Dear Dad:

The Old Man lost it last night.

Here I was, asleep in bed (and, I must say, my head was very, very comfortable on the pillow) when all of a sudden, wham! Mackie's going ballistic in the backyard. Mom wasn't even up yet (well, she was after that!) I think the clock had the number 4 on it or something.

Anyway, Sluggo was asleep in the hallway and he came running so we went to investigate. Well, OK, to be honest, I went to investigate. Sluggo came down the stairs, then turned his tail and ran back up to be with Mom. (Who was, by the way, just lying there shaking her head. She had that look on her face like she gets when she finds one of Sluggo's or my little presents on the kitchen floor.)

When I got out in the yard, Mackie was running around and around, barking. At nothing. Nothing at all. No dogs. No vagrants. No cars. No paperboys. Not even a mouse. (Which reminds me, Sluggo and I brought Mom a couple of mousey presents the other day, but we don't know where she put them. We'll have to investigate.)

But I digress. (Cool word, huh? Me and Sluggo looked it up the other day.)

Anyway, Mackie was just barking and barking. It was just too weird for words, you know? So I just came back in and went to sit on the bed with Sluggo and Mom. (Mom had both pillows over her head so I didn't get one.)

But you know what? Mackie did quit barking after a while...about the same time the thunder stopped. It got real quiet again, so we could go back to sleep. When Mom's darned alarm went off at 5:30, I rolled over and wouldn't budge.

It's a strange household. Never a dull moment!

Bye! Love,
Puff (and Sluggo)