Greetings from Santa Fe:

Here are the promised pictures of me on my magic staircase! I think it is magic because it goes up to the loft where Dad reads his books, looks out onto the mountains, and is directly over the kitchen area where Muzzer keeps my food dish.

It’s kind of a crazy staircase, turns a corner, most every step is a different size and height, and it is much steeper than my stairs in Virginia were. As you can see from some of the pictures, one side is open about halfway back to the first floor, and my newest trick is to JUMP from the first open step. This make Muzzer shriek and Dad laugh! It is only about three and a half feet, but that is all it takes to get Muzzer worried. Hehehe. She always checks me over to make sure I am OK, and I can score a milk bone if I turn right around and start back up the stairs. I am getting her trained quickly. So you see why I think the stairs are magic, right?

Last night was Fourth of July. There were lots and lots of loud popping noises, but because the sky was very cloudy and overcast, we couldn’t see any of the fireworks! Didn’t stop me from running from room to room and window to window looking for them though.

We’ve had rain most every night since we arrived, and the arroyo behind the casita is very muddy. New challenge! I try to get my paws as wet and muddy as possible before whoever is walking me realizes what I am doing. Then I get lots of attention when we get home, washing my feet, my legs and sometimes even my belly. They are getting smarter and keeping a closer watch, so this may not be as much fun anymore!

I have included a picture of our “cute” front door. Dad and I think it is a bit too frou-frou. We have had no comment from Muzzer except for an exaggerated eye-roll. But, we are only here for a month, and I think that means that we don’t have to worry about her painting the door at home purple for a while yet.

I think that is all for now. I am a tired terrier, because we walked to the plaza and back last night before the fireworks started. I managed to score the tail end of muzzer’s ice cream cone, so it was worth it. But I think I will take it easy this afternoon and let her take this note to the library where she can post it online for me.

G’night

Gussie