mean anything and soon Abbot began to feel as if he had no purpose in the land of elves. He broke the toys he made, he burned the cookies he baked, he starved the reindeer he was supposed to feed…..the only thing he was good at was smiling and being happy. Christmases became increasingly sad for him, and no one knew why. Santa had an idea that he was lonely for his previous life, but Abbot always perked up after the holidays were over. Santa know there was not much he could do, except to keep Abbot safe until someone returned for him. So Abbot continued to smile and make others happy. It seemed to be his gift, the only thing he was good at. And now the fact that it was almost Christmas again brought on the same series of melancholia. Abbot was now experienced with such feelings at Christmas time but he didn’t know why. It was almost as if something was missing.

About 5 miles away Sun Joon and her family were wandering the North Pole with their tribe looking for a place to set up their camps for the winter. They were a native people of the North Pole, used to traveling from location to location to find food. This life sometimes felt hard for Sun Joon but it was the only life she knew. She, her family, and fellow tribe members, covered miles and miles on foot and with the aid of their many dog sled teams. The previous winters had been extremely difficult ones. There was not much food to be found because of storms that kept animals they would normally consume hidden. In order to make up for the losses Sun Joon’s family and the villagers had had to sell some of their belongings, including 2 groups of dogs and sleds. This left them with only 4 sleds for an entire village in which to move from place to place. In addition to the sale of the sled teams, families had sold other goods they did not absolutely need. This included children giving up their dolls and toys. These sales made money in which to buy food to sustain themselves through the winters ahead when food, sometimes, was scarce. However, things were getting better for the tribe and they finally had enough food to get through the winter months. The elders decided they could stay stationed in this location for a few days to see how the hunting would be. They set up their tribal village pitching tents made of animal skins, building igloos and making fires.

Sun Joon knew she and her family had been in this location before. Sun Joon remembered where they were. She remembered the stars in the sky and the placement of the sun. She remembered the mountains in the distance, even though she had been a small girl. She remembered because it was in this place that they set up camp long ago, and she had stolen away into the night when everyone was asleep. She had an old boot that no one needed tucked under her arm, and inside that boot was a green-faced doll that her aunt, The Spirit Creator of the tribe, had made for her when she was a tiny girl. The Spirit Creator had a special talent of breathing life into all she created. The doll came to life for anyone who believed in him. The small being Sun Joon named Abt, when she was old enough to speak, because she had been learning her letters from her mother. Sun Joon was terrified to have to sell Abt to a stranger so she vowed she would find him a home that night no matter how far she had to walk.

Luckily she came upon the castle that belonged to Santa and his workshop. She was so happy then because she knew Santa would keep Abt safe until she could one day get him back. She had already placed a note in his pocket, writing the best she could so Santa would understand. She left Abt in the boot on the doorstep and hoped he would be found quickly.

As Sun Joon remembered that night many years ago she knew she’d have to find a way to retrieve Abt. She didn’t know when her family may pass this way again, nor how long they would be staying. So as her family set up camp that afternoon Sun Joon, telling a tale that she was going to look for ice floes, took her compass and navigated her way to Santa’s castle. It was a long walk, but she was strong, and she knew she had to try. Alomg the way Sun Joon remembered past Christmases she had spent with Abt when she was a little girl. She remembered how anyone who looked upon Abt soon began to smile. She remembered the feeling she had when she held him. At one celebration Sun Joon’s aunt, The Sprit Creator, told her again about Abt’s powers. She had said that wherever Abt went he would bring happiness to all who laid eyes on him. Sun Joon, now as she walked, hoped this was true.

It was getting darker outside when she arrived at Santa’s castle, Sun Joon was both excited and nervous. What would Santa say to her? What if Abt went to live with another child? What if Abt didn’t want her anymore? There were too many sad things to think about but Sun Joon needed to know if her dear Abt missed her as much as she missed him. She hoped that his powers would help him to remember her. But she wasn’t sure if they would.

Sun Joon knocked on the big wooden door. It thumped and echoed like a large drum. At once a woman dressed in a red calico dress opened the door. She smelled of cinnamon and sugar. Sun Joon decided it must be Mrs. Claus. Sun Joon must have looked bewildered as the woman asked her who she was and what she was doing so far from home.

“I am Sun Joon,” she said. “I have come to get the doll that I love.”

Mrs. Claus smiled at her and said kindly, “Well, that sure was a long way for you to come just for a doll, my dear! Why didn’t you just wait until Christmas? I’m sure Santa would have brought one to you.”

Sun Joon stammered, “Nnnno…No, you don’t understand. I am Sun Joon. I left my doll Abt here long ago, when I was a small girl. I wanted to see if I could get him back please?”

Mrs. Claus was astounded. She remembered the letter in Abbot’s pocket that read, “until I come back for him one day.”

Mrs. Claus invited Sun Joon into the house and offered her some hot cocoa, which Sun Joon accepted and drank heartily. Mrs. Claus went to find Santa in his workshop to show him who had come to visit. When Santa saw Sun Joon he felt he already knew what she was there for, remembering the letter himself. Sun Joon introduced herself to the jolly man in the red plaid shirt and told him as well, she had come to get Abt back. She explained the reason she had left him behind, and how she didn’t want to sell him to help her family. She explained she was ashamed to have hidden him, disobeying her family, but that she wanted him to be safe, cared for, and happy. Santa looked at Sun Joon with a winsome grin and explained to Sun Joon that she had come at just the right time. Abbot was not feeling himself. “It happens every Christmas,” he said. “Abbot makes everyone so happy, yet I feel he’s a little lonely himself. Oh, we’ve kept him busy and happy over the years but he always carried a little loneliness in his eyes. And now I think I know why. I think maybe the one he’s lonely for is you.”

“Abbot does have special powers, I know that. His greatest power is making everyone feel happy. All they have to do is look at him and be around him. Can I see him, Sir? Can I see my Abt?” Sun Joon asked with a tear I her eye. Maybe Abt hadn’t forgotten her at all! Maybe he just needed to feel her and see her face. She knew she needed to see his.

“Why, I’ll send for him at once!” Santa chuckled, and he blew a tiny flute to summon an elf. “Better yet,” he said, “I’ll have Xander take you to the workshop to find him yourself!”

Sun Joon’s heart began to flutter as she worried and wondered, again, if Abt would remember her. Xander led the way to the workshop and when they approached the large shop Sun Joon spotted Abt right away playing with a toy truck. He was moving it across the floor with his hand, making revving sounds like a truck would make. All the elves turned to see who Xander had brought into the room, and soon it became quiet, with the exception of Abbot’s sounds. When Abbot realized it had become silent, he too turned toward the place where Xander and Sun Joon stood. Abbot looked at Sun Joon, and Sun Joon at Abbot. Sun Joon’s eyes released tears of joy when she saw her tiny green faced creature happy and safe. Abbot stood up from where he was playing, and slowly walked to Sun Joon. Sun Joon said nothing, but her tears brought gasps in her breathing. Then Abbot stopped walking. He stopped and looked at her closely, as if retrieving a memory. The he ran toward her, as fast as his little legs would carry him, and he leaped into her arms. Santa and Mrs. Claus had arrived to the shop and witnessed one of the most joyous reunions ever. The elves cheered and shouted. They danced and sang as Sun Joon twirled Abbot around and around, stopping only to hug him some more. Cookies were eaten, eggnog was drank, a real celebration took place, until it got very late. Sun Joon realized her parents may be worried about her so she told Santa and Mrs. Claus she had to leave. Santa offered to take her back to her tribe’s camp in his wondrous sleigh and she accepted. It would be easier to explain to her parents if Santa was on her side.

Sun Joon gathered Abbot into her arms and spoke, “Abt, you have been here with Santa’s helpers for 5 years. I know you are happy, and I know you may not forgive me for leaving you 5 years ago. But, I love you and want you to come home with me. But it is your choice. If you decide to come with me I can’t promise cookies and fun like you’ve had here, but I can promise you we will visit as often as we can. And I promise to love you and keep you safe forever, and to never leave you again.” Then she paused. With her head down she waited for an answer from her special being with the green face and big smile.

Abbot tilted his head to one side, then used his ears to prop Sun Joon’s chin so that he could look into her eyes. The he nodded. He said yes.

Santa took Abbot and Sun Joon back to the tribe’s camp, helped explain to Sun Joon’s family, who were very worried about her, about where she was. Sun Joon got ready for bed and tucked Abbot in next to her, so they lay face to face. Sun Joon tickled him, whispered that she loved him, and closed her eyes to sleep. Just then a feeling grew inside Abbot and he remembered why he had been so happy with Sun Joon. And his loneliness slipped away.

Everywhere, Everywhere, Christmas!

2010-12-19T19:37:00.007-06:00

Abbot and I had quite a busy Christmas-y weekend. I must say I am quite tired and happy to be sitting once again in my maker's home where it is warm and cozy.
We started off our weekend by going to work with my maker at the candy store. She let us have run of the place, but only until a customer came in, which was quite often. Abbot was a trifle disappointed he didn't get to taste, er, examine, more candy that evening, and he remembered all too clearly what happened that last time he misbehaved in the store. We spent most of our time smiling and greeting the folks who walked through the door. Most everyone was cheerful, but others seemed a bit distant. I couldn't figure out why. Shouldn't everyone be smiling in a candy store? Behind where was sat was the big picture window, with the beautiful downtown lights of our town in the background.
We listened to the Christmas songs on the radio, and sometimes my maker sang softly to them. After our night in the candy store was over I really wanted to hear more of that music.
And I was in luck, because the next evening we went to a beautiful church to join a community of people who all came together for one hour to sing Christmas caroles! We saw in a pew with my maker and her family, and we even got our very own song book. We followed the words even though we were unfamiliar with the tunes. But it was so lovely to hear all those voices singing in unison that my monster heart felt too large for my monster body. Abbot was in awe and wonderment. He kept looking at me as if to say, "This is not real, Caruthers....how could all this beauty be real?"
We took a photo by a grand Christmas tree in the church after the singing had ended. I did not want to forget this night.
The following afternoon Abbot and I got to go to an actual Christmas party. We played cards....
.....and Bingo, and ate foods that we rarely see at my maker's house. I was victorious against Abbot in cards, but he beat me well in Bingo.
Abbot looked over my shoulder to help me when I was feeling low. His happiness helped me get some better luck, and soon I had Bingo myself! Since my maker's family are farmers we used corn kernels to mark our places on the Bingo cards. What fun it was!
And now I am home. It certainly was a long weekend full of exciting new things to do! Just one last thing I'd like to do, next to finishing Abbot's Christmas story, would be to go see the lights of Christmas on the houses. Maybe we'll get to go this week. I hope so.
I know I said Abbot's story would be the next post, but a writer needs time to make a story JUST right.
Until next time!

Snowy Days and Deep Thought

2010-12-12T15:35:00.004-06:00

The wind was howling this afternoon. The snow was coming down sideways, making it difficult to see past my yard. When the wind whistles this time of year and there is snow on the ground surely it will be an inside day. My maker made me a new sweater and warmers for my ears. She made Abbot some booties and a hat for his ears. We were feeling all cozy.
Abbot collected some of my maker's other creatures in the house. He's been playing "Christmas" with them. Being Abbot's first Christmas, he's very excited. It's only my second Christmas, and although I'm an old hat at it, it still makes me tingle and jingle inside. I've been reading Abbot all the famous tales before bedtime such as, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", "A Christmas Carol", and his favorite "little tree" by e.e. cummings. He seems to understand the meaning of Christmas through the reading of these stories. We've also watched my maker's favorite Christmas movie, "It's a Wonderful Life" and Abbot, who is easily distracted, sat still for the entire movie, enthralled at the concept of a guardian angel. He wondered if he had one, so being curious myself, I asked my maker. "Yes, Caruthers. Both you and Abbot have a guardian angel. Everyone has one. Please tell Abbot not to worry. They're very real and one is watching him right now." I told this to Abbot and first, he looked around himself. Then he sat very still, so as not to scare the angel, then quickly turned his head upwards to see if he could see it hovering overhead. It was amusing to watch, and I didn't want to tell him that guardian angels are usually invisible, however, my maker said sometimes they can be someone you know and see every day. How could that be, I wondered? My maker said, "They can live inside of someone you know, someone who loves and cares about you, someone who watches out for your well being. Sometimes you may not even know they are doing this for you, but they are." That sort of made me feel safe inside, knowing an angel was guarding me. But alas, it brought up more questions for me.
For one, if everyone has a guardian angel, then why do bad things happen to people? People get sick, get injured, get hurt by others, or even DO the hurting. Why is there so much hurt in the world if everyone has a guardian angel? This one I'd have to ponder.
In the meantime, Abbot assembled his pals onto the big chair. He chose the book "The Snowy Day" to read this afternoon as the wind rushed through the sky. Why was it in such a hurry?

We were on the page in which the boy smacks the snow covered tree with the stick. Everyone liked that part the best because they knew the snow was going to plop right onto his head. That always makes Abbot laugh. The elves in our group appreciated the boy's red snowsuit. They thought his pointy hat was the epitome of fashion.

As I finished the story the other creatures hopped off the chair and scurried back to their play. Abbot and I posed for this Christmas portrait, our very first together. I had a lot of questions about those angels. They were floating in the back of my mind and kind of picking at my soul. My maker, who always knows what I'm thinking, felt my uncertainty. Abbot, however, yanked my ears and begged for a Christmas story in which he's the main character. I told him I'd think of one and I'd write it here in my blog. It would take me a couple days to think it up, and he would need to be patient. He promised patience and he promised not to bother me while I think. He jumped off the chair and ran to join his friends, who I imagined were doing something naughty when I heard Abbot tell them to stop because, not only was Santa watching them, their guardian angels were too.

So, I asked my maker, if everyone has an guardian angel then why do bad things happen? "Caruthers," she said, "That's a good question. I would think people hurt each other because they have the free will to do so. It's a choice we make. We can choose to be good, or choose to be bad. A guardian angel may be hovering overhead, like Abbot thought, screaming at us to do the right thing. But if we're not listening well enough, or if we are and don't care, that's when trouble happens." OK, well that I could understand. I can CHOOSE to steal a cookie, or wait until I'm offered. Either way I'll get the cookie. So why does stealing it and getting it right away feel so good? "Sometimes, Caruthers, being bad can feel good, and being good can feel bad. But ultimately, after those initial feeling pass, being good DOES feel good and being bad DOES feel bad. You may not understand so well because you're so good. Remember when you left on an adventure when Abbot was sick? It felt fun at first, but then you felt bad. You knew you made the wrong choice. A guardian angel can only direct you, they cannot make a decision FOR you." So, why do people get sick? Why are there poor people? Why isn't everyone happy? Guardian angels should make sure bad things don't happen, shouldn't they? "Not necessarily, Caruthers. Things happen to people because that's just life. Angels help you through it, maybe help you makes sense of it. If everyone was happy all the time, or sad all the time, they couldn't appreciate the other. Do you understand?" I supposed I did. The purpose of life is to teach and for us to learn, was that right? And some people learn faster than others, which is why bad things happen, which is why there is so much unhappiness. "Happiness lives inside all of us, Caruthers. The trick is to let it out and shine." I liked that thought. Happiness shining like the snow on a sunny day. Shining like sugar on a cookie. Shining like a halo above an angel's head.

May your happiness shine this Christmas season.

My next post will be Abbot's Christmas story.

Until next time.

I Am Art

2010-12-04T18:44:00.010-06:00

I am not sure what art is.

Is it beautiful? Is it playful? Is it wonderful? Does it make one happy or sad? Can it do both? And can it do both simultaneously? Can it elicit emotions of every kind? I am not sure.

The dictionary describes art as follows: The quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance. The concept of art has me scratching my head, and not because I haven't cleaned behind my ears in a while. I mean, I've seen paintings and sculpture in the books I've read. And the settings in the books I've read have art in them. Music is art, as well as writing. There are so many forms of art, I am sure I cannot list them all in my blog. And to make things more complicated, what some people consider art, others may not deem worthy to call it art. So where to draw the line? Rather, should a line be drawn? My maker says that the subjectivity of art has been a debate over the course of time never to be truly resolved. Why cannot some agreement be made?

These were some of my questions when my maker took Abbot and I to a gallery show opening last night. It was wonderful! And I enjoyed it so! But I am afraid, as usual, I left the show with more questions than with which I came. But the real surprise was the fact that my maker's dolls were part of this gallery show.....part of an ART show. A show all about the love of the toy, and toys as art.

Abbot and I first had a seat on a chair so we could read about the work of the terrific artists we would be seeing. There was Kathy Weaver, who made quilts and drawings with images of robots; Rachel Klees Anderson who makes very realistic dolls; David Holmes who makes sculptures out of found objects; Bill Reid who constructs sculptures from metal and paints them in bright colors; Marilyn Ward who creates magical dollhouses; and my maker, who makes dolls like Abbot and I. It was going to be such a thrill to see the toys that other artists make!
However, getting Abbot to behave is always a story in itself.

After reading the brochure I felt prepared to walk into the show with a little more knowledge about what I would be experiencing. But Abbot had other plans. While my maker was busy chatting with the other artists and all the people who came to visit the show, Abbot charged about the gallery looking for what he liked best....food. He hadn't eaten for about an hour so he was ready to devour something tasty. Of course he was first to find the candy table, and I must admit, I was a little taken with it myself. In the center stood a giant house made of gingerbread, with candies and cookies as decorations. I can't tell you how badly I wanted to go inside.

But all I was allowed to do was look.

Abbot had a difficult time leaving those little cookie people to their yard. One too many times I caught him sneaking back onto the table to get another sniff.....er....look.

But that quickly ended when Abbot saw the cupcake table. Here he needed even more restraint. Even though both of us are green in color, that green frosting did not look like it would come out of our wool with much ease. Our tongues, on the other hand, no one would notice. Careful, we were, while eating those.

(Unfortunately, my blog had some technical difficulties. The top two pictures were the ones I wanted down here. But I may have typed the wrong key and turned this page all catywampus. So I'll just continue my thoughts.....)

Abbot and I, having filled our bellies a tiny bit with candy and cupcakes (we didn't care for the cheese or the alcohol) now got a chance to go onto the gallery floor and look at things. We climbed the sculptures (with the artist's permission), and peeked inside all the crevices of the dollhouses. We scurried along the smooth floor, dodging the legs and feet of the viewers who remained. We were given some stern looks, but it was worth the fun we were having. Abbot got kicked a few times, but he knew it was his own fault.

But then I felt a kick. It wasn't from a boot or a shoe, but it came from inside my head. I guess it was an idea, a concept, a thought. As I slid across the floor I came upon my maker's doll display. I had seen these creatures many times before. In fact, I sat in the room where they were created. I watched my maker give them faces and arms, much as she did for me. I watched them go from scraps and pieces to fully formed beings.....well, as much as a being that I am...... Suddenly, I was fascinated. These dolls that looked a little like me were a part of an ART SHOW. So what did that mean for me? Was I a piece of art? Was Abbot? Were the dolls more of an art object because they sat still? Or was I more of an art object because I was animated? The questions that flooded my mind! I had never considered that I could be ART! I could sit still and pose like the other dolls! I trotted over to my maker and pulled on her skirt. She picked me up and cradled me like she sometimes does. She told the person with whom she spoke who I was and they seemed delighted to meet me. I had to ask her my question. But it would have to wait.

Later, it was busy as we prepared to leave the show. My maker held Abbot and I in her arms as we walked briskly to the car in the winter chill. The stars were out and it was peaceful. My maker saw me looking at the sky and said, "Caruthers, you wanted to ask me something earlier. Something about art." My maker can read my mind, so I only had to look at her to ask, "Am I art?"

"That's a good question, Caruthers," she said. "Art means different things to different people. Some people think they are not artists because they don't paint or sculpt or draw. But that's not really true. Art, to me, Caruthers, is all about creation and expression. The creation of music, of life, of joy, of words, of love, of peace, and even of sorrow. Because art is the creation of a human mind, in that sense you ARE art. So is Abbot, and so am I. Human beings have so much potential to create in so many ways, it's tragic most of them never do. And maybe the reason they don't is because they think they can't. We should do something about that, shouldn't we?"

My maker gave me even more to think about as we walked to the car. Abbot had fallen asleep in her arm. His jolly, candy-filled belly rose and fell under the blanket of night.

Until next time.

Happy MadeDay!!

2010-11-11T17:38:00.011-06:00

My maker says that when a baby is born the world is a very confusing place. An infant goes from being sleepy, warm, and snug inside the belly of its mother and is burst quite quickly into a chilly, bright world, naked and feeling indistinct. The safety in which the infant grew from a microscopic cell into a fully formed baby has now been permanently altered, almost like being thrown out from a home. Albeit, the place in which the infant then goes home is a wonderful, loving and warm atmosphere, if the baby is lucky. Most babies are lucky, I have come to know.
I was not "born" in the same sense as any other earthy animal, nor was I hatched from an egg. I came from another realm.....a mind. And maybe it is not as exciting as having been given life through an actual birth, but being created from a mind I think is an experience not many others have had the chance to experience or write about.
My first days, like an infant's, were fuzzy. I don't remember a lot of what happened, but I remember the confusion. When my eyes were opened for the first time I was frightened by the colors, the noises, the faces, and the smells. I felt like a naked baby, my arms and legs outstretched for the first time in a new place. I did not know life before that moment. Once I arrived, though, and looked at my maker, who smiled at me in the same way I imagine a mother smiles at her newborn, I knew things would be OK. I was puzzled as to my orgin, as to what I was doing here, as to what my purpose was for being created; many of these questions I came to know as normal human inquiry as well. The reasons eluded me, and still do to this day. I must say, however, I am happy I am here. And I am glad for the thought of me in my maker's mind that brought about my being. And even though I am still much like a baby, insecure, unsure, wary, and bashful, I am also quite the opposite, charging forth with curiosity, moxie, and love.
My maker took a portrait of me in honor of my MadeDay. She hung this velvet background and let me sit on the velvet chair. She made me a crown to wear and tied it to my ears, since I have no chin. I felt just like a king! I continue to don my SuperHero "S" from Halloween, only because I like it so much.

Abbot's MadeDay doesn't come until January and he was feeling sort of left out. He had no crown to wear and it made him whimper. I remembered seeing a "Birthday Girl" crown in the kitchen and asked my maker if Abbot could wear it. I placed it on Abbot's head and he gargled so much the crown wouldn't stay put. I told him he had to stop gargling, at least for a moment, so we could get our portrait taken. Then we were off to bake my cake!
I had baked a little when I was at April's house in Little Rock, Arkansas. It was so much fun. My maker offered me the opportunity to help bake my own MadeDay cake and I responded wholeheartedly with a YES! We gathered the ingredients, eggs, butter, milk, sugar, and got started. Abbot, who won't ever be ignored, enjoyed a little doodling around with the cake pan. He wondered if he could fit down the hole in the center. And, like the toilet conundrum, got stuck.
Abbot's cockroach friend Stanley2 emerged from Abbot's pocket when he smelled butter. Butter is one of Stanley2's favorite things to eat, next to dust and paper. He crawled atop the mixer while Abbot implored him not to fall in. He had already fallen into the sugar container.
I enjoyed running the mixer and got a little dizzy trying to keep track of that beater as it circled the bowl at speeds faster than Abbot scurrying to a freshly opened bag of chocolates. I loved the color of the batter, and the smell of the butter and sugar. It was soothing and satisfying to think that a delicious cake would come from such common food staples.
Meanwhile, Abbot and Stanley2 attempted to get the brown sugar that was needed for the crumbly topping. I knew this cake was not a chocolate cake and was wondering just what kind of cake it would be. I had to admit, crumbly topping sounded really special.
I scraped the bowl with a spatula and some batter stuck to it. My maker said it would be OK if I tried a little. And I was glad I did. It tasted like nothing I've ever had before. I asked my maker if we could leave the cake in this form. Why bake it and ruin a good thing?
The cake was ready for the oven. We sprinkled some of the sugar mixture in the center of it, and sprinkled the rest on top. I had to hold Abbot's arms back as he continued to wonder if he could fit down that hole in the center. Stanley2 crawled along the edge of the cake pan. We almost forgot he was there as we placed the cake into the oven. Thankfully, we remembered. If Abbot were to lose another cockroach friend I don't know what we'd do.
Our cake was finished in about one hour. My maker told me it was a cinnamon swirl cake and it smelled like what I imagine Heaven would smell like, if one liked cinnamon. I guess Heaven would smell differently according to a person's preferences. But I liked this.
And it tasted as good, if not better than, Heaven.

One year of my "life", my "being", has passed. I am not sure how I feel about that when I think deeply about it. I have done a lot of things in this one year, and there is so much more I'd like to do. I guess what I have learned the most is that life is full of...........words. And that's a blessing. Adjectives, verbs and nouns are my tools by which I aspire to live and communicate. I have come to realize that there is a necessity for words because life warrants them to describe, to feel, to think, to love, to taste, to see, to do, to BE. I am sure my life would be diminished without the opportunity to write about what I think and feel. What do I wish for on this day, my very first MadeDay? That my life continue to be full of words. And I hope yours is too.

Now, where's that cake?

Until next time.

Trick or Treat

2010-11-02T11:28:00.010-05:00

Being a monster I already know what it feels like when someone looks at me and is frightened. I don't look like a human, and neither does Abbot. Children, mostly, are afraid of us, and some adults think we're odd. This is why I thought Halloween would be a perfect holiday for me. For once I would be frolicking in the world, no longer as frightening as I have come to feel I am. I must say, I saw many scarier monsters than myself on that evening.

My maker told Abbot and I that Halloween is a time when we can change our identity for one day, and since I am basically considered a frightening fellow, I wanted to make sure I chose to change into something that wasn't so scary, like a super hero. My maker had raised her eyebrows at my request, asking if I'd like to be something a little more horrible. But I told her my philosophy and she conceded. Abbot, on the other hand, I think was a trifle confused by the concept. His first request was to be a rock. I had to explain to him again the concept of Halloween, and my maker had a little laugh over his request, claiming we just "don't get it", but, alas, she let us be what we chose. After the rock request Abbot did go through a string of possibilities: a washing machine, a boat, a can opener, a horse trainer, a hula hoop, and a tree branch, before settling on the funny papers. It was the lesser of the evils, my maker said.

Even out in the streets with children dressed as goblins, grim reapers, ninjas, and witches, Abbot and I stood out. We couldn't figure out why.

It was time to ring a doorbell and say Trick or Treat. I had to explain to Abbot, as my maker did to me, what the phrase meant and why we say it on Halloween to get candy. I just hoped we didn't get any tricks. We stopped at many houses and my maker had to explain who we were, because as much as we wanted to, we could not say the words "trick or treat". Not everyone can read our minds or facial expressions as our maker does. Some folks giggled, which made Abbot gargle, and some folks just didn't like us. But we are used to that by now, and my maker says those people don't have a sense of humor.

This sweet little girl named Clara liked us though, and she gave us treats. She had on a costume that made it look like she was riding a dinosaur. I liked that.

Clara dropped some chocolate into our pumpkin buckets, we thanked her, and we were on our way to more houses to say, well, telepathically anyway, Trick or Treat.

As we went from house to house Abbot became more and more frustrated with trick or treating and I didn't know why. It's as if he kept waiting for something more to happen, as if getting free chocolate wasn't enough excitement for him! But Abbot normally does have a lot of energy and a short attention span and I was concerned he was getting bored.

I pulled on my maker's coat and asked her if we could be finished because I thought Abbot had had enough. He had also had about 12 candy bars and may have been feeling ill. My maker said we needed to stop at one more house. When we approached this house my maker practically had to drag me up to the doorway. A man with a hockey mask sat on a bench on his porch, and in his hand was a basket of candy. This didn't seem logical to me because the porch was eerie and had spiders and witches and cob webs all about. Normally a hockey mask wouldn't sound like a frightening idea, but I don't know, the man looked terrifying, and to think he was the possessor of the candy didn't make sense. All the other homes we visited were barely frightening, but this made me ill at ease. My maker dragged me along, and I dragged Abbot along, and I honestly thought Abbot would lose those candy bars all over that sidewalk. He whimpered like a puppy with his tail between his legs.
My maker wasn't scared at all. She walked right up there (as Abbot and I left a fingernail scratched trail behind us) and introduced us to the masked man. He put some candy bars in our buckets and then reached his hand to his face to remove his mask. Abbot turned to my maker and buried his head in her pants, but I wanted to see what was underneath. And underneath was....was.....just a man. And he was a nice man. But the fact that he had so much candy left in his basket made me think that maybe he should leave his mask OFF. However, maybe his intention WAS to have a lot of candy left!

We had time for one last photo of the two of us before the sun set for the day. It had been exciting, but I was sad I wouldn't be able to change my identity for another year. Abbot continued to be squirmy about something, even though we had gotten home, which is where I thought he wanted to be. He doesn't talk very much by nature, but I asked him what was wrong. I was tired of guessing. Abbot looked at me and asked when we were going to trick or treat. I told him that's what we had just finished doing. But he was adamant, and tried again. "No," he said, "When are we going to Trick HER Treat?" I didn't understand at first, but then I realized Abbot had been waiting all day to Trick HER Treat, which I was not even sure what that meant. "What does that mean, Abbot?" I asked. "I don't know!" said Abbot, then he added, "I thought YOU did!"

My maker let us sleep in our costumes that night, and in the morning we dumped our candy buckets onto the floor. We ate a few pieces, and decided we didn't care for the granola bars someone gave us. We liked the Milky Ways the best, Funny, those are my maker's favorite too. Maybe that's why so many were missing by morning?

Until next time.

Hiders Can't Seek

2010-10-11T18:22:00.010-05:00

October, I am told, usually doesn't see such pleasant weather. And I can't say I know this to be true, for this is my first October since I've been made. It has been a lovely month thus far with fair temperatures and barely any rain. The hardest part has been being cooped up like a chicken in the house while my maker remains busy with her work. Occasionally I will hear her grunt or groan and I know her frustration is getting the better of her. One day I tugged at her skirt. She looked at me with tired eyes, but she knew what I wanted, and what she needed. "OK, Caruthers," she said. "You and Abbot get ready to go outside. We'll take the dog for a run out back." I nudged Abbot, who had been napping, and told him we were going outside. First he ran down the stairs to the door, then back upstairs to me, then downstairs again to the door. If he was a dog his behavior would not surprise me. But he IS a monster, albeit a perky little monster.

The air was dry and quite warm, not what I was expecting, but I was so glad to be outside that I ran way ahead of my maker. Abbot followed, and the dog, still leery of us, kept some distance. My maker, a swift walker herself, struggled to keep up with the balls of energy that were Abbot and I. "Why don't you both hide and I'll look for you?" she called out. Our giant ears heard those words almost as fast as she spoke them and we were well on our way to a hiding place. We climbed the trellis of the old windmill in the yard, concealed by the prairie plants, but she found us quickly.

We ran into the corn field, certain she would never find us amidst the dry corn stalks. But she did.

And again, down the field we ran. We hid and waited. This time she didn't come right away. We wondered why, and even began to worry about her. "Abbot," I said, "Why don't you go have a look down the field and see where our maker is." Abbot gave me a quizzical look, indicating he didn't want to be the one to get "caught". I immediately knew he wanted ME to look instead. So I pulled and wound my way through the corn plants to poke my head out and look down the field. And she wasn't there. I panicked and maybe even shivered a little. I may have even shrieked. Abbot heard and came running through the corn to see what had me so scared. He got stuck on a weed for a moment, but pulled himself free. I looked back at him and couldn't help but laugh when I saw all the little seeds that had attached themselves to his body. Unfortunately, my giggle gave us away, and just as Abbot too poked his head out to look down the field, our maker came along with the dog, who raced past us like a lunatic.

From then on it was just a crazy game of hide and seek. We ran back to the road and climbed into the mail and newspaper boxes. But my maker found us. We climbed grain bins and tractors, but she always found us. We ran back into the field, except this time we were in a soybean field, and we were more taken with the activities of the grasshoppers than the need to hide. Abbot and I scoured the ground looking for them and they would pop up all around us like tiny bouncing monsters. They did not seem to be afraid of us at all, and a few even landed on our bodies. It sure tickled when they landed on our ears! It was then that I discovered Abbot had a rather large hole in his fabric on his backside. He must have torn himself on that weed stem when he was scrambling to get out of the corn. "Abbot," I whispered, "You have torn yourself!" Abbot, try as he might, struggled to look over his shoulder, but his head, like mine, doesn't really turn. As he was trying to catch a glimpse of the tear he spun a little to the left, and the more he tried to see the tear, the more he spun. Soon he was spinning like a top trying to get a look at his backside. It reminded me of when the dog chases his tail. I almost laughed, but I knew he was upset. I tried to calm him. "It's OK Abbot. Our maker will fix it." Abbot's smile wavered. He was scared when I mentioned our maker. Abbot, timid as he is, softly said, "But she will be angry. She gets upset when my pants get dirty. Now I've TORN myself!" I again tried to calm him, "It was an accident, Abbot. And she doesn't get upset, just annoyed, and that's only because she can't throw you in the washing machine. She'll understand." "But I'm RUINED now!" he whimpered, and before I knew it he was dashing down the field. "Where is he going?" my maker called out to me. I looked at her and she could see on my face something was wrong. Abbot disappeared into the corn and I knew he'd be frightened without me. My maker, the dog, and I hurried after, but that Abbot is a fast one. By the time we had reached the edge of the corn field we could no longer see his colorful body. I began to sniffle because I was afraid he'd be lost in there forever. "It's OK Caruthers," my maker tried to calm me. "We'll find him." We looked for about an hour, traipsing through the itchy, scratchy corn plants calling Abbot's name. The dog tore through like a lawn mower but came back to us empty-mouthed. I was on the verge of sobbing when I noticed the dog was sniffing a lead out in the bean field. He had his head deep in the ground. I doubted Abbot had dug himself a hole to hide in, especially since his pants would be both dirty AND torn, but nevertheless, dogs have a good sense of smell. I hurried over to the dog who gave me a look like I better not steal his bone, or else. I communicated with him, because I can do that sometimes, and he nodded his head over to his right. He seemed to tell me he was digging for a mouse and that my goon of a friend got himself trapped on the piece of equipment over yonder. Yes. He said, "Yonder".

I ran over to the very large farm implement and there was Abbot atop the highest rung. The whole thing reminded me of a Ferris wheel, a ride I've only seen on television, thank goodness. "Abbot!" I yelled. "Come down from there! We've been looking all over for you!" Just then my maker caught up and asked Abbot to come down. "Abbot, Caruthers told me about your tear, and it's OK. I can fix it. You will be fine and it will not hurt, I promise. I am not angry or upset, but I am a little annoyed, I must admit, but that's only because you're such a cute little scalawag. So please come down. You should never hide from me, no matter how naughty you think you've been. I will always forgive you." Abbot slowly maneuvered down the rungs until he reached a level where he could jump into our maker's arms. She caught him and flipped him over to access the damage. "Not too bad," she said. "I'll make you a sweet little patch and you'll be good as new."

Hiding sometimes has it's benefits. Like when one is sad, a good hiding place can offer a chance to think. Or when one does something naughty and they don't want anyone to know, hiding DOES seem like a good solution, at least for a while. But hiding never changes anything. It's like stagnant water, or a plant that doesn't grow. Hiding prevents solutions from happening. Like my maker told me, hiding should never be a permanent solution, because no matter for how long one hides, eventually one has to peep out their head to see if anyone is coming to find them. And if they're lucky, somebody will be.

What a nice day for a swing.

Until next time.

A Day at the Fair

2010-09-30T16:11:00.008-05:00

Recently my maker took Abbot and I to a fair. An art fair. I didn't know what to expect. Everything I've ever heard or read about fairs involved food, carnival rides and tummy aches. I must say both Abbot and I were excited about the "fair" aspect. About the "art fair" aspect, we weren't so certain. So, in the car we went, for a very long drive. In fact, the longest drive I've been on to date. We were headed to Ohio for The Country Living Fair. The day we arrived was chaotic, to say the least. Artists and their helpers turned a field of grass into a mecca of tents and booths that rivaled any shopping area I've ever seen. Abbot and I were given clear instructions to stay put beneath a table so that we would not be lost, damaged, stolen, boxed up, or mailed to Helsinki. My maker unboxed a few friends with whom we could converse and play while the activity went on. Bozo and Clem , the paper Frankensteins, weren't much for small talk. Mostly they wished they had clothes that weren't painted to their bodies. The other creatures took some time to warm up to Abbot and I, but proved to be downright charming fellows.
Despite all the conversation and merry making beneath the table, Abbot and I were anxious for some adventure. "Tomorrow, Caruthers," my maker assured me.

After a quiet night in a bed and breakfast in the country (it was as if I never left home.....roosters crowing, rustling grasses, and corn fields) I was ready for adventure. When we arrived at the fairgrounds we were astonished at the transformations that had taken place since we had left the day before. My maker held Abbot and I in her arm as she walked along, and I marveled at the wonderful things I saw. Oh yes, the arts and crafts were interesting, and the crowds of people were suffocating, but the lemonade stand, the french fries stand, the fried dough stand, the taco stand, the hamburger stand, the hot dog stand....well....you get the picture......are the things I wanted to see the most. I stayed right by my maker's side the entire day, and held Abbot by his hand so that he would not wander away. Even though I longed for adventure, the crowds at the fair were a little daunting. I knew my maker would take me to look at the attractions, and patience was what I needed to exhibit. Abbot wasn't so easygoing, however, and oftentimes I'd find him trying to sneak away to the food area. He claimed he just wanted to smell it, but as he jingled when he walked, I knew there was some loose change in his pocket. I wasn't sure where he got it either.

After spending just a little too much money on....ummmm....food, my maker took Abbot and I around and placed us in the settings of people's artwork. All the artists we met were very gracious and were excited to show us what they create. First my maker set us in a scene of paintings by Laurie Messerole. I liked the little girls faces. They were colorful and happy. Abbot liked how the colors matched his eye.

We are a little harder to find in this scene. We were standing amidst the work of Cheryl Kuhn. Cheryl uses old photographs in her work, and each piece tells a story. I was mesmerized when I looked inside the pieces. They were like being transformed to another world. I forgot where I was, and wished I could have known what the people in the photos were thinking. Most of them looked so sour or pained. I wondered if their life was hard. "Life is always hard, Caruthers," my maker said. "The century in which you live doesn't change the fact that many problems and worries remain the same. And some are very different. But we have to remember to focus on what is right, and do our best to make the world a better place. I'm sure those people in the photos felt the same way."
Letty Worley's work was not as serious, but just as enchanting nonetheless. In fact, Abbot and I made a few friends. They were dressed to go to a fancy ball or a party and we had a nice time chatting about cotillions and dances. One of the bears, Jeannette, offered to show us how to dance, but we would have to wait until night came, and no one was around. She told me that most toys don't come alive until the night when all the children are asleep. I was shocked because Abbot and I are pretty much alive all the time. When I queried my maker about this point she smiled and said, "Caruthers, you and Abbot are special because you have a home. I think the reason you are alive all the time is because I have you in my life and I want you to be alive. When Jeannette finds her home she will also be alive in the same way. Having a home is a wonderful thing. You and Abbot are lucky to be loved and wanted." I was starting to miss my home, even though I knew wherever my maker was, so also was my home.
Next was Melody Doyel. She kissed me and squeezed me and I liked her a lot. I didn't scare her one bit. That's always a plus in my book. My maker loved everything she makes. The way my maker carried on about Melody I was a little worried I might be traded for a pair of earrings. And Abbot for a coat. But I know she'd never do that. I think.
Abbot and I had a much better time fitting in with the creatures in Judi Young's creations. The colors and the animals! Oh, how we wished to be immortalized in one of these pictures! I think we fit in so well in this booth we stayed for a while to stare at the pictures, and no one even noticed!
The weather was quite lovely, our bellies were full, and we were exhausted by day's end. I rested my head on a pumpkin and Abbot lay in the sunshine. Both of us dreamed of home, because we were happy to have one. We wondered where all the creations that were bought and sold that day would end up? Would they be happy? And would they finally have the chance to be alive....always? We hoped so. Because every work of art deserves a home, and every object that is handmade from some one's heart and hard work deserves a chance to be admired. I'm glad I'm one of them.
Until next time.

Hide and Seek, Pumpkin Peek

2010-09-14T19:59:00.010-05:00

It was a brilliant morning. I couldn't believe the chill in the air. Especially since the summer had been so hot and humid. It had completely turned around. It felt like the summer had finished its bath and put a towel around its waist, dried off, and what was left was a cleaner and drier summer. Because it was still going to be a warm day, just not a hot day. I have become a barometer of sorts, able to predict the weather just by looking at the changes I see. Plus, the windows of the house had been opened for a week or more, and in the mornings the house was very cool. So maybe I'm only a window barometer, but it works for me. Anyway, Abbot and I were in the mood to run around outdoors. And since my maker was out in the yard doing some gardening she decided to let us wander. It didn't take Abbot and I long to stumble upon the pumpkin patch. At first we didn't know what it was. The leaves were large atop very tall, hollow stems. They were scratchy too, with tiny prickles grabbing at my wool like Abbot does to me when he wants my attention. The leaves and stems got my attention alright, and as I pulled them away from my wool, I discovered these orange orbs beneath. They were HUGE! Like heavy balloons just lying on the ground. Like giant orange slugs, too full to move. Abbot and I marveled at what would become, we hoped, our Halloween pumpkins.

After twisting and twining our way through the patch I thought maybe we could play a quick game of hide and seek. We have played hide and seek in the house many times, often with Abbot in some location in which he shouldn't be hiding, such as the washing machine while it's running, or my maker's underwear drawer. This would be fun, though, because Abbot wouldn't be able to get into trouble. Abbot counted first. He climbed on top of one of the giant pumpkins, laid on his back and started naming colors. He said when he got to the color orange he'd be done counting. I told him it didn't work that way because I had no idea when the color orange would come, thus not knowing how much time I had to hide. Abbot looked at me matter-of-factly and said in his woolie monster voice, "Caruthers, I memorized the box of 64 crayons. Didn't you? Orange comes after dusty rose, which comes after bubble pink, which comes after kinda red, which comes after almost red, which comes after....." He went on with the colors and I had to interrupt him. "OK, Abbot," I said. "Just turn over onto your belly so you can't see where I'm hiding." Abbot answered, "Au contraire, Caruthers. I will see you less if I stay on my back, for I am looking only at the sky right now." What could I say? When you're right, you're right.

I wondered where I should hide. Even in this field of tall, leafy vegetation, I still towered above everything in the patch. I had to find the biggest pumpkin. As I scurried along, pulling myself away from the prickles, I heard Abbot say, "ORANGE!" in about the loudest voice he could muster. It was too late. He was off his color-counting pumpkin and on his feet in a heartbeat. He saw me immediately and started gargling. He gargled so hard that he toppled over onto the ground and got stuck under the prickles. His gargling stopped then and I heard him start sobbing. I let out a lengthy sigh and walked back over to yank him up. Sheepishly, he looked at me and said a quiet thank you. I just smiled. Only Abbot could get away with that. "My turn!" Abbot announced.

I'm a lot of things, but I am not a cheater. I told Abbot I would face the soybean field and count, in numbers, up to twelve, and then I would come to find him. "Is 'twelve' yellow-orange or gold?" he asked me. I wasn't sure, of course, not having memorized the 64 box of crayons. "It comes after eleven," I said. And I should have known what was coming next,"Is 'eleven' turquoise blue or indigo blue?" I counted to twelve, and Abbot hid.

Abbot, though quite a bit shorter than I, dashed away to the first large orb he spotted. But he must have realized his ears would give him away. Later he told me he tried to hold them down with his arms, but, alas, they kept boinging right back up. He just had to find a larger pumpkin, or lay down on the ground and feel the wrath of the prickles again.

It took me a while to find him. He did a good job hiding, even his ears. I approached and stood almost beside him, not able to see him at all. His green face blended with the green leaves so well that I did not even notice him. Although I could not see him, he could see me, and that was his downfall. Try as he might, his gargling erupted, quietly at first, from his belly. And as it grew in volume the leaves began to shake, and the crunchy ground debris rustled under his feet. I turned my body right then to face the sound, and had to pull aside a leaf or two to uncover his face.

"There you are!" I said to Abbot, just in time for him to topple over once again in gargling laughter. I couldn't blame him. It was a bit amusing to think I was standing beside him and couldn't even see him.

I helped him off the ground....again....and out of the prickles....again.

Together we explored the rest of the patch until we came upon a pumpkin so large and so round and so orange and so perfect, we decided then and there that this would be OUR Halloween pumpkin. We imagined the spooky face we'd carve, and the cold autumn night when the wind would howl, and the witches that would fly through the air, with their green faces and pointy hats. We got a chill just thinking about it. It was then that Abbot gave me a quizzical look. He didn't have to speak either, because I knew what he was thinking. I just answered, "I don't know, Abbot. I don't know HOW we will carry it to the house. In the meantime, it makes a very comfortable table, does it not? Perfect for a milk and cookies party? ......and yes, Abbot, you can bring the chocolates."

Until next time.

Doin' the Dirty Work

2010-09-02T19:53:00.007-05:00

My maker has been quite busy. She has been making creatures in the Creature Factory (where I was made) for so many weeks that I cannot begin to tell you how bored Abbot and I have become. We have stared out the windows, watching summer pass gloriously past our noses, wishing so badly to sneak out and romp in the green grass. My maker assured us it has been so very hot and humid outside that our woolly bodies would not enjoy such weather. We did get an opportunity or two to venture out, I suppose, but mostly we've had to entertain ourselves in other housebound ways. This doesn't always yield an ethical activity, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
One afternoon Abbot and I lay on the floor like slugs, poking each other like 4-year olds do. Abbot's gargling soon turned to sobbing as I may have poked a little too hard. My maker, with her eyes downward, focusing on a mouth or a nose she was sewing into place, said to us, "Caruthers and Abbot, you two are starting to annoy me. Please find something useful to do." I looked at Abbot, and he at me. First of all I wondered, how does she DO that? See us without LOOKING at us? Second, I thought, USEFUL. I'm not sure I've ever done anything useful. I had, however, recently overheard my maker as she mumbled to herself, about having a hard time keeping up with the housework. That gave me an idea. I quickly exited the room, dug through some things in my maker's drawer, and emerged with two squares of fabric. Bandannas, she had called them once. One puts one on one's head when they're going to do housework. I really don't know why. But tie them on, we did.
As if that wasn't enough to make Abbot roll on the floor gargling, we looked at ourselves in a mirror and, both of us hysterical with laughter, decided we should wear bandannas more often.
Thankfully the closet that houses the vacuum cleaner was open. Abbot and I scooted the monstrous machine out onto the carpet. We would quickly vacuum the carpets and floors in such a jiffy, no one would be the wiser as to how it got done. I pulled on the cord and plugged it into an outlet in the wall. I had seen my maker vacuum so many times, and I so badly wanted to try it. I flipped the lever and the glorious noise erupted from the machine. It didn't just LOOK like a monster, it SOUNDED like one too! With Abbot's help we pushed the cleaning attachment all around the carpet. Abbot wanted to try it alone, so naturally I let him. I didn't tell him about me riding on the back.

After we had finished the floors we made a trip up the stairs and to the bedrooms to make the beds. We stopped in the pink room and fluffed up the pillows. Abbot, the scalawag that he is, decided that jumping on the bed was more fun than fluffing pillows, so I captured him mid-flight and smooshed him down under the butterfly pillow. He says he was not happy, but I could see him smiling from under there.
Abbot was really enjoying his work. We made our way into the kitchen and Abbot climbed atop the counter to wash some dishes. I scurried about the kitchen collecting all the dirty dishes and hoisting them up and over, into the sink. Abbot was very careful to use a dry sponge and no water. He's getting smarter.
Cleaning is exhausting work. After about 15 minutes of hard manual labor, we thought it was time for a 4 hour break. We went back to the pink room and pulled numerous books from the shelves. We read Frog and Toad, looked at an atlas of the world, read some books on philosophy and composers (those last two made us a little sleepy), and next thing we knew we were rubbing our eyes, awakening after having fallen asleep. There was one more chore to complete. And as much as we didn't like the idea of it, we knew it had to be done. Abbot wasn't afraid. At least he wasn't after I told him I'd give him a whole pocketful of chocolates if he completed this last chore by himself.
Abbot IS a smart little guy, but sometimes he's not the brightest candle in the box. I didn't know how he would complete the task of cleaning a toilet and I didn't ask what his thoughts were. Of course, after I saw this scene I knew his idea had faltered. I grabbed him by his toe and yanked him from the toilet bowl, chiding him, saying that if he wanted to go swimming he should have asked our maker to take him to a pool. Silly Abbot.

Until next time.

Windy City Whims

2010-08-03T20:53:00.007-05:00

When my maker told me we were going to be riding on a train today I was so excited! I had never been on a train. We were going to be riding a commuter train, she said, to the city of Chicago, IL. Another city I would get to see, a big city, even bigger than Little Rock! My maker, her daughter, and Abbot and I arrived at the train station in enough time to twiddle our thumbs a bit. Abbot, as usual, could hardly contain himself. This was his very first trip to a large city, as he didn't travel to Little Rock with me. He gargled and wiggled, paced and rocked, until we heard the sound of the train's whistle. Then he immediately scurried back to my side, sort of burying his face into my belly as if the sound of the train frightened him.
Climb aboard we did, and made our way to a seat with a large window so we could watch the scenery pass like a real-life cartoon. I was fascinated by the sights, both good and bad. Good ones were children and parks, dogs and flowers, moms and babies holding hands. Bad ones were trash and graffiti, lonely people and insects, billboards and broken buildings. The Good Things I saw were repetitions of things I see everyday when I go into our town, but the Bad Things I was not as familiar with. The Bad Things made me sad. I think Abbot felt it too. He questioned my facial expressions when I encountered the Bad Things. My maker then said, "Caruthers, you will probably see many more Bad Things today, but there will be Good Things too."

After we arrived in Chicago it was a long walk to Millennium Park, our first stop on our list of sights to see. We were very taken with the sculpture called Cloudgate, which is also dubbed "the bean" to those in the know. Upon viewing Cloudgate I understood the reason for each of its names. It was a HUGE bean shaped mirror that reflected the Chicago skyline, and thus, the clouds. Many many people crowded around it to look at themselves inside the reflection. Some made faces, others pressed their noses to it. Some stood far far away to see a tiny image of themselves along with the beautiful reflection of buildings. My maker took a few shots of Abbot and I.

Since we are so small and a chair was not available to us, my maker's daughter held us up high so we could get a good photo of our reflections. The bean is so very shiny, just like a mirror, one can barely tell which is us and which is the reflection of us.

It was hard to say goodbye to the bean, but there was more to see.

Also, there in the same park, was a fountain of sorts, in The Crown Fountain Plaza. It was no ordinary fountain. It had two very tall pillars on either end of a football field sized area. In between the pillars was a wet area where the children would play. I wondered how the pavement became so wet. It was not raining. I looked at the pillars a little more closely and behind the block-like facade were human faces.....but not a LOT of faces....ONE face per pillar. they were the biggest faces I've ever seen! The faces looked at each other from across the space. When one face smiled, the other would smile. When one frowned, then the other would frown. It was as if they were communicating in some secret language. And it was then that I realized the language wasn't secret at all. It was just another talent that humans have that they can read each others' emotions through their facial expressions. In the same way Abbot and I communicate. Then something marvelous happened. The lips on the faces puckered, like they were about to kiss someone, and stream of water shot like a rainbow from their mouths! All the children squealed and ran to be under the shower. They clapped and danced, closed their eyes and laughed as they got soaked in the water spray. Abbot was so thrilled he stood at the edge of the pavement. He so wanted to get wet with those children. I couldn't blame him. It was a hot day in the city.

I managed to drag him from the water's edge. My maker and her daughter ate a cookie while Abbot and I perused the gardens and the flowers. We encountered some squirrels, but they didn't speak our language. We smiled at them. Some smiled back and others hurried along their way, hiding food in their mouths or clutching their finds to their bellies.

Our next stops were up Michigan Avenue, where we saw the Chicago River, bridges, monuments, and architecture. We could not stop to take photos, however, because there were so many people it would have been unsafe for us if we had to halt traffic. We stopped at the WGN Radio station because my maker listens to the station every morning. Her favorite radio personality was not on the air at the time, but we took a photo anyway. The building is very old and very beautiful.

We did a little shopping, a little more looking at this and that. Mostly I remembered what my maker had said earlier, about seeing more Good Things and more Bad Things, and she was right. The Good Things were smiles and laughter, tourists on vacation having a great time, boats and trolleys, shopping bags and tall ladies. The Bad Things were homeless people asking for money and food, garbage thrown on the ground by people who don't care, car horns honking impatiently, noises, frowns, and hurrying. It made me think. I had a lot of questions. These are, again, those questions that have no definitive answers. The kind of questions that make me sad and confused. I wonder how, in a world that is full of so much joy, could these Bad Things exist. It weighs heavy on my heart and kind of left me feeling melancholy today, despite all the fun I had. My maker put her arm around me on the train that took us home. "Caruthers," my maker said, "I know just how you feel."

Until next time.

The View from Vermont

2010-07-15T09:15:00.008-05:00

Abbot and I went on our greatest adventure thus far when we got to accompany my maker and her daughter to the magnificent state of Vermont. We stayed with my maker's sister and her children on beautiful Lake Chaplain. The terrain was quite rocky, something we are not accustomed to seeing, and the views over the lake were spectacular.

Curbing Abbot's sometimes exasperating enthusiasm was a challenge. He doesn't understand all the dangers that exist around him. More than once I had to save him from diving into the water, grabbing him by a toe. More than once I caught him sneaking a life vest from the supply shed so he could go sit on the sailboat. More than once I found him standing on a chair with his nose in the freezer because he was too hot. He DID find this wonderful stump by which we posed, all dried out and gnarled from the rough lake winters. Shortly after this photo, Abbot followed a spider to the edge of a cliff and almost went over himself. I had to remind him that spiders cling to walls, even sideways, but woolie monsters would not.

But those antics were nothing compared to the visit to the Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Factory.

We posed for a lot of photos at the factory tour, but the highlight was when Abbot broke away from the tour because he couldn't wait to get the free ice cream at the end of the tour. As the rest of the crowd enjoyed the video on how Ben and Jerry's was created, Abbot twiddled his thumbs. I asked him to settle down, that the free ice cream would come soon enough. Next thing I knew, Abbot was missing! I tugged on my maker's arm and told her Abbot had run away to find the ice cream. Just then the video ended and we were escorted to another room to see the machines that make the ice cream. My maker told me to be inconspicuous and look around for Abbot. We didn't want to get in trouble. I felt like a spy, skulking around corners, looking over my shoulder, creeping down low on my belly. But all that skulking was in vain because Abbot was in plain sight! He was sitting next to a factory worker who was pressing buttons on giant vats of milk and cream and sugar. The factory worker appeared to be explaining to Abbot how the ice cream was made. I was scared that Abbot would be arrested, thrown in the ice cream jail, and be forced to eat ice cream the rest of his life. But worse than that......I wouldn't be with him!

Abbot was reprimanded, but was released on the grounds that he was temporarily insane for being around ice cream. "It often happens," said the factory worker. We then took a walk to the Flavor Graveyard, where flavors that don't sell very well go to be buried. Some of them sounded pretty good to me and I was sad they would no longer be made. Once you're dead, you're dead. Unless you're a ghost.

This photo.....well.....it needs no explanation.

When we finally got to sit on the jet ski we had to don a life vest. It's the rule. Since we are a little small we both fit into one vest. It was snugly and cozy, and felt safe. And it's a good thing, because the wind blew us off the ski and almost into the water! And everyone knows Abbot and I don't REALLY swim because of how we're made. But we know how pretend very well.

Until next time.

Fabulous Fourth

2010-07-05T11:43:00.007-05:00

July 4th was almost as large of a celebration since Christmas. Except it was hot, sunny, and there was no snow. I also did not need a parka to be outdoors, in fact, I almost wished I could remove some of my wool. Alas, I know I cannot do that because I know my wool holds my stuffing in place, as well as my heart.
It began, as I wrote in my last entry, immediately upon my return from Little Rock. My maker was working on a painting of a building that would become the backdrop for a parade float. I didn't understand why it was called a float, until I actually got to see it completed and ride on it! Abbot watched me as I painted a little of what would become the grass. My maker was sure not to put too much paint on the brush. It would never come out of my wool, she said. I was very careful as I swished the brush across the canvas, the green paint looking like a cool oasis compared to the hot day.

Abbot, who never takes off his necklace I made him, climbed around the chair we were perched on. He squiggled and squirmed. Sitting still to enjoy painting is not his cup of tea. We climbed off the chair, and just before Abbot took off to chase after the dog, my maker got this photo. The painting was nowhere near completed and she could no longer put up with Abbot's impatience. She shooed him away, and I along with him, and we found something dastardly to do. Shhhhhh.

The parade float turned out wonderfully! It was a scene depicting a park from back in the 1930's. Can you see why it is called a float? It appears to be floating down the street in the parade, if one can overlook the giant red truck that pulled it along, that is. Abbot and I were tucked under the bridge. My maker told us we could be the bridge trolls. I was not sure what a bridge troll was, but I did remember hearing about trolls in the story book about gnomes. I was not sure if being a troll was a positive part for me to play, but Abbot and I took our parts to heart, growling, scowling, and trying to intimidate the crowd. Having discussed this after the parade, we decided we were not even sure if the parade-goers saw us hidden in the green of the plants. They may have been too busy watching the two little boys go fishing for river trout, or watching the boy in his old-time uniform and baseball bat, or eyeing the attractive young lady in her 1930's garb. The painting my maker did was the backdrop for the scene, and the float did get many cheers along the route.

After a good long nap (parades are exhausting) we were ready for a comfortable evening at the fireworks display. Abbot was a little scared, and I must admit, I was too. Everything we had heard about fireworks was a little frightening. Loud noises, bright explosions. What was the attraction to this anyway? We arrived at the park and claimed our seats on the aluminum benches. I had on my fabulous bow that April gave to me, and it was then that Abbot noticed he had lost Stanley. Stanley was the bug he kept in his pocket. Abbot was so heartbroken that I almost couldn't get him to smile. I told him that it was possible Stanley had been found by another monster who would take excellent care of him. This raised Abbot's spirits a little, but he still moped the entire evening.

I looked around for something to distract Abbot. It was then I saw a funny statue in the park. I pointed to it and asked Abbot to race me to it. I know how much he likes to race. It took a moment for him to crack a smile, but as soon as he did he was off the bench and running. He reached the statue first, but offered to let me sit in the crook of the statue's arm. He is so thoughtful. The statue is of a man named Dee Palmer, who has conducted the DeKalb Municipal Band for many years. In fact, he conducted the concert we saw too!

The band tuned their instruments before the concert started and Abbot and I scurried down to the front of the stage. We were a little nervous. From what my maker has said, stage crashers are not often well received. Our hearts pounded in our chests. We didn't want any trouble with the police, so we dashed away from there as quickly as we could.

The band began to play and the sky grew darker. We felt some raindrops and gusts of cool breezes. The crowd was getting restless. Tired children were crying, and many people in the crowd ate hot dogs and ice cream. Older children threw flying disks around in the air, and others carried sticks that glowed in yellow, orange and green. The music was inspiring, and patriotic, and most of all, vivacious. People were clapping and singing, and some even danced. My maker did anyway. But she always dances when she gets a chance.

The sky was turning to black. I don't believe I was ever out of doors in this much darkness. It would have been scary had it not been for all the people around me. They all stood up as the parade of flags made their way to the stage. People put their hands over their hearts and listened to the songs of the branches of the armed forces. Abbot and I did the same. We love the United States too.

Everyone then sat down again. And the band kept playing. But all of a sudden people's head tilted to the sky. There were loud BOOMs and tiny explosive pops that followed. The entire sky came to life with sparkles and glimmering lights that faded after just a few seconds. Then another giant sparkly flower shot through the sky, then another, and another. It was nothing like I'd ever seen or imagined. And though it was loud, Abbot and I watched in awe of the entire spectacle. Abbot grabbed his ears a few times because of the noise, and he even tried to grab mine. I didn't mind the noise. To me, it was part of the show. After the band grew tired of playing, hundreds of shots went into the sky, launching the most amazing sight ever. The colors were so many I could not count them all, and the pops and BOOMs came again and again. After it all ended the whole crowd cheered. And the band played one last song. The crowd stood and sang along with the band a song I came to know was The Star Spangled Banner. A song about the American flag.

What a beautiful display of citizenship, patriotism, and love for life in the United States of America. I can hardly wait until next year.

Until next time.

A College Visit

2010-06-30T10:42:00.005-05:00

Ever since I arrived at back home (and I arrived in a tornado warning, no less) my maker and her family has been very busy. They have been getting ready for a 4th of July parade and I've been helping. I will show you those photos after the parade is done, which will be on Saturday, July 3. I am not sure why they call it a 4th of July parade if it's on July 3rd, but so it is.
Anyway, I was SO happy to see Abbot that he about knocked me over, running full speed into me the moment I came through the door. Then he jumped on top of me, as a child would jump on a bed. No, it didn't hurt, as Abbot is such a dear soul that the things he does only hurt when he means them to. He was excited, and so was I, and we clasped hands and danced in circles while my maker just smiled at our reunion. Abbot showed me his friend Stanley, who now resides in his pocket at all times, "a false cocker roocsh" as he interpreted our maker's pronunciation of "cockroach". Abbot also showed me the splendid necklace he now wears, the necklace April helped me make for him while I was in Little Rock. Abbot had so much to share he couldn't stop talking. And every now and then he would gargle for no good reason, just gargle, because he COULD now, he told me, because now I am home.
After a few days of catching up with each other, my maker, Abbot and I worked on the 4th of July parade surprise, and then it was time for a little adventure. We got in the car with my maker and her family and headed south into central Illinois. My maker's son was at a music camp at The University of Illinois and we needed to go pick him up and bring him home. When we got there my maker let Abbot and I run around a bit, stretch our legs, because it was another long ride home. Below are some of the interesting things we saw.
Not that it wasn't exciting enough to be on a real college campus, we got to walk around and look at some of the buildings. Most of them were very old. But very beautiful. I felt smarter just walking around on the campus. I wished I had on a snappy hat and held a book about philosophy, and I wished people would stop and ask me what I thought of Aristotle, Plato, or Socrates. This photo, above, was taken in the quadrangle (rather, the "quad" to those in the know), and Abbot and I raced down to that building, The Auditorium, to see who could climb the stairs and touch the door first. Abbot won, and he snickered about that all afternoon. It was VERY hot, also, and it reminded me of the heat in Little Rock, and I thought of April, and Henry, Martha and Jane. I wondered what they might be doing.
Just off of the quad was a giant statue called the Alma Mater, which translates from Latin as Nourishing Mother, and refers to the school in which one once attended. Most campuses have an alma mater statue as a statement to future generations, that they will grow in knowledge while attending school. My maker then told me that University of Illinois is HER alma mater, as she attended this university as an art major. "When?" I asked her. "Caruthers," she said, "It was quite a few years ago." I wondered what my maker would have been like in college. I wondered if she thought about making ME while she was in college. It's strange, isn't it, that humans have these long lives, and so much happens to them. The experiences that make them who they are. Because, when I think hard about it, my maker never would have made me had she not become the person she is. And all that happened in her life made her the way she is. She's kind of like MY alma mater.
Abbot squiggled his way around the pedestal of the statue, posing unobtrusively on the side of it. I climbed up onto the chair and hoped that big bronze woman would not decide to sit down.

We sat on the old steps of this building, Altgeld Hall, once a law building, now used for mathematics. It's old stones have been in place a long time, one can tell by looking. As I sat I could feel history just seeping through my being. How I would like to go to college and learn everything there is to know about the world. I wondered if there was any one human being that knows everything. My maker must have heard me because she said, "Caruthers, I don't believe anyone could possibly know everything there is to know in the world. It is just too vast. Sometimes we have to be happy just knowing the things we know, and enjoy doing the things we're good at. One can always strive to know more, and that's honorable, but to want to know everything can make a person crazy." CRAZY, I thought. That's not for me. As for now I'll be thankful I know Abbot and my maker, her family and friends, and I'll be happy knowing all the tiny things I know.

It was very hot so we stopped at this fountain to cool ourselves. My maker made sure Abbot and I stayed far from the splashing of the water, but it cooled us just the same. We enjoyed looking at the pair of gargoyles perched in the water. My maker said they looked just like Abbot and I. I looked, but didn't see any resemblance. I think she was joking.
We brought the son home from camp, and what little paraphernalia he dragged along to spend a week from home. I had to scoff at that, having spent time away from my home. Where were his pirate hats, light sabres, and toys? Where were his chocolates (rather, chocolate wrappers), special blankets and night vision goggles? Some people just don't know HOW to pack for a trip.
Until next time.

Going Gnome.....A Going Away Party

2010-06-18T17:48:00.011-05:00

I knew my time with April was coming to a close. I heard her speak in a somber tone that I was to be going home soon. She wanted to do something special for me, make a special mark in my heart, so that I would not forget my time with her....as if that would ever happen. I've had the most wonderful time in Little Rock, and Martha, Jane and Henry have become extra special friends. I must admit I was excited to be going home, but so sad to be leaving. I am still not sure I understand the feelings of bitter sweetness, nor do I particularly like it. How can one be happy and sad at the same time? It feels like a hole that's half way full.

To commemorate my leaving I was told by April that a party was in order. She wanted me to go home with a BANG, no gun intended. So April arranged a meeting with the local gnome colony. She thought a tea party was in order before sending me home. April then bought some red felt and gave us buttons, glue, chocolates and beads to create something we wouldn't soon forget. She pre-cut and sewed together a funny shape from the felt and then told us to glue to the red felt shape anything we liked from the collection of trinkets. I ate some chocolates, as did the others, and we had a great time gluing our crafty item.

April, in the meantime, cut some artificial beards and moustaches from white fabric, and as we worked, she secured the beards around our necks and taped the moustaches onto our faces. Earlier in the week we had made some cookies, rolling out dough, and cutting the dough into shapes of gnomes. Then it hit me.....we were making gnome hats because the gnomes had accepted April's request to have a tea party! That's what the cookies were for, and now we would have hats and beards just like our friend William, who was the head gnome of his colony. With new fervor I completed my hat and helped Martha with hers because, no matter how she tried, she could not get the glue to squirt out of the bottle. Henry was a different story...he could not get the glue to STOP coming out of the bottle!

On this warm summer afternoon, we arrived at the gnome village. I was so impressed by it's tidiness and tininess. The gnomes were larger than some of the small wooden houses I saw. Inquiring my thought to William, he told me that sometimes the fairies came for a visit when they were passing through on their way to make-believe lands. William and his colony had to make sure the fairies were well cared for, as everyone knows that fairies are the carriers of light and peace in the world. I peeked inside the windows, hoping to see a fairy, but alas, there were none. With our red felt hats atop our heads and surrounded by the friendly gnomes, we all sat and drank some jingleberry tea, ate some fru fru plunes, and of course, nibbled on our gnome cookies. Fru fru plunes tasted a little like strawberries, of which we all were very fond. William told stories of the fairies who have visited. Even the Queen of Trestlewood graced them with her presence every now and again. I didn't know who that was, but I imagined she must be a very important and special fairy. William said The Queen of Trestlewood was indeed a very important fairy. She is the Queen of all the Fairy Lands, keeper of all flowers seeds and small creatures. What an honor it would be to see her, I thought. William then said we could read some stories about the heritage of gnomes, and handed me a book, so that I could read aloud to all who were present.

Coursin, the mouse, sat perched on the pages as I read, making sure I wouldn't leave out any of the good parts. We read about the orgin of gnomes and how they came to be creatures of the garden, creatures of the wood, who watch over the trees and earth, and dance in the moonlight all summer long. We learned about their beards and what they eat, where they sleep, and why they dress the way they do. Oh, I won't spoil it for you! Everyone should read about gnomes!

As we finished the stories (the crowd was captivated!) William announced he had a surprise for all of us who were new to the group. Martha and Jane's eyes were as round as saucers when I finished reading, and Henry was so excited he almost barked. I knew if Abbot were here he'd be gargling. I was pretty giddy myself, maybe from all that jingleberry tea. I would have to take some of that home for my maker and Abbot to try.

William, being leader of the colony, made a grand speech about how good it was that we were with them on that afternoon, and how he had never met any beings quite like us in all his 946 years. (Gnomes live a LONG time) He bellowed about the Beginning of the Time of Gnomes, and how, for thousands of years they have taken their oath to care for the gardens and lands very seriously. He passed on his knowledge about being stewards of the forests, for without forests the world would be a vast and disparaging desert. He told us always to dance when the moon is full, and never, ever forget the beauty that lives in all creatures, great and small. He then presented us with honorary necklaces that prove we are now keepers of the colonies of the gnomes that inhabit all the world. By accepting the necklace we promise to protect gnomes and fairies and the special spaces in which they live.

William and the others helped us tie the spotted mushroom necklaces around our necks. I bowed my head in loyalty when presented with mine, while Martha and Jane turned toward each other and touched each others' mushrooms while ooooohing and aaaahhhing. It was absolutely magical and I will never forget it. I will never forget the kindness that was shown to me here with the gnomes.

As a tear fell from my eye, I noticed a glimmer of light coming toward me. A very small, glistening and winged creature appraoched, carrying what appeared to me to be a snow-white feather. There was some commotion among the gnomes, some reverent mumbling, if there is such a thing. The feather brushed under my eye, softas a breeze, and scooped up my tear. It was then that I noticed the winged creature was a fairy. And the fairy wore a crown with thousands of sparkling water drops that stayed right in place. Rays of sunlight bounced off the droplets making the crown more dazzling than all the diamonds in the world. She wore a white dress that floated like milkweed down in the calm air. Could it be the Queen of Trestlewood? She took my tear, then, and sprinkled it onto the tree, announcing that my sadness wasn't for naught....that tears, though wrought from emotion, were for cleansing, healing, and sometimes happiness. MY tear would nurture that tree, help quench its thirst, make it stronger. This filled me with such wonder, for I had never thought of tears in that way.We were all so proud of our necklaces, but more than that, we were proud to be honorary members of the Colony of Gnomes.
There was much dancing after that. More fairies arrived and they brought their tiny flutes and violins. The sounds were very high pitched, which really made Henry howl at times. He tried to be on his best behavior, but sometimes a dog is just a dog.

It was an exhausting day, but in a good way. New friends and old friends that were still pretty new, as I haven't been in existence very long myself. As Martha, Jane, Henry and I all lay tucked into our bed that night I couldn't help but think. I was thinking of all the fun I've had, and how kind everyone has been to me since I arrived in Little Rock. I thought of April, mostly, and how I would miss her. I've never known anyone like her. My maker is a nice person, and I love her, but April's soul emanates from her wherever she goes. If a human could glow like a firefly, it would be her. As I thought about her I wanted to see her. I knew it was the middle of the night, but I scurried into her room and woke her up. Without even asking she got up and took my hand. We went into the kitchen and she sat me in front of the window with a gnome cookie. She had a cookie too, and we sat in silence but deep in thought. I smiled at her and I think she saw.

Until next time. When I'll be home again.

And Now A Word From Abbot

2010-06-15T20:46:00.004-05:00

Last week I made Abbot a special trinket because I was missing him so badly. April mailed it off for me and Abbot received it in the mail this week. My maker took some photos as he opened the package, to document his expression so I may see it when I return home. However, Abbot was so excited that he wanted to e-mail me the photos and write in his own words how he felt when he opened the package. This is what he said:
"Helllllooo, Caruthers I miss you verry mush I wish you were home with me I have benn looking for fun things to do but nothing is fun without you. when are you comming home? I misss you very mush. Our maker has benn lissening to funny music agen. sometimes she singss to mee but mostly i plug my earrs. she lets me eat carmels in the sewing room, tho, and lets me keeeep things in my pocketts. my nose wass bleeding after I bumped it on the ironing bord leg becuz I ran too fast and triped on the rugg. it was OK becuz the the blud didn't stain my self at all. but then i went in the bathroom and fell into the tubb becuz I wanted to swing on the curtain bar then the curtain fell on me and i wuz trapped for hors. The boy in this house found me and tossed me onto a pile of fabric and I cride until i stopped. then your box came and i smiled so our maker let me opin it and i did and inside was a funny looking bug with tickly legs i named him Stanley and put him in my pocket. then I saw there were bugs all over the box just like the one in my pocket. our maker said it was a cocker ruch or something like that.

"Stanley is a nice bug i like him and he likes me he told me. he didn't like the box ride to our house tho he said there was too much space in the box he prefers smaller spaces. Anyway I liked the round box with your picture on it. I rolled it on the floor i thought that this was my present so I plaid with it until our maker sed that the present was inside the round thing. I thawt what could be better then this round box and then i opined the box and even Stanley liked what wuz inside.

"Our maker tied it to me immediately around my neck a cuple times it was a long string so it went around my boddy a couple times. I was so happpy to see your picture again and see your face and your arms and legs it made me happy and i almost cride becuz i was sooo happpy. my toes tinkled rite off my feet and i thawt they wuld come unsewed. but they dident. but i luve the necklace and i want to keeep it on my hart for ever until i cant smile enymore or am put in a box or sumthing.

"Stanley likes my pocket too he tickles me when i asleeep and then crawls back in my pocket. i feed him carmels and cheerios and he likes food the best better than he likes swimming in the sink i tride that with him and he dident like that much he coffed and sneezed a little bit and i asked our maker to take him to the veterarian but she said no that bugs dont go to veterarians. thats all i have too say Will you come home pleese becuz i miss you a lot more then that. i miss you like spagetti misses meetballs or like a soccer ball misses a foot. that iz a lot if you dident no. ok goodbye."
Oh that Abbot. He is a kindred soul.

Until next time.

Missing Home

2010-06-09T16:50:00.005-05:00

I have another week or so to spend here in Little Rock with April, and Jane, Martha and Henry. I've been feeling a little melancholy, however, because Abbot has called more than a few times whimpering, wanting me to come home. I promised him I would bring him something from my adventures here. It got me thinking a little about what to bring home. April already let me do so much, taking me shopping and to the museum, fishing, swimming, and just living in her home has been a treat. Snuggling with my new friends at night and telling ghost stories, spying on the dogs, sneaking out of the house, lounging in the sun....there have been some good times. Smiling and laughing has been wonderful for me, but thinking of Abbot's smile has set my heart longing for home. Jane tapped my shoulder while I was deep in thought, sitting on the bed with a caramel in my hand. She said she was missing her special friend, Heart, who was at her home waiting for her. With long faces we approached April. Jane explained our disposition and April immediately set us up at her craft table with stinky glue, colored paper, shiny beads and scissors. She tied bibs around us so that we could not drip glue on ourselves, and after Jane and I began to cut shapes that expressed our desire for our homes, April came back to the table with photos of our friends that she had printed off the computer.

Just seeing Abbot's silly smile made me smile and tear up all at once. It has been so long since I have seen him. Jane cut out her photo of Heart, and I cut out my photo of Abbot. Jane and I worked silently, both of us immersed in our thoughts and feelings. Every now and then Jane would giggle, remembering something humorous that Heart said. I laughed too, not knowing why, but I reasoned that no one should ever have to laugh alone. Laughing begets laughing, as smiles beget smiles. I hoped Abbot would enjoy the photo I made for him, a photo of the two of us creating memories of happiness. I miss you, Abbot. But, I'll be home soon. Sooner than you can gargle louder than your cousins; sooner than you can mime the ABC's; sooner than you can sneak out the door with a piece of cherry licorice dangling from your mouth; sooner than the moon will fill up into a nice round ball, that one day we WILL kick around in the sky. I promise.

Until next time.

Museums, Mummies, and Mischief

2010-06-01T18:10:00.007-05:00

So far Little Rock has been one adventure after another. I am almost dizzy with all the activities we've been doing. April took Martha, Jane, Henry and I to the Capitol Building in Little Rock (the capitol of Arkansas) for a Memorial Day celebration, and then to the Arkansas Arts Center. I had never had so much fun in one day in my "life"! When we arrived at the Arts Center the first thing we saw was a beautiful fountain. The water was spurting sky high, and as we charged forward April had to remind us that water was only for looking and not touching, and especially not for falling into. Martha and Jane immediately climbed up on the ledge, not waiting for April, and started teasing each other about who touched the ledge first. They sure can be silly. What did it matter who touched the ledge first? Eventually we all got there and enjoyed the breeze coming over the water from the fountain. April gave us each a penny and told us to toss it into the water. She told us to make a wish on that penny. "And don't tell anyone your wish," she said, "or it won't come true." I made a BIG wish, but I'm not telling what it is. I watched as Jane and Henry lay down on their bellies to see all the money in the fountain. Jane's eyes became glassed over and she started reaching for the coins. There were actually some quarters and silver dollars at the bottom of the fountain. I decided that maybe sometimes a penny must not be enough for some wishes and hoped mine would come true anyway. Just then Jane started to slip into the water. Henry and I were there, though, and we each grabbed a leg just in time. I am not sure if April saw that. She was talking to a man who looked like a police officer. Later she told me he was a security guard. He was there to make sure no one got hurt or damaged any of the displays.

Inside the museum were giant marble hallways that echoed as we walked across the floor. It was clean and white and there were paintings and sculptures towering over us. April had to lift us up to see many of them. I enjoyed the colors. Some of the paintings felt like being inside some one's dream. I closed my eyes and imagined what the artist was feeling when he or she held the brush in their hand. I wondered what the paint smelled like and how it felt to draw a brush of paint across a canvas. I thought it would feel like eating chocolate.

We entered a room in the museum that had paintings of Egyptians and mummies. I have read about mummies, at least I thought I had, until April had to remind me that mummies were not the same as zombies, as I cowered between her legs. Still, mummies were a little creepy, and I know they have chased Scooby Doo in at least 5 episodes. The one painting of Egyptians (above) I liked the best, because it looked like my maker when she was scolding Abbot. Then I thought of Abbot and sighed.

In the same room was a painting that had the face cut out. This was so children could put their own face in that space and take a picture. I'm not a child, but I'm not an adult. I asked April if I could put my face in the space and she said yes. I was glad that my teeth were showing. That's the only way it really looks like me!

The train room was the most exciting part of our day. We sat with our noses glued to the glass that surrounded the most charming train set I've ever seen (actually, the ONLY train set I've ever seen). There were tiny houses and tiny cars and tiny cows and tiny dogs, and tiny trains that zoomed around on a tiny track. I wanted so badly to get inside the glass so I could touch the cows and houses. I could pretend I was the giant, like Jack and the Beanstalk, except I wouldn't be mean. Oh, to be a giant in a tiny world. In the world which I exist, I am the tiny one. Martha and Jane talked about riding on a train and they wanted to pet the tiny cows so badly. Martha looked at April, who agreed to let her get a little closer look. April lifted Martha over the top of the glass walls and let her peek down inside. Since there was no glass on the top of the display Martha could hang her head down inside. She reached with her fingers to touch one of the cows just at the same time April had told her, "No, Martha! You may only LOOK at the cows, not touch!" But it was too late. Martha squealed with delight almost touching a cow, that she twisted herself so that April lost her grip on her. Down Martha went into the display, toppling a few cows and almost getting run over by the speeding train. April reached inside as fast as she could and yanked poor Martha out by her knee, just in time! All our hearts were racing, especially April's. We all sat catching our breath, and Martha cried and cried, even though it was no one's fault. She was so traumatized that she didn't notice her candy bracelet was missing until we had left the room. Then she cried again. April told her it was OK. She would get another candy bracelet, and that the cows were enjoying it for a snack. "How nice of you to share with them, Martha," April consoled. As we scurried from the train room, embarrassed and scared about how much worse our story could have been, the security guard came around the corner. He must have noticed we were a bit panicked because he asked if we were OK. We all nodded in unison, like we had rehearsed it. But we didn't.

We loved the museum, but it was a relief to get back outside were we couldn't get into any real trouble. We saw some interesting geese by another fountain and we sat down to watch them. April told us we could only watch them because they get frightened easily. We sat very still until they came closer to us. They were beautiful! Their feathers looked so soft, almost like fur. It was then that Henry let out the biggest sneeze I've ever heard. It was so loud that the geese flapped their wings and took off away from us. Not only that, all the birds resting in the trees above our heads took flight too. The ruckus was deafening for a moment, and so loud that the security guard came out to see what had happened. "One of them sneezed," April explained, with a nervous smile. She quickly took our hands (I'm still not sure why she was in such a hurry) and off we went, back to the car, where we slept like mummies until we got home.

Until next time.

Hot Hot Hot!

2010-05-26T12:17:00.004-05:00

Everything I know about swimming would not come from experience. Being the type of creature that I am, water and I do not see eye to eye. The same can be said for Martha, Jane and Henry, who are showing me the time of my life in Arkansas. However, when the mercury inside the thermometer measured the outside temperature to be over 90 degrees (!!!), Martha and Jane were getting sluggish. That is the perfect word for them too, because they honestly moved like slugs. It took Martha 10 minutes to eat her cereal this morning, and it took Jane a full 20 minutes to roll out of bed. Usually these girls rise before Mr. Sun shows his blinky eye in the sky, dangling their feet on the window sill where they sit, waiting for Mr. Sun. I must admit, I've had a hard time of it too. It just seems easier to slug around when one feels too hot to want to breathe, much less move. April must have seen what we were going through, not acting up to our usual vivaciousness. Even she seemed a little sluggy, but managed to take care of us and all her other chores.
When April had seen enough of our droning faces she started collecting supplies from around the house again.....bathing suits, goggles, sunglasses, sunscreen and the like, and stuffing them into a canvas bag. I was certain she'd be taking us to the creek again to go fishing, but this time she took us by the hands and led us out into the back yard.

She gently dropped us onto the grass and then dumped the bag of supplies all around us like confetti. April told us to "butter up" which we decided meant we had to put our sun lotion on. April proceeded to pull a giant, blue saucer from her garage. She set it on the grass and told us to get inside. She gave us a blow up tube in which to sit. I was feeling a little confused, but was too embarrassed to ask. Was this swimming? Is it possible to swim without water? April must have heard me (she's getting quite attuned to my thought produced inquiries) because she said, "What would happen if I put you in REAL water, Caruthers? I may have had to return you to your maker full of mold and mildew! No water for any of you, just pretend." I was somewhat relieved about there not being water because I didn't want mold, mildew, or any fungus, for that matter. As Martha and Jane sunned themselves, Henry took to snorkeling. He wore a long tube from his mouth and pretended to see coral and stripey fish, and even a shark or two. April photographed us and then sat with her book close to the pool, watching us so we wouldn't get hurt. I sat back and closed my eyes for a minute, until Jane started splashing me. She got water in my ears and my mouth! I wasn't angry, but decided I'd stop being such a pacifist for a while and grabbed the hose and squirted her on the toes. She squealed with delight, yelling, "Again, Caruthers! Squirt me again!" So I did. Then Jane demanded to be squirted, and before we knew it we were out of the pool and running all over the lawn....I was chasing and they were running, emitting some of the most high-pitched noises I've ever heard. Henry remained in the pool, oblivious, as he oftentimes is.

April laughed along with us and called out to us to be careful. Then she sneaked into the house for a minute. I chased Martha and Jane back into the pool and then out again. They breathlessly collapsed onto the blanket and giggled. Henry had gotten out of the pool and sat quietly on the blanket, contemplating all he saw, I guessed. He was deep in thought. Then April returned with a bowl of fresh strawberries. Yum! They looked so delicious, that I hung my head over the poolside to have a better look. Henry yelped and Martha and Jane started wiggling again. We were all excited to eat a berry. Before we dug into them April reminded us that strawberries can stain clothing so we should be very careful when eating them. We each had one and then lay down on the blanket for a nap. It was hot, but our imaginations took us away from that for a while. Even without the water we were feeling pretty refreshed.

Later that day I approached April with a little fear in my eyes. "What is it Caruthers?" she asked. I showed her the spot on my belly from where the juicy strawberry had dribbled from my mouth. "Uh, oh," she said. "What shall we do?" I supposed we should scrub it off, like Henry got his pants scrubbed when he slid in the mud. "I've got a better idea," April cheerfully said. Then she led me to the bathroom, gave me a shower cap, closed the curtain and let me take a shower....waterless of course....but it worked like magic. When I came out of the shower, the strawberry spot was gone!

And, OH, what a surprise I had when I emerged, to see a witch-like creature staring at me! As soon as she saw me, and she knew I saw her, she skedaddled right out of there! I was hurt for a second. Why would she run away from me? My guess had to be that it was because I looked pretty scary in my shower cap.

Until next time.

Gone Fishin'

2010-05-20T11:04:00.004-05:00

I've been having so much fun at April's house, playing with Jane, Martha and Henry Doppleganger (who has really started coming out of his shell....however, he still sleeps a lot). We have been playing Wizard of Oz, hide and seek, sardines, tag (April put a kibosh on tag since it frenzied the dogs so much). We've been eating cereal out of the box, making forts under the chairs with blankets, staying up late and sleeping til 7:00am! Sometimes when everyone is asleep I think about Abbot. I've had to call him a couple times, and I've e-mailed him 4 times, but his replies are pretty much gibberish. I know what he's trying to say, that he misses me too, but he said he's been busy sneaking out the door, chasing squirrels, and having in depth conversations with the family dog, who has turned out to be quite an intellectual fellow. Who would have thunk? Abbot said he has a big surprise for me too, and he will e-mail it to me so that I can share it on my blog.
April took all 4 of us fishing one afternoon. Oh, it was very pretty by the creek. The weather has been very warm, much warmer than I'm used to, but near the creek it was cooler. The 4 of us ran to the edge when April pointed it out. April carried a bucket that was full of poles and string. We didn't know what she would do to us if we misbehaved. It was enough terror to keep me in line. She said not to get too close to the water and I listened. Poor Henry, though, was running so fast, caught one of his feet in a mud puddle, and slid just barely into the water. He dirtied his pants, and April gave him a discerning look. Then she sat down and started to tie some string to the end of a pole, and I wondered what poor Henry's punishment would be. I sat next to April and told her to please go easy on Henry, because when one is new to this world sometimes one gets a little overzealous. April smiled at me and told me that Henry would not be in trouble. She'd scrub his pants when we got home. The she continued to put more strings on more poles. She must have seen my confused look because she said the poles were for us. We were going to be fishing. This sounded interesting to me. I had only READ about fishing and, I must say, it sounded dreadful. I wasn't sure I liked the thought of using bait and hooks and hurting an innocent fish when it bit down on the hook. I realize that humans eat fish, and they eat the fish they catch, but I wasn't sure I wanted to be a part of that. But April added that we were only going to pretend and all we would catch would be a fine afternoon spent at the creek.

After April finished stringing the poles, she asked us to carefully hop into the bucket. The bucket would be our boat. I was scared we might float away in that bucket, tip over and drown, but Martha and Jane had no fear at all and flopped themselves into the bucket head first. They turned themselves upright, and then Henry leaped inside, which left me as the last to join in. My apprehension was getting the best of me, but I decided that I needed to try new things. I gingerly lifted one leg into the bucket, then the other. It felt wobbly, and I felt wobbly, but I sat myself in the corner. Martha gave me an all-knowing look, making me feel at ease. She held my hand, until April gave us our fishing poles, then she dropped it like a wet fish. We all held our poles and dangled the strings over the water. Then April lifted the bucket that contained us, and gently placed us on some rocks in the creek. She assured me I would not float away. Our strings followed along with us and got a little tangled in the process.

We sat there for quite some time, listening to the water tinkle beneath our boat. The rush of the water as it caressed the stones was so peaceful, I almost fell asleep holding my pole. Martha and Jane started poking each other after a while, and Henry accidentally let his pole drop out of his hands. He reached over the boat to grab it but it had floated on out of his reach. April had been reading a book under an oak tree and decided we had had enough at that point. She told us to pull our poles from the water to see if our "hooks" caught anything. She retrieved Henry's pole from the rock where it had been trapped and placed it back in his hands. We were all shocked and excited to see what we had caught!

April pulled us to the bank of the creek and we all skittered out of the boat. We dashed to the soft quilt that lay under the oak tree and spread out for a minute. Henry took up most of the space, acting all silly. He was going to be happy in his new home, I just knew it. Oh, if only Abbot were here right beside me. I think he would have liked fishing, as long as he could have filled his pockets with rocks, and maybe a toad or two.

April gathered the poles and string and we all walked back to her house, hand in hand.

Until next time.

Journey by Mail Truck, and a Happy Welcoming

2010-05-14T10:50:00.003-05:00

I had never traveled by mail truck (or by any other way than a car, able to look out the window), but there I was with my old suitcase full of my "necessary stuff" stuffed inside, then was placed onto a larger semi-tractor trailer, then ANOTHER semi. After a day or two (it was hard to tell.....my days all ran together) I sat around, feeling lonely as could be in a post office somewhere north of Little Rock. That was just a hopeful guess. I honestly didn't know where I was. There was so much mail surrounding me and so many packages. I called out a few times to see if any other beings like me could hear me. I cleared my scratchy throat, that felt all big and puffy with despair, and summoned my words, "I am Caruthers P. Davenport! Is anyone out there who wants to talk to me?" I hear a couple muffled cries and I searched for them amid the piles of stuff. One being named Wanda answered. Wanda was in a box and I'm sad to say I never saw her face, but we spoke through some holes in her box. She said she was a teddy bear and was going to California to be with a girl named Lizzie. She was very excited, but I could tell by the tremble in her voice that she was as scared and lonesome as I was. I wondered why my maker would do this to me, force me to travel and leave me to sit in this place for a couple days. Yes, I had Henry Doppleganger with me, but he was so timid from still being so brand new that he just stayed locked in the suitcase where it was safe and warm. I told Wanda to be brave, because I was being brave, and sometimes that is required of us in this world. She promised she would be. I also talked with Blister, who was a stuffed elephant, Terri, who was a stuffed turtle, and Paisley, who was a stuffed dinosaur. I didn't know what they meant when they said "stuffed", except that maybe they were stuffed from eating too much chocolate. MY tummy, however, was grumbling. I sat down next to a box and thought of Abbot, and what he might be doing. I took out his picture and a few little droplets of water smeared the image. I had ruined it, which made me cry harder. It had gotten dark then, and I tried to stay cheerful talking to my new friends. We told each other stories about our homes and out families. Which kind of made me feel more sad, but happy at the same time. I told them I was going to visit April and she was excited to see me too.
In the morning a tall man asked me to board a smaller mail truck. His name was Ralph and he smiled at me. I was glad not to be traveling in another bumpy semi. This one was bumpy too, but Ralph let me sit in the front seat, atop piles of mail, so I could see out of the window. I looked at the scenery passing slowly by. Ralph made a lot of stops at mail boxes, and sometimes got out of his truck to deliver mail from house to house. I wasn't sure if Ralph, like my maker, could hear me, but I tried to ask him where we were and how much longer until I got to April's house. I guess he heard me because he said, "Caruthers? That's your name...Caruthers? We will be at April's house in a few minutes. You are in Little Rock and I know for sure April is waiting for you. Every day she asks if there is a special delivery for her, and today I'll get to say yes!" I was so excited! A few minutes until I see April! It seemed like months since I had seen a human who loved me.
I arrived at April's and was bombarded by love! There were 2 other beings my maker had made waiting for me too! I met Martha, a bunny, and Jane, a cat, and a bunch of other friends they had made at April's house. April saw me, picked me up, and marveled at my size. She was so glad to see me having waited so long. That made me happy. There is nothing better in this world than to be wanted. Martha and Jane immediately made me put on silly shoes, eat some chocolates and pulled me into their fantasy world, where they were pretending I had been lost in a tornado. We ran off together as Henry Doppleganger creeped out of the suitcase. I had forgotten about him! I ran back to the suitcase, introduced Henry to everyone, especially April, because my maker made Henry just for her. Off we all ran to start new adventures!

The end of the day came too suddenly, but we were all tired. April said we could all sleep in the same bed as long as there was no monkey business. I was not sure what she meant since there wasn't a monkey among us. But the dim moonlight thrown in from the window cast shadows around the room where we all lay, snuggled in a happy quilt. Jane and Martha giggled for quite a while until they fell asleep. Henry zonked right out. I have heard that dogs sleep a lot. And me, I was elated to be there, but still lonesome for Abbot. I rolled to my side, tucked my arm under my pillow, and just as I was about to cry I felt something under my pillow. I pulled out a piece of paper, which was a picture of Abbot. April must have placed it under my pillow. This one I refused to stain with tears and ruin. I looked at his silly smile, and tucked the picture back under my pillow. I fell asleep thinking of him. Tomorrow was ahead of me. Tomorrow is always ahead.
Until next time.

Adventures in Arkansas: The Beginning

2010-05-11T14:40:00.004-05:00

I had never been anywhere before since I came into being. I mean, except for the town....and the park. And Wisconsin. I had never been anywhere alone, at least not since Abbot came into being. When my maker told me she wanted me to go on a trip somewhere, I was so excited! I couldn't wait! I started jumping up and down and spinning in circles like I had seen the family dog do when he was chasing his tail. Since I don't have a tail it must have looked terrifically silly when I started spinning. My maker must have known what I was wondering.....where were we going this time? There is nothing I like more than going places and seeing what is out there in the world. There is so much I don't know, so much I haven't seen. My excitement was in full force. I could taste it in my mouth. It tasted a little like chocolates. It was then that my maker sat me down, looked me in the eye and said to me, "Caruthers, I am sending you on an adventure all by yourself. We will pack you a suitcase and you will travel by mail truck to Little Rock, Arkansas. Arkansas is another state, just like Wisconsin is." She must have seen the confusion on my face. My whole demeanor dropped onto the floor like a glass of milk. SLOSH. Then my maker said, "It's OK Caruthers. There is someone in Little Rock who is very excited to meet you. She's been reading your blog and she wants you to visit and have some adventures with her. You don't have to be scared because she is my friend and I know she will take good care of you. Her name is April and she has dogs and a whole life that I think you will enjoy immensely." I did not know what to think. I was excited to go to Little Rock and meet April, but I knew I would miss my home and my maker. Would I ever get home again? I have seen my maker's children go away and come back, so I figured I'd be OK. But I also remembered my maker's face when her children left. She cried sometimes when her children left and I was there to hold her hand. Who would hold her hand when I left? I looked to my maker's face to ask her about Abbot. "No, Caruthers," she said. "Abbot will stay here." Then she picked me up in her arms and said, "And I'll be fine. Don't worry. April will take your photos and you can write about your adventures at her house. You can also e-mail me any time you want."
I felt better about it after a few days and started to pack my suitcase. I gathered only the essentials, the necessary items I would need: my light sabre, my pirate hat and patch, my tall menacing hat, and stuff like that. I was a little worried about April's dogs. What if I needed my pirate hat in case they thought I was too much of a softie? I wanted to be prepared for all situations. Abbot sniffled as he watched me pack. He and his tall ears peaked over the top of the suitcase and he whimpered a bit. I told him not to worry. I told him I'd e-mail him and keep his picture with me at all times. I also told him I'd bring him a souvenir from Little Rock. My maker told me that April would take me shopping.
When I had finished packing, I ran and got my maker so she could make sure I brought the right stuff. She laughed when she saw what I deemed as "necessary" for travel. She then placed into my suitcase a woolie dog she had made for April. She said, "See, Caruthers? You will not be all alone. This sweet little Henry Doppleganger will accompany you on your trip. But he will stay in Little Rock with April when you return home."
Then I couldn't find Abbot. He had jumped down off the chair he was standing on behind the suitcase when I went to get my maker. I looked all over for him. It wasn't a fine time to play hide and seek, but there was was, doing just that. My maker looked too. We called his name and looked under beds, behind doors, and inside all the cereal boxes. He and his ears (which always give him away) were no where to be found. I went back to my suitcase and pouted a little. I had only a few hours left with Abbot and he was hiding from me. I started to re-arrange my suitcase only to feel a strange lump in my throat....and another one under a blanket that wasn't there before. I pressed on it a bit and it started gargling. It was ABBOT! He was hiding in my suitcase all this time! I pressed down on the lump some more and he gargled even louder. Then I pulled the edge of the blanket away to reveal his smiling face. I smiled back. I knew he wanted to come with me but I assured him that I would be home soon and we'd have so many adventures of our own this summer. I wasn't sure this was true, however. I wasn't sure I'd EVER get home again. But that's what I had to tell Abbot so he wouldn't worry. I know my maker had told me things like that in the past so I wouldn't worry about her. It was time for ME to be brave. I had to go out into the world alone.
We all posed as my maker took this photo in front of my suitcase. We were now all feeling very excited for my journey. I hoped April wouldn't mind all the stuff I was bringing. My maker said again that April had everything I needed to stay with her, including my own toothbrush and bed, and I wouldn't really need any of my toys, but my maker also knew my toys made me feel a little more secure.
My case was packed and I was ready for my journey. I am not sure what it is like to travel in a mail truck, but I knew I would soon be finding out. I hoped I would get to April soon, and I hoped she would like me. I felt scared too, not really knowing where I was going or who I'd meet. The world can be scary that way. But what an adventure I planned on having!

Until next time. Bon Voyage!

Bathing Beauties

2010-05-06T16:24:00.003-05:00

It was a fine afternoon. My maker took Abbot and I out into the yard. The birds were all a-twitter and the breeze blew so hard it almost carried me away in its arms. I held my maker's hand in one of my hands, and Abbot's in the other. My maker had a blanket tucked under the arm with which she held my hand. She was wearing a crazy outfit that looked similar to underwear. She had a big hat on her head and a tote bag hooked around her other arm. I practically had to drag Abbot along. Abbot was always looking behind himself as we walked. He had to see everything. He gargled at the grass between his toes, and marveled at the tiny bugs he happened upon as we walked. I looked up and noticed that I had never seen the sun so high in the sky and so warm on my body as today. My maker stopped on a hill in the yard, surveyed the angle of the sun, I guessed, let go of my hand, and tossed the blanket onto the grass. She then grabbed two corners of the blanket and opened it in the breeze until it floated and fell like a feather onto the grass. She laid Abbot and I onto our backs, gave us some sunglasses and an ipod and told us to enjoy the warmth of the sun. She sat down beside us then and began smoothing some cream on her body. Then she laid down too, and enjoyed the sun. "The sun is not good for me, Caruthers,", my maker said. "It just feels so warm today that I couldn't resist taking you and Abbot out into it too." My maker assured me this would not harm Abbot or I too badly, maybe just fade our colors a little. I asked her what it would do to her as she lazed beside us in her bathing suit. "Unfortunately, Caruthers," she said, "the sunshine is not always a good thing for humans to enjoy. We really should stay out of the sun. The sun changes our skin color, and that's not a good thing." I turned my head to look at her as she laid on her back. She had her sunglasses on and the white cream all over her skin. She must have noticed that I was staring at her because she added, "It's OK Caruthers. I know I said your colors may fade in the sun, but humans get darker. This white lotion is to prevent my skin from burning." I became alarmed. Burning! Would my maker burst into flames before my eyes? I've seen it on TV (I know I'm not supposed to watch those shows....but I sneak them in sometimes....), a man with flames rising from his back as he runs away. But the flames keep following him. Does he think he can outrun them? What would I do if my maker started on fire? I sat up and jumped onto her belly. I jumped up and down I was so scared. What if I burst into flames too? Then what would Abbot do? I was sure he would whimper until he ran out of tears. This couldn't happen! "Caruthers!" my maker gasped. "What is it? Why are you jumping on me?" Of course she can read my thoughts and she realized what she had said and how I had interpreted it. "NO, Caruthers, I will NOT burst into flames! What I mean about my skin burning is that it would turn red. Red skin, burned skin, even skin changing to a brown color is not healthy." I was so relived she would not burst into flames that I collapsed onto the blanket again. I managed to kick Abbot in the face on accident, and he pulled my ear. I gave him a sour look. Then I wondered why my maker would lay in the sun in her underwear if it was not healthy. She must have heard me because she said, "Caruthers, sometimes people do things that aren't good for them because these things make us feel good. It's not something we are proud of, but without these tiny vices, as we call them, life would be pretty dull and tedious. Sometimes we need these little vices to help us get through the day. It gives us something to look forward to, just like you look forward to your chocolates and going outside." Then she added something that scared me, "Some people have more vices than others, and some have vices that could kill them. When people have a hard time dealing with their vices, and their vices begin to control them, then they have a big problem." I started to think about my vices......chocolates, running around, pulling the dog's tail, tickling Abbot until he drools, hiding in the corn flakes box, sleeping upside down....there were a million of them! Could any of them kill me? I was scared. My maker heard me again though and said, "Caruthers, anything in moderation won't kill you. You just have to be sensible, be careful about the choices you make and you'll be fine."
Abbot was trembling a bit as he listened to my maker's and my conversation. I patted his belly and said, "It's OK, Abbot. We will be fine as long as we listen to our maker." That made him smile a huge toothy grin. We both laid back down on our backs and threw our hands to the sky. It was a fine day to lay in the sun. Just for a bit.
Until next time.

In Times of War

2010-04-27T16:00:00.004-05:00

Have you ever had an argument? A real bad one? An argument so bad that there was really no way to solve it? An argument that leaves everyone involved feeling hostile and angry, like there is no way to ever be friends again? Abbot and I have had arguments. Like the time when he squeezed his toothpaste in my ear, or when he told my maker that I was the one who plowed into the table and left a chocolaty mark, or when he stole my blankets in the night because I had not laughed at his joke about pickles and tarantulas. We've had some arguments, but somehow we always say we're sorry and move forward. I have learned, however, that sometimes people just aren't sorry, and sometimes even if people are sorry, it's not enough. Sometimes I've been sorry about something only to procure that I was the one for whom the apology should bestow.

Conflicts are complicated. Sometimes so complicated that anger festers. Some people think they're right and they get a group of others to follow along, so soon, they ALL think they're right. And sometimes these ones who believe they are right will do anything to press their view on others. If the others DON'T believe the cause of the group who thinks they're right, then sometimes violence erupts. As my maker explained all of this to me, I made her stop and tell me about violence. Violence is a concept with which I am not familiar. I've heard about it, and I know it exists, because I hear my maker discussing war and murder and abuse and beatings. I guess I just hoped if I did not ask my maker about violence, then I would not have to know about it. How could any living human or creature hurt another human or creature? I asked my maker that and she said that first, all creatures have a built in defense mechanism. This helps them to defend themselves if they feel threatened. She must have heard what I was thinking because she said, "Caruthers, sometimes creatures get scared, like they might be hurt, or killed, so they try to protect themselves in any way they can. This is an innate quality most creatures are born with. Back in time, millions of years ago, when creatures were being made, this innate sense of fear was the key to survival. If creatures couldn't defend themselves, they wouldn't live long enough to reproduce." It was then I remembered the talk about the seeds. I wondered if plants had fear instilled in them also, or was it just for animal creatures? I suppose this all made sense, if one was going to be eaten by a swarm of blackbirds, or smashed by Bigfoot's foot, or trampled by a herd of dinosaurs. But, self-inflicted, human violence is a different type of violence, isn't it?

I asked my maker about war. She gave me some history, but soon realized my distaste for the subject when I tried to plug my ears. I didn't want to hear any more about it after a while. She DID say, there were always 2 sides.....at LEAST....to these very complicated conflicts. One side believes their truths, and the other side believes their truths. Not only that, but depending on which side one is on, the other side is automatically wrong. Some wars are fought for good reason, my maker said, and others not so much. "Of course," she added, "what I believe is good reason and what others believe is good reason, aren't always the same. Everyone has their own opinion. It makes the world an exciting place because we can learn from each other, but it also makes people upset when their opinion is not the most popular. This can lead to conflicts, and sometimes, violence." I asked my maker why some people think it is appropriate to inflict violence on others, for which she had no answer....or rather, too many opinions to share.

Abbot and I had the opportunity to meet 2 Civil War generals one evening. They looked very rugged and handsome in their uniforms, but almost too formidable for me to feel comfortable. General Hancock and General Grant held us nobly in their arms for the photo, then told us what it was like to be a general in the Civil War. The Civil War is an infamous U.S. war in which our nation fought against itself, just because 2 groups of people had different opinions on what was right. The stories the generals told me were horrific and I could barely listen. My maker was there and she cuddled Abbot and I and told us both we did not have to listen to any more if that is what we chose. The generals had bayonets and guns, and other weapons that reminded me of the days Abbot and I played Pirates. I did not think I was creating violence when playing Pirates, but I suppose I was. After a couple more stories I could no longer listen to the atrocities that occurred during that war. It was too much for me. Abbot and I thanked the generals for their time and their stories, and secretly, we later decided, we felt sorry for them for having to endure that ordeal. They were very brave men, fighting for what they believed (I agreed with their side, as did Abbot, believing all humans should be free, no matter their color) and they deserve our praise and gratitude, now and always. The same is true for our soldiers today. They have an unspeakable job, yet they do it because of what they believe in. However, the other side will always believe they are right as well. Where does it end? My maker must have heard me, as I slumped into my chair, and said, "Unfortunately, Caruthers, it doesn't end. And it won't end until we all believe the same things. That probably will never happen." That made me very sad. She saw my foreboding expression then, and little water droplets fell from my eyes. Then she said, "But, you know what Caruthers? YOU make the world a better place, just because you care.....because you have love and show love, it makes all the difference to everyone who knows you. How can we make the world stop fighting? One giver at a time, one lover at a time, one tolerance at a time. That's the only way I know."

My maker kissed my nose and Abbot handed me a dirty tissue from his pocket and placed his arm around me. In his hand was a slightly used caramel. I smiled. I knew I would be OK.

Until next time.

My Bleeding Hearts

2010-04-23T12:51:00.003-05:00

My maker has been hunkered down in her Creature Factory sewing more monsters like me. She spends a lot of time there while Abbot and I have no choice but to sit and watch or roam the house. A few times we have taken to playing hide and seek, but, fearing the anguish of The Bucket, we try to really behave ourselves. We have taken out the dress up clothes numerous times and had many great adventures, but we have also plastered our noses to the windows wishing to be out of doors. My maker returned from her job at the candy store one day to find nose smudges on all the windows, as that was Abbot's great accomplishment, to smear his chocolaty nose on all the windows of the house. He was almost given The Bucket, but my maker changed her mind when he agreed to wash the smudges off all by himself. I laughed wildly when my maker said to him, "Better to USE the bucket, than be IN the bucket, right, Abbot?" Abbot did not appreciate my giggles, so I decided to help him. After his task was completed, a number of hours later (only because Abbot kept wrapping himself in paper towels and pretending he was a mummy), Abbot and I were sanctioned back to the Creature Factory. We were given a firm lecture, an apple, and a pat on the behind.
Our desire to leave the house was growing, like the grass and flowers in the yard. We decided one sunny afternoon that we just HAD to escape from the house. My maker was at work and we figured what she didn't know wouldn't hurt anything. Abbot grabbed the camera and we planned our liberation. First we had to get out the door. This is always a problem when one is only 2 feet tall. The doorknob is about 3 feet high. Even with my long arms I could not maneuver that feat. Abbot thought that if he stood on my head that together we would be tall enough. So, he climbed on a chair, onto my head, and I balanced him there as I walked to the door. Abbot grabbed the knob and twisted it to the right. The door sprung open, but we had both tumbled down onto the floor, rubbing the stuffing in our heads. It occurred to us later that we could have used the chair to get high enough to reach the door knob, but this way was more adventurous. Once out the door we had to pass the dog, who rarely barks. He didn't bark, but he kept his eyes on us, like we were squirrels in the park. Abbot and I saw some lovely flowers blooming in the yard and thought we'd like a photo by them. But since my maker wasn't there to take the photo we had to think of another way to do it, since we both wanted to be in the picture. Abbot had another brilliant idea. He called the dog over, who was still watching us like we were chickens, and asked him to help. All we needed was for the dog to stand still while we balanced the camera on his back and set the timer. It took a lot of tries to get a photo that wasn't all blurry. I mentioned to Abbot that maybe the dog could actually TAKE the picture, but Abbot said no. The dog has no pose able thumbs. I just let that one pass. We snuck behind the bleeding hearts, these lovely plants with drooping pink flowers that were heart shaped. The dog sort of snickered because he knew what would happen if we trampled those flowers. He'd been in trouble MANY times. We managed not to ruin anything, and brushed out footprints away with our hands, which made us leave hand prints once we went in the house, but......that's a story for another day.

We had to take another photo without hiding, just for fun. Then we went about our business of running, jumping, skipping, hopping until we were spent. We were quite filthy when we thought we should get back in the house and clean ourselves up before my maker returned from work. We made a bit of a mess in the bathroom, but I made sure Abbot's ears were clean and he checked mine as well. When my maker later saw the dirty towels and floor, she gave a puzzled look to no one in particular. "Hmmm," was all she said. I sure hope she's not reading this blog post right now. If she is, well, I'll take a book along with me to read when Abbot and I end up in The Bucket.

Until next time!

Fun with a Farm

2010-04-15T19:16:00.005-05:00

I thought riding in a car was a lot of fun......until I got to ride in a tractor. My maker took Abbot and I out into a farm field where a large red tractor was parked. The hood of the tractor was open and Abbot and I were eager to see what was happening. My maker's husband is a farmer. He grew up on a farm and pretty much has farmed his whole life. My maker said he has raised cows, cattle, and chickens, as well as corn, soybeans and wheat. It was all very interesting hearing about crops and how they're planted, with these monsterous machines. Abbot and I posed inside the tire rims one evening, while the smell of fertilizer consumed the air. It wasn't a pretty smell, but we were told that nitrogen is an important nutrient the soil needs in order for plants to grow. I didn't see any plants, though. Nothing was growing in that field. My maker must have heard me because she said, "Caruthers, the fertilizer prepares the soil for plants to grow. In much the same way a child needs to eat certain foods to grow. A field of soil needs to "eat" certain nutrients to grow strong, healthy plants. The corn seeds will be planted soon." I was feeling very excited to see these corn plants grow.

Abbot and I jumped out from the tire rims, both of us landing on our faces. We had some dirt, rather, SOIL, on us that my maker quickly brushed away. We were both so wriggly and squirmy as she held us close in order to clean us up, that we tumbled from her arms, and again, onto our faces. This time we didn't allow her to catch us. We climbed up onto the tractor where the hood was open. Abbot was in fine form, getting his toe stuck in some crevice in which a toe should not be. He whimpered loudly and I got a hold of his leg and yanked him out. He rubbed his toe with abandon, and then continued to explore the inner workings of the red monster. There sure were a lot of switches and cables and things we pulled that we probably shouldn't have. And it probably didn't help that Abbot left behind a caramel and a dirty tissue that were in his pockets stuffed between a pipe and a thing that looked like a fan. Later I found out that my maker's husband wasn't all to happy when he discovered the melted caramel fused to the dirty tissue fused to the thing that looked like a fan. I wondered if we'd get The Bucket for that.

My maker said that this tractor is top of the line, newfangled, high-tech. Now, I am not sure what those words mean or how they pertain to a tractor, but she said that this tractor was so fabulous that even I could drive it. "It's a 'hands-free' tractor," my maker said. "It is steered by a satellite way out in space." She pointed to the sky when she said that and I looked up into the sky and pointed also, incredulously. "Yes, Caruthers. Way out there where it's black as night all the time." Abbot wasn't nearly as intrigued. Abbot's lip just pouted out because he wanted to be able to drive it too. My maker, noticing Abbot was not also pointing to the sky, but rather had his head tipped toward the ground, kicking a rock with his sore toe, then said, "Yes, Abbot, YOU can drive it too." Abbot gargled until I thought he'd jiggle right out of his suit. I sat in the driver's seat first, then Abbot got a turn. We didn't go far because of the aforementioned tissue and caramel debacle, but we revved it up for sure. It was loud. It indeed sounded like a monster. A scary monster, not a ME monster.

My maker promised us a chance to see the seeds that will go in the ground. She said that the seeds that go into the ground will grow into leafy, green plants that will create more seeds just like the ones being planted. This did not make a lot of sense to me. If there are already seeds then why does one need to grow plants to make more seeds? I guess it's another question I have, and a concept I'll have to try to understand. My maker said most of the seeds get eaten as food. People and animals eat corn and soybeans and wheat, and these crops are also used to make many of the products we live with everyday. My maker said all living things make seeds, even without a farmer's help. This allows them to create more of themselves, to duplicate themselves, which makes life go on. Without seeds from living creatures and plants and bugs, life would end....all life. I started thinking about whether I had seeds. I know I have a heart because I feel pain and happiness and shame and doubt and guilt....and love....and a whole bunch more. But seeds. How I want seeds. My heart will wish for seeds.

Until next time.

Yo Ho Ho and a Basket of Fun!

2010-04-07T18:35:00.007-05:00

My maker says that April showers bring May flowers. I am not sure what that means, but she said this to me when I complained about the rain. I am fairly a new being to this world and this is my first Springtime, and I am quite certain that there are other humans and creatures alike who are not happy about all the rain. It seems that ever since I tasted that hint of warm weather, the desire to be outside has left me with a feeling of longing.
In any case, as the rain came from the sky so heavily that I could not step even my toe out of doors, Abbot and I scurried about the floor playing Tag, and Hide and Seek. My maker was not too thrilled when her legs became a fortress for not being tagged, and her undershirt a suitable hiding place. It was then she dragged out a large basket from her son's room. Abbot and I did not know what to think. Was she going to put us away into the basket until we calmed down? Poor Abbot had already experienced the shame of The Bucket. Was it my turn now? However, when she opened the basket Abbot and I were both surprised at what we saw. We looked at each other, then looked at my maker. She must have known what I was thinking because she said, "Caruthers, when my children were younger and they were running around at my feet on a rainy day, this is what they did for fun." She started pulling things out from the basket. Belts, hats, capes, skirts (ewwww), helmets, swords (that's more like it) and all kinds of other stuff. "Have at it," she said to us. "Dress up and create an adventure!" Our first attempts were feeble, as one can see.

But then it started getting fun. My maker threw a blanket over the table and Abbot and I collected the throw pillows from off of the couch. We strung up some lights and hoisted a flag. Abbot dug into the basket until he found a pirate hat and an eye patch, which sealed the beginning of our adventure.

The evil Mr. Hyde and his scalawags came sailing on a tiny ship across the sea. Abbot viewed their arrival through his monocular (a plastic cup),across waves (lumpy carpet) which were tossing us about on our own ship. Our ship, dubbed The Rainy Day, was much larger than theirs, and we were cramped with all of our gear. Abbot and I did not know how the enemy ship was staying afloat. They must have had 12 creatures along! There was Batman, Robot Rangers, The Gnome from Home, and Sweaterman, who looked incredibly warm. Mr. Hyde himself was as menacing as they come, with his snide smile and bloodshot eyes. He kept calling to us, "We're coming for YOU!!" Then he would let out a battle cry like, "Bwaaa Haaa Haaa...." Abbot was a little frightened, even though he looked very convincing in his pirate uniform. My maker had taken his sword away after he decapitated one of the house plants. He was feeling a little vulnerable without it.

When the enemy approached our ship, they all hopped aboard, causing our boat to rock side to side. It was then that Abbot warned the intruders that if they did not stop jumping and rocking, that these unwelcome guests would soon be wearing his lunch. This made me laugh, despite the danger we were apparently up to our elbows in, if we had elbows.

Mr. Hyde and his posse were a loud and rude lot. They continued to shake and wiggle and dance, and whatever else they could to keep our boat from stabilizing on the waves. Abbot and I did not care for their bad behavior or lack of manners. I then did my best to explain to them that they would have been welcome on our ship had they just asked to board. There was no need to make haste and push their way onto our ship. All the while the intruders kept up their wriggling ways. Some began to cry and moan. Others crossed their legs and jumped around. I was quite sure it would be the end of Abbot and I. Abbot tried his best to speak, but could not in his frightened state. All he could manage was to whimper. I, however, shouted in my most authoritative voice, above the restless din of our intruders, "PLEASE, Men! Please, quiet down and tell us for what reason you have stormed our ship!" It was then that Mr. Hyde told us the meaning behind his rude intrusion.

"I am so sorry to do this to you," he announced in his British accent. "But, we have NO CHOICE!"

"Yes?" I asked. "What is it, Mr. Hyde, scary man of literature, and now also of our ocean? Please tell us what it is you want and be on your way!" The noise of Mr. Hyde's crew was most deafening. The crying, the moaning, the foot stomping. I must admit, I had never been wanting my maker to protect me so much than I did at that moment. Just then Mr. Hyde approached me, got extremely close to my face, looked me in the eye, and then proceeded to whisper his request into my ear.

"Of course," I answered. "Why didn't you just say so?" I mused. Mr. Hyde didn't appreciate my chuckling, so I stopped and said, "The bathroom is on the lower deck. Please help yourself."

After Mr. Hyde's crew was....ummmm...relieved, most of them went back to their tiny ship to sunbathe or some such nonsense. Mr. Hyde, his pet iguana head, and The Gnome from Home, stayed aboard our ship for a spot of tea. Mr. Hyde told us of his adventures on the high seas as Abbot and I listened intently. There was talk of Sea Monsters, Sea Serpents, and Sea Water.

When it came time for them all to leave, and for us to sail on to our own adventures, we all shook hands and said cheerful goodbyes. It wasn't terribly sad. We knew they'd be back, as soon as they needed the bathroom again.

Until next time.

Lessons of Easter

2010-03-31T20:42:00.006-05:00

Easter is another Christian observance, my maker told me today. It is the time when we celebrate the death of the baby that was born on Christmas. I was so confused. Why would anyone celebrate the death of a baby, much less the death of anyone? I guess there was more to the story. My maker said what Christians celebrate is not necessarily the DEATH of Jesus, but how he was raised to new life. I was really having trouble wrapping my mind around that. Plus, wasn't he still a baby? My maker must have heard me because she said, "Caruthers, Christians celebrate the life of Jesus, from a baby to a grown man. He was the most selfless and compassionate person to walk the earth. And not only that, he is believed to be the actual son of God. We celebrate, not his death per se, but his coming back to life after his crucifixion." I didn't understand. There were some new words and concepts I was just not ready for. I will have her explain it to me again. All I know is that when we drove past the houses today on the way to my maker's workplace (the candy store!) there were not the decorations in the yards like the ones I remember seeing at Christmas. My maker said Easter was a more somber holiday in the church, but in the secular realm, it marks the beginning of Spring. Baby bunnies, chicks, ducklings, daffodils and crocuses are all symbols of Easter, of Spring. I surmised on my own that the new life emerging from the earth might be similar to the new life that Jesus had.
It was Abbot's first trip to the candy store. I was worried he would not behave himself. I introduced him to Todd, my maker's boss, and to Debbie, a sweet, wonderful woman who works there too. Abbot was very polite, but I knew better than to take my eyes off of him.

While my maker and Debbie were busy waiting on customers, and Todd making chocolate bunnies, Abbot and I had the run of the place, even though we tried not to run. Most of the running I did was to keep Abbot from running. We jumped up onto one of the counter tops and sat in a couple baskets, like we were candy waiting to be bought. It would have been nice if someone wanted to buy me, but I think I would miss my home. I asked Abbot what he thought about being bought and he kind of whimpered. I think he likes it at my maker's house with me. That made me happy.

So much chocolate at the store! I had to try REALLY hard to hide all the wrappers of the candies I ate. I had to get creative on some hiding places. Todd was handing out some stern looks to Abbot and I as we stuck our hands in some of the jars without using a plastic glove or the candy scoop. I guess we were being bad. We waddled up to Todd to apologize. He smiled and forgave us. But then....

When Todd, Debbie and my maker were eating their lunch, Abbot took to climbing one of the displays. I yelled after him and tried to get him to come down. But just as he was about to jump, his funny feet gave way and he tumbled, head first, right into a vat of jelly beans. I couldn't help but laugh. Abbot seemed to be gargling and whimpering all at the same time. I didn't know how to help him out of there. It reminded my of the time he got stuck hanging upside down from the slide. Except his head and body were wedged in the vat. There was no wiggle room whatsoever. He TRIED not to eat any jelly beans, but there were SO many, he just couldn't help himself. I knew that the fuller his belly got, the harder it would be to get him out of there. I had to tell someone. I didn't want Abbot to be in trouble, but I figured in this case, I was also helping him. He simply couldn't stay in there much longer.

I went to find my maker. If I was a dog, I would have had my tail between my legs. I knew I'd be in trouble for not doing a better job looking after Abbot. I walked up to her and took her hand. "What is it, Caruthers?" she asked. All I had to do was point. When she saw Abbot in the vat of jelly beans she was not happy. I could tell. But then she started laughing. She laughed, then had Todd and Debbie come look at Abbot. They laughed too! There was so much laughter that I started laughing too! We all laughed and laughed, until after a bit, I realized I was the only one still laughing. I felt my throat get sore all of a sudden. Maybe I shouldn't have been laughing? My maker took Abbot by the feet and told him he needed a time out. And since there was no corner to place him in where he wouldn't be a spectacle, she plopped him in a bucket, and there he sat for the rest of the day. I was placed on a box against the wall, and poor Abbot whimpered. I felt bad. I should have done a better job watching him. I asked my maker to let him out and punish me instead. I would take the bucket from Abbot, and set him free. My maker said, "Caruthers, that's what Jesus did for all of us. And that's what Easter is all about."

I'm still not sure I understand it all, but I do know I would do anything for Abbot, and I know he'd do the same for me.

Until next time.

Epilogue

2010-03-24T11:30:00.003-05:00

Since Abbot was so kind in accepting my apology I decided to spend the day with him playing games and waiting on his needs. I got him some tea (his favorite...lemon zinger), a soft furry blanket, and some tissues, one of which I stuffed into his pocket. He gargled at that, saying his nose felt stuffed just like his pocket. I also tucked a few sore throat drops in his other pocket for later, after his nap. We played a game of SORRY!, which seemed appropriate, and of course, Abbot won. I'm glad he won. I hope he always wins. Because that is what a good friend does.....he helps when needed, he tries to make things better, he encourages and supports, he sacrifices, and he always hopes for the success of his pals. That's what I plan to do from now on.
My heart feels soft and light again, and it feels like a bandage has been wrapped around it, squeezed it to heal the cuts I made on myself. My maker knew the pain I was feeling, having hurt Abbot. When she saw what I was doing, making restitution she called it, she gave me a smile and said, "Caruthers, all we can do in this life is try. As long as we try, and are sincere in our convictions, we can move forward. It was very big of Abbot to forgive you." I agree.
Until next time.

Frienship Means Forgiveness

2010-03-23T17:57:00.007-05:00

Valuable lessons are all around, every day. Like what happened today. This morning my maker returned from her run in a fairly happy mood. She told me the birds were alive and twittering to each other like they all had some winter stories to tell. She thought it would be a good day to be outside for a while after she was done at work. Abbot and I sat in our chair listening to her talk. We are always very attentive. Then something happened....Abbot sneezed. Then he sneezed again. And again. My maker came to him and knelt down to touch his forehead. I looked at her in a strange way and she said to me, "Caruthers, did you notice that Abbot was feeling warmer than usual?" I was confused. Why would Abbot be warmer than usual? He wasn't sitting in the sun. "I think he has a fever," my maker said. "I don't think he can go outside with us today. He's sick." I looked at Abbot, who then looked at me, and I DID see something odd in his eyes. His eyes looked watery, and tired. I felt his forehead then, and yes, he was hot. My maker helped me put Abbot onto her bed. She propped up his head on a nice soft pillow and covered him in a blanket, as he shivered so much that I thought his round buttons would fall off his suit. I knew Abbot couldn't go outside today, but I still wanted to go. I looked at my maker as if to ask her what I should do. She said to me, "Caruthers, that is your choice. You can stay home with your friend or you can still come with me." I was in a quandary. If I don't go, will I let down my maker? And if I go, will I let down Abbot? I decided to go. I gave Abbot a kiss on his ears and went with my maker. Abbot whimpered quite a bit. In fact, I'd never heard him cry before. I didn't know why he was crying. I knew he would feel better after a day of rest all alone.
I sat waiting most of the day until my maker finished work, and then we had such a fun time! I whirled on the merry-go-round until I thought I would throw up all the chocolate I've ever eaten. I slid down the slide again, and swinged on the swing.

Oh, the sun was blooming and the grass was turning green before my eyes! My maker explained why it was turning green, and why the sun was so important for the bringing of spring. She explained that spring was still coming and soon it would be here to stay. I climbed a tree to chase a squirrel. It looked me in the eye and laughed insensibly at me. I wondered why. All the while I was running and playing, I felt a nagging in my stomach, like there was something missing on this beautiful day. I tried to ignore it, but it kept coming around like when I was on the merry-go-round. I felt like I had done something wrong. I felt sour and guilty. I felt like I had pushed someone off of the slide and walked away. My head drooped, my smile faded. I sulked to the car when it was time to leave. "What is it, Caruthers? You feel sad. Why?" It was a rhetorical question. She knew why.

We stopped to look at some cattle. Black Angus they are called. Some kind of Scottish family, I guessed. There were baby ones and big ones and they quietly ate the grass that was growing. When I approached the fence, they backed away, unlike the squirrel. I think they were more afraid of me than I was of them. I tried talking to them. I said, "Hey you cattle? How's your life?" But they didn't answer. Either they were extremely tender, or just too tough. My maker laughed at that observation. She didn't say why.

Next we saw some chickens. I got to go right inside their house and sit near the nests where they lay their eggs. My maker said I was lucky because they never let anyone near their eggs. And the rooster even kept his distance. My maker did not think much of roosters. She said all creatures have a place and a purpose and should be treated with respect, but we should also know when to step away. The chickens were even more shy than the cattle. They skittered away as if running from a hatchet. How is it that chickens are born with an innate sense of fear? All they screeched the entire time I was in there was, "Who's that? Who's that? I'm scared! I'm scared!" They ran around in circles, flapping their wings. Quite frankly, I thought they were a little crazy.

And still, my heart felt heavy. I went on with my outing, trying to see the fun in it, trying to laugh at all the silly things I saw. I tried to find wonder in the blue sky, the sun, the warmth that felt so good on my wool body. All that warmth made me think of Abbot's forehead, and Abbot himself who had been in bed all day, all alone, with no one to talk to, nothing to do. I sat so still on the steps while my maker collected the eggs from the chickens that the family dog, who used to be afraid of me, took pity on me and came to whisper in my ear. "Don't worry," Wiloughby said. "Abbot will forgive you, because that's what friends do when we make a mistake...no matter how bad the mistake is." All of a sudden my face was wet. Wiloughby's nose was close to my face, but I didn't think he drooled on me or anything. My maker approached with her pockets full of beautiful white and brown eggs. She looked at me and her face was somber. "Caruthers," she said, "I believe you have learned a lesson today, haven't you?" I just nodded. All I wanted was to tell Abbot how sorry I was for the pain I caused him. I didn't mean it, I just didn't understand. I hoped he would forgive me for letting him down. I should have been a better friend.

He did.

Until next time.

On the Road Again

2010-03-15T18:02:00.004-05:00

I found myself in a car once again. My maker packed up a few articles of clothing and some food, and put Abbot and I into the seat belt once again. Two days in a row! I thought maybe we were going to the park again, but it was taking a lot longer. I looked at Abbot and frowned, then we both looked at my maker as she drove. "For what are you giving me such sour looks, you silly monsters?" she asked. I wanted to know where we were going. "We're going on another road trip, Caruthers," she answered. "We'll be in the car for a while, though, much longer than when we went to Wisconsin." So we drove for quite some time. We stopped at a house in which Abbot and I were able to get out and stretch for a minute. It was my maker's father's and his wife's house. We stopped to switch cars so my maker's father could drive us to our destination. It was wonderful because my maker shared the back seat with us. She lifted us to see out the windows, showed us how to make bunny ears over her father's head (which he didn't care for, by the way) and showed us how to press the button to roll the window down. Abbot took to playing with that button a little too much, and was scolded. I put my arm around him. He just can't help being mischievous sometimes. It's in his blood. I thought I had seen all the farmland in the world simply living at my maker's house, but soon discovered there is a LOT more out there! And all the fields were damp and brown, even though the sky was sunny. My maker brought her pillow and a blanket so we could all snuggle down cozy in the back seat. We put all our heads under the blanket and told scary stories, and she tickled us until Abbot could gargle no more. Every now and then my maker would pop her head out of the blanket and talk with her father and his wife, mostly about things I didn't understand. But he seemed like a kind man and a wise man, and she a very sweet woman. I didn't know that my maker had a father until this day. But where were we going? Were we going to just drive all day? I wouldn't have minded, except that my legs were in such a position that they started to tingle. I kicked them and kicked them to make it stop, managing to kick Abbot accidentally. He forgave me though. My maker then said, "Caruthers and Abbot, welcome to Ohio. It's another state, just like Wisconsin is a state and Illinois is a state." The she added, "You're going to see a very big lake in a little while, one of the Great Lakes."

The car then pulled in to a large parking lot and my maker lifted Abbot and I to see out the window. There were these very large boats sitting on top of the ground. I only knew they were boats because I had seen some in a book I read. They were all covered up in blue tarps to keep the weather out of them, I heard someone say. I was so excited to see the boats, until I saw the LAKE. At least my maker SAID it was a lake. It was clad in snow as far as the eye could see. It did not look like water at all, but a large expanse of snowy terrain. My maker assured me that it was Lake Erie, and we were in Cleveland, Ohio. I wanted to run straight out onto the frozen water, way out there and see what it might be like to be a fish or a boat. I always wanted to be a fish or a boat. My maker set some rules for Abbot and I before she let us out of the car. She knows us all too well. We agreed to stay on the land no matter how tempting it might be to run out onto the ice. My maker gave a stern look to Abbot especially. Abbot bowed his head, fluttering his lashes. He promised to follow the rules.

The sky was gray here near the lake, and the temperature was very chilly. If I had hair I am sure the wind would have rendered it useless. The wind bit my ears a little and I wished for a hat or a muffler or something. We walked out to the lighthouse for fallen boatsmen. I asked my maker what it meant to be "fallen". She said that sometimes the lakes and oceans and seas are not always friendly. That most of the time they give us fish to eat, and offer us a way to have fun, but sometimes people don't return. A storm comes and a boat flips over, or there is an accident on the water. The waters sometimes cause people to drown and that is why it is so important to be careful on the water. I was scared. Would the water reach a huge, frozen hand out onto the land and take me in, making me a fallen monster? My maker must of heard me because she said, "Oh Caruthers, that could not happen. The water does at times seem to be alive but it would not reach a hand out to grab you." Then she said in a deep, scary voice, "Only if you got too close...."

The rest of the weekend we visited with my maker's family. She has sisters, and a MOM too! It was so fun to meet them, however, I am not sure what they made of Abbot and I. Abbot and I spent most of our time looking for food, especially chocolates. The cats in the house showed us around in their silent, creepy manner. We didn't want to play the games that they did, though, and for a time they locked Abbot and I up in their cages. We were trembling when my maker finally found us, worried because she had not seen us in a while. I am not too crazy about cats.

We drove ALL that way home, back to our own house, our own cozy sitting spot on the chair in my maker's bedroom. It was a nice trip, but always so nice to be home.

Until next time.

Like a Day in the Park

2010-03-11T14:43:00.004-06:00

Something's been happening the past few days and I don't know what to make of it. I've been watching a transformation from out of the window. The big piles of snow have gone away and have been replaced by large watery puddles! It happened so suddenly that it almost feels like magic! I've been in the same spot every day when my maker gets home, watching the strange movements going on out in the yard. It has gotten noisy with birds! And the grass that blankets most of suburbia is changing colors. I am in awe.

My maker took Abbot and I for a ride in the car today. I hadn't been in the car since the road trip to Wisconsin, and it was fun to be strapped into the seat belt, only this time I was sharing it with Abbot. Abbot was so excited he gargled the whole time. I finally had to pinch him so he'd be quiet, but then he cried and that wasn't much better. I apologized profusely, and kissed the spot where I pinched him. He gargled again. I guess you can't make a monster stop gargling when that is what they want to do. So, we drove along and I watched the poles passing by, because I cannot see high up enough through the car windows. Then the poles stopped passing, and I saw tree tops. Lots of them! When we stopped my maker unbuckled our belt and we jumped up and down on the seat to see where we were. There were trees, alright, and open space, funny looking metal structures (that we found out were swing sets and jungle gyms) and oodles of puddles! My maker opened the car door and Abbot and I bounded from the inside and landed on our faces. My maker laughed. "Oh, Caruthers and Abbot. You two are certainly a pair," she said. "This is what we call a park." Abbot and I looked at each other briefly, and then....we RAN. My legs don't move quite as fast as his, but we ran. Through mushy, smelly grass; through swampy, dirty puddles; until my maker caught us by our ears. She was gentle enough, but it smarted a little. She told us to be careful, because puddles in the spring can be dangerous. She said they can sweep one away, never to be seen again. I was scared. I'd be very careful for sure. But Abbot, he just gargled. We rode on a swing, and something that looked like a giant donut. We climbed the trees, and scrambled across the jungle gyms. The air smelled like wet wood and soil, and the sky was opening it's eyes, my maker said. It became bluer and bluer as the clouds turned from grey to white. The sun broke into rays as it hit tree branches so that sometimes it was shining on me and sometimes it wasn't. There was absolutely no chill in the air. I've never felt the air without being chilly. I did not know what to think. Puzzled, I looked at my maker. She said to me, "Caruthers, this is the beginning of Spring."

We rested on a bench under the willow trees that have gotten a nice trim haircut, and watched a mallard duck and his bride waddle about in the water. My maker said they will be making their nests soon and the female will lay eggs that will hatch into ducklings. Ducklings! I was so absorbed by the ducks that I strayed to the edge of the pond, trying to get them to come to me. They must have been afraid of me because they swam faster in the opposite direction. They made a funny sound too. Abbot mimicked the sound, "Quack, quack..." he said. I must have gotten too close to the ponds' edge that I tripped on the rocks and almost tumbled in. Abbot reached to grab my hand and saved me from being swept away by the current. If I had a heart, it would have been beating in my throat. We stopped to take one last photo at the slide. This slide was particularly scary because it looked like a tunnel. I was not sure if Abbot and I would come out the other end. But we did and it was so thrilling that we did it again......6 times. One time I scraped my leg, and one time Abbot's toe got caught in one of the bolts, but we still liked it a lot. He hung upside down off the end of the slide. My maker and I didn't notice right away. And Abbot doesn't make much noise, except for gargling, so there he dangled until we noticed he was missing. His face was a different color when we finally detached his toe from the bolt, but he was no worse for the wear.

Parks can be really terrifying when you're small, I gathered from all that happened today. A wonderland, for sure, but scary too. My maker said usually there are children on playgrounds but they were all in school still. I begged her to bring me back sometime when the children are there, and the ducklings. "Maybe, Caruthers. There is so much more to see."

Until next time.

Hanging Out In Trees

2010-02-25T16:31:00.002-06:00

It looked like a beautiful day outside today. The sun was shining, displaying a brightness of which I had not seen a lot in the past few months since I've been here. Abbot and I have been so bored. We've pretty much gotten into all the trouble we possibly could in this house. We've found all the hiding places for the food, we've jumped on all the beds, gotten tangled in all the sheets, flushed things down the toilet (for which we know not where it all went!), played hide and seek in the appliances (Abbot, sorry to say, got singed when he fell asleep in the oven), and even terrorized the family's dog (I don't think he'll ever like us). We have tried many ways to escape from this house, checking all windows and doors for tiny openings though which we might be able to sneak, running as fast as we could slamming face first into the window, always to no avail. So, today Abbot and I had our noses pressed up to the window when my maker returned from work. She said we looked like abandonned pets, moping, with eyes glazed over leaving a smudge on the window. Then she to me, "Caruthers, do you and Abbot want to go outside for a little while?" Then she just opened the door wide and let us out into the snow. We ran like ink in the rain. There were some bald spots in the yard where the snow had melted and we ran first to them, instinctively thinking that would be warm ground. And even though it was a bit brisk outside, the air was fresh and clean. It reminded me of a mint, or some toothpaste (which made me ill when I tried it.....I didn't know one is supposed to spit it out after tasting!). The air filled the inside of me and I must admit I was a bit dizzy at first and I do not know why. My insides felt alive and cold, like each fiber was standing on end. Abbot and I, in an attempt to soak up some heat from the sun, perched in the hydrangea bush. It looked dead but my maker assured me it was alive. It couldn't be alive, though, because all the dried flowers rustled in the wind, and when I touched them they crumbled in my hand. I thought I would cry for having hurt an innocent flower. My maker must have heard me because she said, "Caruthers, do not be sad. It is true that those flowers have lost their life's blood, but in a few months you will see all the new leaves and new flowers that have come to replace them." She went on to explain about different plants and trees and seeds (Seeds!!), and the various lifespans of various plants, and said I would see for myself the glories of Spring soon enough. Her explanations helped my understanding of plants, but it still made me sad for the plants that died. Where did they go? And how is it that they live on even when they appear to be so dead? This world sure confuses me. I am not sure if I will ever understand it all. I am also not sure if I want to. It seems the more questions I ask, the more questions I have. Is it worth it to try to understand it all? I am not sure.
Abbot and I had our photo taken and scurried back into the house. The sun was throwing its rays sideways in the sky and the shadows that were cast were long. It was getting darker. Plus, we smelled pudding.
Until next time.

In the Vicinity of Valentines

2010-02-14T16:14:00.003-06:00

What do I LOVE? I LOVE Valentine's Day. The only day of the year when I can eat as much chocolate as I want!
My maker took me to work again today. It was great to be back at the candy store. The smells, the colors....the chocolate! She set me up with a whole 2 pound box of vanilla creams in this beautiful heart box. Can you see how many I ate? I listened carefully to the customers because I wanted to know what all the chocolate buying was about. I listened to harried men ask for chocolates for their wives and girlfriends; giddy women ask for chocolates for their husbands and boyfriends; children begs their moms and grandmas for a chocolate heart sucker. Some of the couples came in together, holding hands, with strange looks on their faces. I'm not sure I understood what the fuss was about.
After a very long burp (excuse me!) and quite a torrential bellyache I asked my maker the meaning of this Valentine's Day event. I mean, is this what it's all about? Chocolate wrapped in hearts? I remember at Christmas time thinking about the presents and Santa (and chocolate) only to find out there was an entirely different meaning beneath the holiday. I wondered if that was to be true of Valentine's Day. She must have heard me because she said, "Caruthers, Valentine's Day was named after a saint, St. Valentine, and it is a day that we show the ones we love how much we love them, usually by some sort of shower of affection. In most cases that means a type of gift, like flowers or chocolates, because these are luxuries most people don't buy every day. It's special." However, I thought that was very reminiscent of what Christmas was about, but then she added, "....usually ROMANTIC love." Romantic love? I wondered what that was. I LOVE Abbot, and I LOVE my maker, and I even LOVE her family....well, MOST of them....but what is "romantic"? She must have seen my puzzled look because she took me in her hands and looked me in the eyes and said, "Romantic love is how one would feel about a person they want to spend all their time with. Someone they can lean on, someone who loves them back, someone to snuggle with, wake up with, feel comfortable with. Someone they can tell all their secrets to and not worry about being yelled at or ridiculed. Someone to hold and be held by when the world is particularly frosty." Then I thought that is how I feel about Abbot, and, yet, maybe I do not understand. Maybe this is a concept that is uniquely human. That made me sad. Would I ever have romantic love? I would be happy for someone to snuggle with and someone to tell my secrets to. I would be happy if someone would hold me and lean on me, too. Well, I guess for now I will just be happy being who I am and having the love I DO have. It should be enough for anyone, shouldn't it? Then why do I feel as if a hole was just drilled through me? Why do I feel an empty space deep within my stuffing? I didn't realize when I was created that so many feelings came with this earthly experience. They are powerful and exciting. They make me joyous.....and sad. This day has brought forth a lot of questions. Sometimes I look forward to discovering the answers, but now I am a little melancholy. Wallowing is something I don't pride myself on, but just for today, I watched in anguish the lovers of the world, and daydreamed about my answers, and my chances at LOVE.
Until next time.

Reading is FUNdamental

2010-02-08T20:09:00.003-06:00

There is definitely nothing more snugly to do than curl up with a good book on a cold day. Abbot and I took to reading a classic, The Catcher in the Rye, by JD Salinger (who recently died, by the way). We enjoyed the antics of Holden Caufield and could easily see how this coming of age story found it's high honor in the world of literature. I was surprised by some of the language and asked my maker why there was so much swearing, and was the swearing necessary. All she said to me was, "Caruthers, those are things a reader decides for himself. The reader has to figure out if he is offended or if the language makes the story more pertinent." I am not sure what she meant by that, but I think she wanted me to think for myself. Abbot, on the other hand, was not offended, having heard a lot of that language from his rambunctious cousins. Abbot doesn't swear, though. I like that about him. He's still quite quiet when we're hanging around, but now and then I tug on his ear or tickle his armpits, and he laughs in that silly gargle he possesses. It's so fun to be his friend and to share things with him...like books, conversation, and even boredom. We don't get bored too often, however. We always try to find something curious to entertain us. The other day we tried to see how many marbles would fit in Abbot's pockets. The problem was neither of us are very good at math, but his pockets were busting at the seams. Then we tried to see how many would fit in my mouth. Let me just say that marbles don't taste anything like chocolate. My cheeks were full, like a chipmunk in autumn. Spitting them back into the jar from where they came was another story.....
Until next time!

The Family That Came To Stay (Briefly)

2010-02-01T10:03:00.002-06:00

We had a few guests over the weekend. Abbot's cousins came all the way from Santa Fe, New Mexico to visit for a few days. As timid as I have made Abbot out to be is how unabashed his cousins are. They were rabble-rousers to say the least, very colorful characters, climbing all over the furniture, eating all the chocolates and stuffing cookies in their pockets, jumping out to scare my maker and her family from behind various corners and spaces. They snuck outside and terrorized the dog, took clothing out of the dressers to try on, jumped on the bed......I must say, I was truely shocked at their behavior. Then after all their antics were finished, and they had tired themselves (and the rest of us) out, they were cuddly and sweet as they snuggled up to each other on the couch, shared their crumbled cookies and melted chocolates, and caused uproars of laughter with their toothy smiles and blinking, colored eyelashes. They made themselves at home, taking turns sitting in my maker's lap with her hands clasped around their bellies, cooing like babies as they found a safe place to rest . But for all the commotion they caused I must say it was good for Abbot to see them. Paddy, Jonas and Scamp even got Abbot to pose for the photo standing on his ears. I enjoyed hearing Abbot's gargley laughter so often, and that made me laugh too. In all the time Abbot has been here he has not acted so silly. I guess when you feel comfortable, feel like you belong, it makes it easier to be yourself. My maker did manage to get the three scaliwags to sit still for a moment to take this photo for Abbot. Now Abbot may not feel so sad if he can stick a photo of his cousins in his pocket, and look at it when he's meloncholy. It makes me happy too, that Abbot will have something in his pocket. Isn't that pleasing that something so seemingly inconsequential can make me feel like I have some warm pudding in my tummy, and a little more for later.
Until next time.

Road Trip!

2010-01-24T07:35:00.005-06:00

It had been a long couple of weeks in this dismal January. The weather was turning for the better with warmer temperatures. My maker had been working diligently in the Creature Factory, sewing bodies and faces and clothes. She would be singing to some music in the Factory and then stare out the window, like there was some invisible force drawing her eyes out there. One day she said to me, "Caruthers, how do you feel about a road trip?" A road trip, I thought. What is that? She must have heard me because she said, "You and me, in the car, on a long trip somewhere. " After a pause she said, "And I know just the place." That was an exciting moment. A road trip! So, a couple days later my maker packed up some bags, strapped me in the back seat and off we went. The landscape was dreary as I looked out the window, watching metropolitan areas turn into farmland. Where are we going, I wondered. Just then my maker said, "Look Caruthers. See that sign? We're in Wisconsin." I came to learn that one of my maker's daughters attends a university in Wisconsin and we were going to visit her. I enjoyed the suspense of wondering where we were going, but was glad to know we had a destination.
When we arrived in the university town I had to wait in the car for a while until my maker's daughter finished her class for the day. Then she and her friend helped us check into our hotel, which was old and fancy, like a picture from a good movie. After that it was nothing but fun. When the humans went out for their dinner I stayed in the hotel room all alone. It was scary at first, but I found the remote control for the TV and flipped channels a while. I jumped on the bed and then tried my hardest to smooth out the wrinkles from that escapade. My maker told me that Abbot might be calling so I sat a while with the phone close to me just in case. But he never did. I wondered what he was doing tonight.

When my maker and her daughter returned from their dinner they were quite giggly and in a good mood. My maker said, "Get on your swimming suit, Caruthers, because we're going swimming in the pool." I was so excited to see a real pool! I gave my maker a strange look, however, because I know as well as she does that I can't get wet. Then she smiled at me and said, "I know, Caruthers. But you can come sit in a pool chair and watch us swim." When we got to the pool area there were people playing a game with a tiny white ball on a table with a short net. They hit the ball back and forth to each other. I sat there a while until my eyes hurt from watching the ball sail across the net. Then I made my way to a long chair by the pool. It was very warm in the pool area, and humid. But I did not complain, because even being made of wool, the heat felt wonderful on this chilly January evening. My maker and her daughter enjoyed the warm water, but then my maker eyed another amenity we had to try.

If I thought the pool area was warm, then the sauna felt like I was on fire. All three of us stepped inside this small, wood covered room and my maker turned a dial on the wall. Just then it got very warm in that room, and if I was human I am sure I would have been sweating. I listened to my maker and her daughter talk about life and books and other things I had no clue whatsoever. They laughed a lot. It was a comforting sound. Soon, they couldn't handle the heat and it was time to leave. We went back to our room and my maker set me on the chair for the night. She looked at the bed and I could tell she was wondering how it got messed up. She looked at me and said, "Oh Caruthers. I can't take you ANYwhere!" She smiled at me though.

We returned the college girl to her dorm the next day and drove home in the fog and rain. I was actually happy to see the fog and rain. It was a nice change to the cold and snow. However, I had a funny feeling in my stomach, knowing my adventure would be over and I'd be back sitting in the Creature Factory looking out the window. But I also knew that Abbot was at home, waiting for me. I would be happy to see his face.

Until next time.

Fun and Games

2010-01-13T14:46:00.004-06:00

Abbot and I took to reading the comics Sunday afternoon. I was so excited that my maker showed me this. I felt I have found a world where beings like me are commonplace. Maybe that is why she showed me. The drawings were all different and the characters were all doing very silly things. And all their words are delivered in a nice white bubble! If only I had a white bubble over my head! I heard this strange sound coming from Abbot. He has not said much or made much noise of any kind since he arrived here, and all of a sudden he was making sound! I realized he was laughing. He has a strange laugh. Almost like a gargle. His laugh made me laugh, and before we knew it, we were both laughing so hard we could not stop! We loved Mother Goose and Grimm, Over the Hedge, and Garfield. It helped to get Abbot out of his shyness shell. That made me smile.

Later in the week Abbot and I sat down to a game called chess. It took us hours to read the instructions, and the boy who lives here explained it to us, how to move the pawns and the knights. Such funny names for the pieces. Like being in medieval times. I wondered what I'd look like as a king, with a crown on my head. Or a lowly pawn, just doing the peasant's work. Then I started imagining my life back in those times. I wondered if anyone like me existed then. I asked my maker and she said back in those days there were dragons and monsters of all kinds. She said it was a very excitng time to live and we could read a book about it sometime. Since Abbot and I really didn't know what we were doing on the chess board, we resorted instead to make up stories about our kingdoms, and used our chess pieces as toys to act out our stories. The boy in the house just shook his head. Maybe he doesn't know there's more than one way to play a game?

As a side note, I asked Abbot what he kept in his pockets, and as shy as he is, he would not say. In fact, I saw his cheeks flush a little with embarrasment. His pockets don't seem to bulge at all and I am thinking they are empty. So I asked him if they were filled with air, because air, though invisible, is still something. He liked that. He smiled. I had no idea what a special feeling it would be to make another being smile. It's like a giant balloon you give to someone, and then they give it back.

Until next time.

Friends Make the World Go Round

2010-01-06T10:33:00.002-06:00

My maker is back to work in the Creature Factory. She posed me against this wall so my readers could see the montage of colors with which I'm bombarded when I sit in the room. You can see the edge of the ironing board and a painting, as well as patterns, a poster for a rock band, and my maker's laptop. This is the computer on which I write my adventures. Sometimes all this stimulation leaves me a little tired and I like to close my eyes while the creation is occurring.
Yesterday I had a visit from a couple of sweet little girls, Beth and Clara, and let me tell you they were a lot of fun! They carried me around the house, tried to feed me animal crackers and water, pulled my arms and teeth, played peek-a-boo with me, and sang me the ABC's. Oh, I had such fun! I don't get to see many small children, in fact, that was only the second time I had seen any in real life. I like them because they are more my size. But even more than that I can always tell when children are happy or sad. Children always let a person know how they feel. They don't try to cover it up. Many times I've had to smile even if I felt horrible inside. I know smiling has its benefits, and it's usually contagious, but if I were a child I wouldn't have to smile if I didn't want to. But Beth and Clara smiled a lot. They must be very happy. I just couldn't help myself but smile the whole time they were here!

Standing with me here is Abbot. He's new. A new creation. I like him a lot. We have a lot in common, for one thing, our green faces. His is a little different color, and his two eyes are different, but I like him just the same. (He has POCKETS!) In the Creature Factory, I have learned, we are ALL different, and that's what makes us special. My maker was toying with the idea of creating me a friend, but I am unsure if Abbot will be allowed to stick around. I am trying not to get too close to him in case he moves away. I know that deep inside I should try to make as many friends as possible, that ALL friends make me into the being I am, whether I know them a long time or a short time. I guess I will have to add this to my list of questions to ponder. I'm quite accomplished at pondering. I wonder what my maker would suggest?

Until next time.

Resolutions and Blues

2010-01-02T16:07:00.002-06:00

There's a different feeling around here today. I am told it is the second day of a new year. 2010. This brings to mind a lot of questions about time and how it has been counted. Two thousand years seems to be a long time, considering the average human lasts only about 70 years. My maker told me this. She explained that humans, because they are living, breathing creatures, can only live for a certain amount of time, and that they cannot choose how long that will be. My inquisitions keep compounding, I am afraid, the longer I am here. I wonder about myself, for I am not a human. I don't breathe or bleed, so I wonder if I am alive at all? However, I feel things, like this melancholy hanging in the air today. Yesterday we were celebrating the new year ahead. It was boisterous and loud! I had so much fun!
Today we took the ornaments off the Christmas Tree and put the tree out into the cold. I helped put the ornaments back into their prospective boxes until next December. It made me sad to see all the shiny, lovely trinkets get wrapped in tissue and placed in larger boxes where they will sleep for so long. If I could cry, I would. My maker was quiet as she completed this chore, but took a photo of me so that I may remember. There was a lot of contemplation happening as those boxes were packed. It felt like Christmas had taken all her presents and stuffed them back into Santa's sack.
Every new year brings about a time to reflect and ponder, my maker said. We can once again hope for better things to come. She told me that people often make resolutions to live a better life, to change their ways, or to be a more productive person in their world. Some people just know that the new year will be better. They just know it. How could they know?
Still it feels strange around here. Unusually quiet. I miss the laughter already. I asked my maker why doesn't happiness last, and why can't we feel good all the time, like we were when we were celebrating these past few weeks. She said to me, "Caruthers, without rain there would be no flowers; without darkness there would be no light; without endings, no beginnings; without sadness, no happiness." I thought about what that meant. I'm still thinking. What a curious world.
Until next time.

With Love From Caruthers

2009-12-25T08:09:00.002-06:00

Merry Christmas to one and all! I am full of the spirit of Christmas on this morning! The Christmas tree is decorated and I snuck down the stairs early this morning to view the tree before anyone else woke up. It was a most magical moment! I climbed atop the piles of presents and stared at the twinkling lights. Oh, it was so beautiful in the dim morning light. I wanted to just lose myself inside the branches, lose myself in the magic of it all! I feel like one of the small children I met when i visited Santa. My eyes wide in amazement, full of hope and joy, for reasons I can't explain. It's just a good, happy feeling.
The family here is very tired after spending the late night hours in church, where they attended a Christmas Mass. I did not get to attend the service, but it's OK. My maker explained to me that some folks may not understand what I am and why I am here. They might make silly remarks and she wanted to protect me. However, given all my maker told me about church, I was under the impression that all were welcome. Even a monster like me. It makes me a little sad that there could be some people who may not like me. I wonder why? I look a little strange, but my heart is open and love is spilling over.
And so the family here is still asleep this Christmas morning. I am so excited for them to open their gifts. I am not sure if there will be anything for me under that tree, but, as I've said before, I am so happy just to be here, be a part of this human family and the whole human world, what more do I need? I have chocolate and cookies in my belly, a warm house, wonderful friends who care about me, a soft place to sit, and so much to do and see! Life is exciting. Even the smallest of outings can be an adventure. I intend to look upon it in that manner.....always.
Until next time.

A post script to April, my favorite admirer: You have been an inspiration to me! Thank you for reading all about my adventures and for all your timely advice! I take everything you say to heart. I just love to read your comments. It is friends like you that make this blog worth while! Merry Christmas! With love, from Caruthers.

Cookies, Presents, and Lights!

2009-12-23T16:12:00.003-06:00

Just a few days before Christmas and there was still so much to do! I discovered that there are more sweets in the world than just chocolates and candy canes! There are these yummy concoctions called cookies! And not just any kind of cookie, but cookies that are made only at Christmas time! My maker started a batch of what she calls snowballs. They are a butter cookie with a powdered sugar coating, and when they're finished they look like tiny snowballs! I tried not to get my hands in the dough because I knew that would send me to the big bad washing machine. However, when my maker left the room for a minute, I grabbed a bit of the dough and shoved it in my mouth. It was so good! It certainly didn't taste like snow. In fact, if snow tasted like cookies I think there would be a lot less of it lying on the ground. My maker and I also made toffee bars, and sugar cookies in the shape of Christmas trees, which made me wonder......what is a Christmas tree and why don't we have one yet?

While we were waiting for cookies to bake my maker gathered an armload of boxes and colored paper and sat me on the floor to help her with the next project. I learned that inside all the boxes she set on the floor were gifts for her family. I was thrilled and amazed. Imagine getting so many gifts! I wondered what the reason was for all the gifts. My maker must have heard me because she told me that the reason we give gifts at Christmas time has a little to do with both that baby, Jesus, and that man in the red suit, Santa. I learned that Jesus was a gift to our world from God. God just made his very own son and set him on the earth, just as any other human being comes to the world. He gave Jesus to a young woman named Mary and her husband-to-be Joseph, so they could take care of him. He was a very special baby because he was part of God. A very special gift to a weary world. Santa, on the other hand, was a saint that lived a long time ago. St. Nicholas he was. On Christmas he would go to the houses that had children and leave them coins and fruit in their stockings that dried by the fireplace. He wanted it to be a secret so that tax collectors wouldn't find the money and take it away. I just thought these stories were fascinating. There are so many good stories and traditions related to Christmas. No wonder it is such an adored holiday. Wrapping presents was the most fun of all because I knew when the packages were opened there would be more smiling faces than just mine on Christmas morning.

I was SO excited to finally learn what a Christmas Tree was! When my maker's husband brought an actual TREE into the house I was very excited! It was an evergreen tree, with short spikey leaves. They placed the tree in a holder so it would stand up straight and tall. Then my maker brought another armload of boxes into the room. I thought she was going to wrap more presents. She must have heard me because she told me that the boxes contained Christmas lights, and decorations for the tree called ornaments. I couldn't wait to see what was inside those boxes! First we had to put the lights on. I wanted to help so badly. My maker said I should not touch anything because everything was very fragile. But when she left the room to get an extension chord, I couldn't help myself. I just had to see those colored lights! I plugged them into the wall and before I knew it, the lights were wrapped around me like ribbons on a present. I thought I'd be in trouble for touching them, but my maker just laughed when she saw me. I smiled too. Later we will break into those boxes of ornaments and place them on the tree. But this day had been long, and rest was needed.

Until next time!

Christmas Lights and Concerts

2009-12-20T13:34:00.002-06:00

When my maker told me she was taking me to see some Christmas decorations and lights I was not nearly ready for I what I would see. In the car we drove past many houses covered with twinkling lights and displays. My favorite yards had what I came to learn was a manger scene. The scene is The Nativity, and it depicts the birth of Jesus Christ who lived long ago. Some people believe he still lives today. This is a concept I am trying to understand. I asked my maker to tell me all she knew about this Jesus person and she did. Hearing her explain this religion to me only prompted more questions. She said that is normal, and many people who believe in God and Jesus continue to have questions. However there is this thing called FAITH that helps them believe, even when everything seems unexplainable. So, after listening to my maker's commentary of the birth of Jesus, and viewing the many Nativities in folks' yards, I have come to realize that this whole Christmas season also has something to do with a baby named Jesus. I hope to find out more about that.
After pressing my nose to the glass of the car window for an hour, gazing at all the beautiful lights and colors , my maker actually let me get out and sit in the snow (again) and pose with the decorations. It was so dark outside, almost black, for there was no moon, but the lights in this one yard were bright enough to cheer up even the grumpiest of souls. I felt so honored to sit down amidst these time-honored traditions on display for the world to see.

I also had the pleasure of attending a local symphony concert. I sat in the balcony of the concert hall in the music building of one of our state universities. The music was brilliant and relaxing and I felt like I was in a dream. Most of the music, my maker told me, was traditional Christmas hymns and caroles sung at Christmas time. I enjoyed themes from The Nutcracker Suite, which I hope to hear again, and the Toy Symphony, a piece written for children at Christmas time. A nice young cellist paid me a visit at intermission, asked me if I was enjoying the concert, tickled my belly, and told me to have a Merry Christmas. Everyone I've met so far in my life has been so friendly toward me. I asked my maker why this was so. She said it must be because I am always smiling. "Sometimes life is hard, Caruthers," she said, "but a smile makes everyone feel better."

Christmas is less than a week away. My maker says there is still a lot for me to do and see. My eyes and ears are open. Until next time.

A Visit With Santa Claus

2009-12-14T16:21:00.003-06:00

When my maker told me she was taking me to see Santa Claus I did not know what to think. "What is a Santa Claus?" I thought. But she told me Santa Claus isn't a "what" but a "who". "Who is he then?" I thought. She must have heard me because she told me the story of Santa, how he is all-knowing, loving, giving, and viewed as the Father of Christmas. He is a saint in the Catholic faith, and he's been around for hundreds of years. The first thing I thought was that he must be very old. Now, I am not all that familiar with how the human world works, but I have noticed that people look different, depending on how long they've been on the earth. Some are very small and can barely speak or walk. The taller ones come in all shapes and sizes. And then some that have been here a very long time, tend to have lines on their skin, gray or white hairs, and they walk a bit slower than the others. I've heard them talking to people on the street about how the world was when they were younger. Which brings me back to Santa Claus, who must be very feeble having been around for so long.
I waited at his door. He had specific hours he was going to be in his cottage. I was told he has a lot of cottages around the world, just like this one, and he can only stop by for a short amount of time. He's busy seeing all the children of the world and asking them what they'd like for Christmas. I was first in line on this day and I must admit, I was a bit scared. I had never seen Santa before, nor did I know what he would look like. There are other men I've seen around, and most of them wear blue jeans and a shirt. Would Santa look like the other men I've seen or would he look different? There had to be something special about him, I thought, to garner him so much attention at Christmas. And as I am not yet sure what Christmas is all about, I am searching for clues that will help me figure it out. My maker says she'll tell me more, but I'd like to see if I can decipher it on my own.

When I first saw Santa I marveled at his facial hair. It felt a little itchy on my skin. He had so much! And it was white as snow! He must have been old to have hair that white! It was hard to see if he had lines on his skin. I expected him to be breakable. Maybe he had some secret to staying young, like a magical facial cream, or a special diet? He smelled of cookies and he was all soft and warm. My body just settled right into his lap. His suit was made of a dark red velvet, and the jingle bells draped across his knee belonged to one of his reindeer, he told me. How I wanted to shake those bells! And see his reindeer! Santa asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I was unsure what I should say. I already have everything I need in my very own family. I whispered something into Santa's ear, and he must have heard me because he gave me a candy cane. He must be all-knowing if he knows I like candy! But as for what I'd like for Christmas, I am not sure I know. I'll have to think about that.

After Santa tickled my belly and shook my hand, off I went with my candy cane and a smile on my face. There were some little girls waiting for their turn to sit on Santa's lap. They had anxious and excited eyes, and sweet little cherry colored cheeks. I looked at them, and they at me, and I wondered what they would be whispering in Santa's ear.

Until next time.

Snow Isn't Anything Like Marshmallows

2009-12-08T16:12:00.003-06:00

Is there anything more lovely than snow in December? Giant white flakes floating like feathers to the ground. The chill of the air. The crunching sound beneath my makers boots. The silence like a blanket thrown over the world. With the darkness encroaching I felt almost like I was in another world when my maker took me outside today to experience snow. I had my nose pressed to the window ever since it started snowing yesterday. I tried to imagine just what it would feel like. Would it be soft as feathers? Would it hurt like pebbles when it touched my nose? Would it taste like chocolate, or lima beans? And as it piled up on the ground I didn't know what would happen if someone walked on it. Then I saw my maker's dog eagerly run about in it, roll in it, stuff his nose into it as if looking for a hidden treat. I saw the prints left behind by the dog's feet, and I saw how happy he was. So today I begged my maker for a little outdoor time, even as she squawked about me getting wet. I assured her it wouldn't be for long. I only wanted to feel it on myself.

She took me outside as the evening arrived. It was a little dark, but I wasn't too scared. I have discovered that darkness is a part of every day, and when my maker is around how could I be frightened? She set me out against a pine tree and the prairie garden on a little red checkered napkin. The napkin didn't keep me warm, nor did it protect my sitting area from getting damp, but don't tell her that. She may never let me outside again! I sat for a few minutes while the snow fell around me and onto me. I liked it. It tickled. I wanted to roll in it and stuff my nose beneath it. It was quiet as it fell except for the faint sounds it made as it rested on me. My imagination was almost correct. The only thing that was missing was the taste. I expected marshmallow or frosting. It was neither. HOW do I know about marshmallow and frosting? How do you think I know? But despite the lack of taste, I wasn't disappointed.

Until next time.

A Heart on a Thread

2009-12-05T09:04:00.003-06:00

OOps. As you can see i got into the chocolates again. I was very careful not to get any chocolate on myself. I was sitting here by the computer while my maker was paying the bills for the farm. My maker's husband is a farmer and he grows corn and soybeans. While he is busy in the fields harvesting, my maker takes care of the bookwork for the farm. She assures me that she does not do any of the marketing, as she does not feel secure in that respect. It takes a lot of smarts to market grain, she told me. It can be risky. I'll say. She left me for 2 minutes to go get some envelopes and I could not resist those chocolates. When she returned and saw those empty wrappers she didn't seem too happy with me. "Oh, Caruthers...." was all she said.

Later in the day we were back in the Creature Factory as my maker worked on this dog necklace for a customer. A customer named Karlene sent a photo of her dog for my maker to recreate into a necklace. I think he's fabulous and I wish I could keep him around my neck. It would be like a friend who never leaves me and lays right against my heart. I can't think of a better thing to have in this world. The dog is named Jack and I think he will be leaving me soon. Is it hard for me to keep losing these friends? Would it be better to not have known them at all? I am not sure. Sometimes it makes me sad, but then I think of all the possibilities of new friends and meeting them all. It makes me excited to be alive, if that is what I am. Every day is a new experience. At least I like to think of it that way. I think Jack will be happy where he's going. He will lay against Karlene's heart and make her happy.

Until next time!

Monday Night at the Creature Factory

2009-12-01T13:08:00.003-06:00

Last night I spent some time in the room in which I was created.....my maker's sewing room. I spend a lot of time in there, actually. I have made myself a bed on the piles of sweater fabrics and I like to sit there and just look around and listen. My maker plays some music while she's working. I can't say I always like what she plays. Most of it I like, though. Some of it is scary. Because I was just sitting there thinking, I asked my maker to take a couple photos of me I could write about. She heard me say I'd like to chat it up with the snowman necklaces that were sitting in a jar on the shelf. She moved me over to them and I had a nice conversation with this one, Sweetie, who was just a delightful creature. Sweetie has not been around for very long either. She said that creatures like us come and go rather quickly. It made me think of my dog friend from a couple weeks ago who went to a country of which I've never heard. It was nice meeting him, and Sweetie, but I wonder if all the friends I make will be taken away from me. It makes me sad. Both Sweetie and i sat fascinated as my maker traced her hand, cut out the shape from a thick red sweater and made mittens. Then she picked through pieces of wool and made a face on the mittens. It was silly when she finished, but she said they are very warm. She made them for a friend who would like to give them to her daughter for Christmas. What is Christmas? I asked. My maker just smiled and said, "You'll see." This is a large box filled with fabrics where I spend most of my time. I don't mind, though, because it is softer than any other place I've sat. It makes me sleepy. Especially last night as my maker worked and I watched. Sweetie had had enough stimulation and requested that I leave her to sleep. I couldn't not oblige her. She was so nice to speak to me. I took my place, then, here on the fabric pile and sang softly to myself. My maker's CD had ended and she did not start another one. She's very funny when her music is playing. She sings loudly, and then sometimes, not very loud at all. She concentrates on what she's doing, then all of a sudden swoops me into her arms to dance.
I like it here.
Until next time.

The World is Full of Strange and Fun People!

2009-11-28T08:16:00.006-06:00

Last night I went to a huge party. But this was no ordinary party. It was Pub Quiz, a trivia game played at Emmet's Pub. The man in the photo with me, Bill, is the reverent (and sometimes irreverent) Mr. Adjudicator. He runs the quiz. He reads out 7 rounds of ten questions each, and the teams, made up of 4 people, answer the questions onto their answer sheets and hand them in to the scorekeeper. Bill is an amusing fellow. I think he liked me a lot, mostly because I didn't harass him like many of the players did. He scared me to no end, however. I thought maybe I was going to disappear beneath those robes he had on. I am not sure if he is a real life judge, but if he was I wouldn't want to be caught doing ANYTHING illegal! The man was a little terrifying for me. I begged my maker to get me away from him, but I don't think she could hear me above the noise. Bill posed with me in front of about 40 teams that were there last night. It cost $7 to play and the winning team got all the money! I didn't have to pay though, because I can neither write or speak. But I knew the answers to ALL the questions!

This is Connor. He was the scorekeeper. You can bet I looked over his shoulder the whole evening to make sure there was no monkey business going on! Did you know a Marmoset is a monkey? I did. That was one of the questions. Anyway, I watched Connor as he pored over those answer sheets. It was a lot of work, but he had his laptop with him in case there was some down time.

This is a nice man named Chris who agreed to pose with me. I have to admit, I was a little scared when he squeezed my belly. Chris was on my maker's team. They didn't win the big money, but they had fun laughing and joking. I didn't always understand all the jokes Chris told. Someone said they were "off-color". I am not sure what that means, but apparently, Chris is famous in that arena. Chris has a lovely friend who I wish would have let me sit on her lap. She was nice. And she didn't scare me quite as much as Chris and Bill did. I had a good time at this event. I just can't wait to see where my maker will take me next!

Until next time!

Don't Touch My Mashed Potatoes!

2009-11-26T20:26:00.003-06:00

I attended my first running race on Thanksgiving. My maker and her family have hosted an annual Thanksgiving Day race for 8 years now. This was a lot of fun. I did not get a chance to run, mostly because I got into the chocolate turkey suckers yesterday (oops...I couldn't resist!) and had such a belly ache this morning, it was a wonder I could eat at all today! Plus, it was so cold that my maker thought it best if I stay in the heated shed keeping an eye on the food. After what happened with the chocolate yesterday, I didn't think I would ever be trusted again! I swear, I was good, though. I only WATCHED the food. I also watched a little as it went into my mouth. YES, I was able to eat! And I am glad because there is a lot of good food in this world. I thought I'd only be able to watch and smell my entire life! This photo is me with a few really nice runners who promised me some chocolate after the photo. SSHHH!

The best place to be on Thanksgiving, I discovered, was near the mashed potatoes. There was very little food left. This family can really eat! Since there were 2 bowls of mashed potatoes, I figured no one would really care if I took care of what was left in this bowl. The broccoli casserole behind me? Well, I didn't care for that. It's green.

After dinner, such a strange ritual. I was feeling a bit sleepy and when I wandered into the living room I noticed a bunch of others were sleepy too! They were all just LAYING on the floor! Their eyes were slightly glazed over and there was a hint of groaning. I couldn't understand why until someone asked if we wanted dessert. Then the groaning became louder. I was scared. I didn't know what that meant. But, despite the groaning, they all continued to lay on the floor, across chairs and couches. It was very strange. However, I wanted to be a part of all the action, experience the entire day, so I climbed on top on someone and laid down too. These tender hands kind of patted me and rested on my belly. And I must say, it felt good. Then we played cards in which no photography is allowed. Something about cheating? What's cheating? Cards lasted for hours. If I thought the after dinner groaning was scary, the fights and the yelling while the family played cards was downright frightening! It got very loud, then very quiet, then very loud again. They said they were playing Pinochle. It sounded more like they were playing hockey!

Until next time. Boy, I LIKE Thanksgiving!