Me, Oliver, and and two anonymous fans at the Minneapolis Airport

Hello, dear fans and loved ones,

I must be getting (sshhh!) along in years. Actually it is almost my twelfth birthday. I am in terrific shape for a boy my age. Still handsome. Still smart. I admit I sleep more and give in more to what is expected of me, but I still steal socks and shoes. I prance in front of you to make sure I am garnering all the attention and adoration I so richly deserve. (I know it’s been awhile, but just to remind you, I do have a large vocabulary and you may have to use a dictionary…this is an interactive blog.)

Let me tell you how wise I am. As Biscuit’s elder I let him eat from my food bowl and eat from my drinking bowl after I am sated. I also let him follow me at a couple of my therapy animal jaunts. He loves it but he gets very excited when people pet him. He licks some chosen people and sometimes gives a little bark of joy. Neither one of those things is my style. I am dignified. He is not. I forgot to say that Biscuit is now a fully licensed therapy animal through Pet Partners, USA. I try to set an example for him, and I admit he is an excellent student. We went together to Methodist Hospital and most everyone we met loved us.

Above you see us in one of our favorite spots: The Porch at Old Pines. I honestly don’t know of anyplace I would rather be. I can watch you swimming from here, but I wish you would let us swim with you. It tangles our coat terribly and you have to spend a very long time fixing our fur, but we are truly worth it, don’t you think?

I love you and I love Biscuit and I love everyone else too. Well, everyone except people who smoke and smell like sweat and other unpleasant things. Thank you for being loyal readers. I like to be petted and talked to and admired. I may seem reserved, but I really wish everyone would play with me…all the time.

Advice from Oliver: Even the most aloof-seeming creatures are much in need of love.