CARLY CONCERNS

Recently my in-basket brought me some mail from our little traveling pooch from this summer. Remember Carly, the Beagle/Chihuahua that sent us 'The Carly Reports' as she traveled via the 'tin can' (RV) from her home in Arizona to Pennsylvania with her human companions? She sort us took us along through her reports, telling us about the bunnies she wanted to chase and all the new critters she saw that she never even knew about before. Well, her note came in a couple days ago and I'm just now getting around to answering her. Seems she has some serious concerns regarding her human Mom's recent actions. I'll just copy her note here and then answer her below. She's actually written me a couple of times so I'd better get on with it...

Dear Sister:
I don't know if you remember me but you helped me out earlier this summer so I thought I'd try again. I'm Carly, a "Cheagle" and I have two worries now. My humans and I are out on another RV (big tin can that serves as both home and transportation) trip. This time we took a short trip from our home in Tucson down to an RV park in a place called "Ben's Sun". I don't know why this Ben has a different sun than Tucson but it is still darn hot here so maybe it doesn't make any difference which sun you have. Last night was a horrible storm again. I don't like storms anyway but it's much worse when we are in this tin can. It was raining ice cubes (I know what ice cubes are because my humans give me one to chew whenever I get too hot chasing lizards in my back yard). It hurt to get hit with the little ice cubes but my humans ran out into the storm anyway to fold up the big shady thing attached to the RV. It's called an "awe-ning", again a name that makes no sense because although it's nice that it makes shade, so does a tree and it's name doesn't have awe in it. Anyway, I wonder why humans risk their lives to save something like that? I was scared and they should have stayed inside the big tin can with me, shouldn't they have?
My second worry is the reason they're taking this trip. They said it was a last chance for a trip before something happens with my human Mom's foot. I was abused by my former owners and then turned loose to defend myself all alone with all of the other "strays". A dog catcher caught me and put me in this awful cage. Then my humans adopted me. They are nice humans. They feed me and even when I misbehave they don't beat me. I'm afraid that this "last trip" means that when we get back they will leave me. I don't want to go. I like them, I like the home we live in and my back yard, I like the walks they take me on and the food they feed me. I let them see how much I like them by turning my belly up for petting every chance I get, cuddling them every night and barking warnings to protect them every time a dog or scary human walks to close to the RV. Is there any other way I can show them how much I like them so they won't get rid of me? I don't know how long this RV trip will take so please write as soon as you can. Thank you, your friend, Carly

Dear Carly,
Where do I begin? First of all, relax, you aren't going anywhere. And, of course, I remember you. We enjoyed reading your reports as you took us along on your travels this summer.
Now let's address one issue at a time. Those 'ice cubes' are known as hail and you should stay inside next time. Ice cubes may cool your tongue but that frozen rain will clobber your little bitty head. I'm sorry you don't enjoy these desert storms but try and be brave. You really should let your humans know you trust them and enjoy theses storms with them. Where you all live it's more of a treat to get rain because it's such a rare occurrence in the desert. Now it sounds like this storm may have snuck up on you RVer's and consequently time ran out for putting away the big shady thing. Better known as an awning it is an expensive item to replace so naturally all effort would be made to rescue it in a monsoon storm. Next time you find yourself parked in a sunny spot and no shade trees nearby you'll be thanking them for having it on the tin can.
Now concerning your next worry as to why you have to take this trip in the tin can. I hate to have to tell you this but there's going to be plenty of trips in that tin can, Carly...after all, that's why they bought the thing...to take trips. Now in this particular instance it was a chance to squeeze in a quick week-end away from home to relax because your Mom is going to have some corrective foot surgery. See, it's really not always about you, Carly and you should really be appreciative that you get to accompany your humans on these jaunts. My humans doggie-sit for a few friends who never let their critters go with them on vacation. Some have never even seen the world outside of their own yard so see how lucky you are?
Carly, my advice to you is to put your past behind you and leave it there. Once and for all. It does you no good to dig it up or compare it to your world of today. Yesterday is over and it won't come back. It serves you no purpose to dwell on it. Now think about it....why would these two very kind and gentle humans go to all the trouble to adopt you and do everything in their power to provide a lovely environment, great chow, bunny-hunting walks, belly rubs galore and great vacations to just return you to that humane society? So you need to put that ridiculous thought right out of your little pea-brain once and for all.
Okay, I must go see about another message you've sent me.
Bluntly yours,
Sister VC