Oh, whoopdedoo (now that is classic Bill, no doubt there) here I am one paragraph into my very first letter to you and already I am giving advice! It must be the fault of being at a distance and communicating by mail because I don't think I was a finger-shaker this summer, was I? No, I wasn't. We got on splendidly in spite of my being as old as your parents but no, Piya, I am not as many years as all your ages added together.

And I am thrilled to pieces that you have adopted me as your mascot and plan to read my letters at your meetings. I had some idea that mascots had to be furry with four legs but as I was voted in unanimously (wow!) then I accept without nit-picking.

We had some adventures this summer, didn't we? And yes I hope my friend invites me back, likely not next year but maybe the one after, and we can have fun again. Unless you will have gone and grown up on me by then! I do agree that people can WILL themselves not to grow up, as your aunt the doctor has mentioned, Piya, but I believe that is extremely rare. And I won't mind if you all change. I will capture you as you are now and look forward to your journeys.

And I am more than touched that you are allowing me to share the happenings of JOSHUA AND HIS GANG with others.

I much enjoyed your letter to me, what a team effort, and no, I will definitely NOT say who I think has the best and the worst handwriting! However I do ask that whoever (to mention no names) wrote with an indelible pencil (that or a carpenter's marking crayon!) please print their next contribution. And getting the resident toad to add his print was an interesting way to end the letter - I hope the red food dye eventually wore off his foot.

There is always something going on at the Cottage, and since you ask me to tell you about it, I have had to think what especially you would like to hear.

I know - I will tell you about the "moving grapes."

There is a hunk of suet hanging in a net bag just outside the window of the kitchen nook. It attracts chickadees and starlings and woodpeckers who sit on top of it and pick away for a fatty feast.

Bush tits do also - and I imagine their name will be causing great hilarity amongst you all! (Be assured that I did not name them and you can check in a bird book to verify this.) Now you have to imagine them, because I don't believe you have them back east so a familiar picture will not come to mind at their name. Think of a small chicken egg. Got it. Now add a beak and two legs. That's it. Can you see the bird now in your mind? They are brownish in colour. Now imagine them landing by ones and twos on my hanging suet and almost covering it. The suet shape is rectangular, larger at the top than the bottom.

So you have all these small round birds massing over the suet and looking like - dah dah - a bunch of moving grapes! Next time I see you I'll draw a picture of this wonderful sight on the blackboard in your clubhouse - I assume by then you will have found some chalk bigger than a pea. John, I was incredibly impressed with the 'painting' you managed to make on that board with teensy bits of chalk! The new pack I bought for the clubhouse - which I could not find to give you - has turned up in the toe of one of my slippers. I do not remember packing it there. I would blame the people at Customs except it would have happend before I got to the airport and besides, I did not have to go through Customs, just flew across Canada to come home.

I tried to do a cartwheel in my very own back garden like I managed to accomplish that day in the vacant lot - but - I simply could not do it. It must need the magic of all of you encouraging me. My efforts here startled the kitten next door who scooted for home once my feet came back down, heavily, to earth, with no graceful curve as a preliminary. More a leap and thunk!

Bye for now my dear new friends. Take care of yourself and each other. Write me soonest and I will look forward to your letter (indelible pencil and all!).