Grandma Lu's Computer Said 'No Signal'

 Grandma Lu was so happy. Marleewood was full of so many of her friends. And children! She looked all around the Sitting Room and knew every smiling face. The little ones were scrubbed clean. Some had teeth missing since the last time she saw them, some were brand new babies and some were old friends. Marleewood was home to Grandma Lu. It was comfortable for the most part. In the past there had been mysteries to solve, cats that had made her allergies to go through the roof, but mostly a place of friends, safety, but most of all laughter. Well and snacks of course. Oh she could remember so many holidays she had spent in this old place. Her mind started to wander a bit and she thought, "I wonder if they would like another story today. A story when I was about seven years old. It was going to be Mother's Day in two days. The teacher, Mrs. Hanson, had us make our mothers a gift; a homemade gift with a surprise inside. I can remember how excited I was. I could hardly wait until Sunday to give my mom her surprise."

The children and some of the grownups were still laughing about the baby mice crawling up inside Grandma Lu's little brother's overalls. When she asked them if they had time for another story they all said yes because it was still raining outside. They had been cooped up for some time and were ready to visit with each other and to listen to another one of Grandma Lu's stories.

"Okay, I have kept something for over seventy years in my old trunk. I will go into the Quiet Room to get it and be right back. When she walked in the Quiet Room she glanced at her computer. It said, No Signal. "Hmm, I wonder what's wrong with the computer. She didn't bother to look and got into her trunk. Wonder of wonder's it was pretty much on the top of a lot of photos she had saved. As she walked out the door the computer still said, No Signal. "I'm going to have to investigate that after the folks leave. I have to have internet in order to order things from Amazon and look things up on Google. She giggled to herself, "Not like the old days, Old Woman, that's for sure. In those days it was Penny's on special occasions and dictionaries and encyclopedias at the library or at school to look things up. We learned how to spell words and what they meant. My mother was a stickler about that. Oh the hours I spent writing down definitions of words. I wasn't a fan of that, but I sure learned how to spell words that I wouldn't have otherwise. Yes, she was a smart lady, that's for sure."

As Grandma Lu settled herself in her old rocking chair the children wanted to know what took her so long. She said, "Well, the computer isn't working. I will have to investigate after while to see what's wrong with it. Jaxson said, "What's investigate mean?"

Grandma Lu grinned at him and said, "Well, I just know because a long long time ago I learned that word in school. It means to study or examine something to find the answer. Sometimes I just say, 'figure it out'." Jaxson said, "Did the teacher teach you that word?" Grandma Lu said, "Just a minute, Jaxson. I will go get a dictionary and show you how I learned words; what they meant and how they were spelled and how to say them correctly when I was just a year older than you are."

When she came out carrying a five pound dictionary the children couldn't believe that that book was full of words. Even little Maddox looked surprised.

Nala had been hiding in the grass outside of Marleewood. She had seen all the action with Felix and the fire department and the two ladies that looked alike. Then she saw  Chief Marlee give the dog catcher the order to take him to the pound. She had watched Felix before and wondered how he kept getting away with his mischief. She knew better than to go into Marleewood because Grandma Lu always seemed to sneeze when cats were around. She was glad that her human didn't sneeze around her. She liked it there. She could be goofy and fun and nobody sent her to the pound! Well maybe it was because she had beautiful blue eyes that her human just couldn't resist. "Meow"

She did wonder if Felix was going to get bailed out though. "When will that cat ever learn?"

Felix Finds Himself In The Pound!

 Before Felix knew what was happening that fireman had set up a ladder and was climbing up the tree to rescue him. No! He didn't want rescued from the tree. He needed rescued from that lady that was grabbing at his tail! In merely seconds Felix's life flashed before his eyes. He knew life as he knew it would no longer exist if he didn't think fast. Clang! No! He was in a crate! His people were never in a crate! This was unheard of! He had been living the easy life for so long he couldn't think fast like his ancestors that lived on the street or farm. He was strong. He could figure it out. He just needed a minute! No! He was being put in a cell! He knew his rights. He needed to make a phone call. He was going to call Mr. Whiskers. The head man of the Historical Society of Felines.

Mr. Whisker's phone rang and rang. He wasn't answering his phone! This was the worst place ever! And the food! He wouldn't even consider eating it. It was dry! He was used to the top shelf canned food his lady human always served. He had a condition that deserved the best; the very best. Sometimes he even got tuna fish or a bit of sardines if he snuggled and purred.

 At times he had to remind her that it was dinner time, but he always got his way. Especially with the lady's husband. He was a soft touch. 

Finally the pound boss came to his crate and said, "Okay, Fussbudget, you have a phone call. I'm putting you on a leash and taking you to the office. Don't even try your luck at running away." Felix knew he'd better mind his p's and q's and do as he was told. He needed to talk to Mr. Whiskers in the worst way. He would bail him out of this situation. He just knew he would.

Finally he heard Mr. Whisker's voice. "I understand that once again you have gotten yourself into trouble. This time the cops and the firemen were involved, Felix. I'm afraid this is going to cost a pretty penny to get you out of there. Actually, I think it would be a good idea for you to stay overnight. I'll get in touch with your humans tomorrow and tell them what the fine is going to be if I have time. I have other responsibilities, you know."

 "Oh by the way, I found a leaf on your family tree. You have a several times great grandfather whose human was listed on the census book by the name of Marlee Ada over a hundred years ago. The book says that his occupation was Mouser. That's exactly what you will be if you don't change your ways. I've heard that Marlee Ada's stepmother was a mail order bride. The information I have received is that she was allergic to cats and wouldn't let your great grandfather in the house. She had a dog that slept with her to keep her warm, though. 

 Sounds like this tendency of bending the rules and having humans that are allergic to cats just might run in the family. Okay then I have to go take care of business. I'll see what I can do in the morning."

"What?! Wait! I can't stay here tonight. I have to go home to my cozy bed in my human's bedroom. Not in this cold and drafty place. There must by 50 dogs and at least that many cats in here. It's so noisy in here I can't even think. You have to help me!" Felix realized that he was talking to himself. Mr. Whiskers had hung up.

In the wee hours of the morning Felix woke up screaming like a human. He was dreaming about that mean old woman that Mr. Felix was telling about. She was staring at him in the mirror. That surely couldn't be related to his human. He was signing up for a D.N.A. test if he ever got out of here!

Felix Is In Double Trouble!

 "Aha, you little rascal. You know that Grandma Lu is allergic to cats! Why do you keep sneaking into Marleewood? I know you belong to a new fancy club for the history of cats or whatever it is, but you just stop making her life miserable. Now you get down from this beautiful tree right now and go home. Go on! Off with you!"

Well, Felix was not about to come down out of the Dogwood tree. He was scared to death that this crazy woman who looked just like another woman that had chased him down. She had this huge thing she kept putting up to her eyes and the other one was reaching up to snatch him by his tail! She was going to do something dastardly to him  any minute.  He wanted his human! It was raining for goodness sakes and he was soaking wet. Not one of his better days. In the distance he could hear sirens.....

Inside out of the weather, Grandma Lu was happily telling her stories to her friends, both young and old. She had been talking about mice, old houses, coffee and old people. The mouse part had been interesting to Felix, but that old person she was telling about was really kind of scary, even to a big strong guy like him. She sounded like the kind that would chase a mouse or a cat with a broom. Glad his human was nice. Hopefully this crazy person would go back inside and leave him alone so he could go back home. He realized the sirens were really loud when he peaked out from one of the blossoms and saw a fire truck. Then there was two. He knew he was doomed. That fireman had a ladder on the truck. Felix was a goner! That fireman was going to snatch him out of the tree then the woman was going to grab him. What to do! What to do!

Arieanna lived close by and yelled for her mom. "Mom! Felix is at it again. I bet he tried sneaking into Marleewood again. I think I see Landon behind the wheel. Oh man, the cops are even here. Hurry! This is going to be fun to watch!

Marlee had been watching the whole thing out the window. She quietly grabbed her police uniform and changed out of her prairie dress. Jackson might need help with this caper. She had just had it with that Felix. She had a good mind to have him put in the pound overnight just so he'd learn his lesson. No one messed around with Grandma Lu or anyone else for that matter. When they were in Marleewood she made sure that they were safe. She made the call. All would rest easy in her small home town tonight.

Well most of the humans might....

Mice And Tin Cans

 No one was rushing to go home because it was raining cats and dogs outside. Everyone was safe and sound inside Marleewood's old walls. Grandma Lu was having the time of her life visiting with all her friends, both young and old. Oh how she had missed everyone. Things started to quiet down after the first rush of people and food was served and mostly eaten. Soon Marlee walked over to Grandma Lu and said, "Do you think you could tell one of your "old" stories today? We are all here and Whitlee and I still have our prairie dresses on. Do you have another one to tell us?" Soon people started sitting on the floor and filling up the chairs in the Sitting Room. They knew that most likely Grandma Lu had another story to tell.

"Well I suppose I could think of a story. How old are you wanting? Really old or maybe when I was a little girl? I lived on the farm that my Great Grandfather Hayes bought many many years ago until I was eleven years old. I have a funny story when I was about six or seven. Would you like to hear a funny one?"  "Yes, we want a funny story, Grandma Lu!"

So Grandma Lu's eyes twinkled and she grinned from ear to ear. "You know when I was just your age, Marlee, my little brother, Keith, was born. I didn't like him much. So this happened to him when he was about three years old it made me just grin all over. Does anybody know what a mouse is or what it looks like? They all laughed and said, "Grandma Lu you have one on your computer desk, you're silly!" Well, she laughed and said, "No I mean a real mouse. A tiny little mouse that gets in your house sometimes when it gets cold outside and gets in your cupboards."

Marlee said, "Grandma B had a mouse out on her porch. I named it Tiny and fed it treats." Everybody went 'eww! no'! then giggled. 

"Ok, so we lived in an old house that had a coal stove that kept us warm in the winter. The coal was stored in a small wooden building that people in those days called a coal shed. That's where the coal was stored. My daddy would bring it in the house as we needed in a bucket. Coal is really dirty. I know many of you have seen charcoal for grilling hamburgers. The coal pieces we used were big chunks and the fire would last all night. 

My little brother wanted to go in that shed and look around so I went in there too. Oh what a dirty place it was. I quickly went back outdoors. Suddenly my little brother came flying out the door. He was jumping up and down and running around in circles. He was yelling his head off! It was the funniest thing I ever saw, until I saw my mama running out to see what was wrong. She quickly discovered that my little brother's overalls were full of baby mice! He had stepped in a nest of little pink baby mice! They were running up and down his legs. Oh my did he squeal! My mom stripped him down and got rid of all those little pink mice. For some reason my brother still to this day almost seventy-four years later doesn't think it was nearly as funny as I did!"

Wait. I think I have some pictures of him when he was little and then all grown up. I still laugh when I think of that day. Yes here they are. Boy this old trunk is getting full, isn't it?"

"My brother looks just like my dad used to. Boy oh boy, my dad hated mice just as badly as my brother. That's because when it gets cold outside they want inside where its warm. Our old house was an easy place to get into because it was old." Grandma Lu looked out at all her friends and children and said, "Have you folks ever heard of covering up a mouse hole with a lid of a tin can?" Some of the children said, 'what's a tin can?' others said, 'What's a mouse hole?' But there were older folks that nodded their heads and smiled. The cans that we get our fruits, vegetables, and soup in used to be made out of tin. Tin was really steel with a coating on it to make it cheaper and not quite so hard. Anyway, Mom got her coffee in big tin cans. They always drank Folgers Butternut coffee. Mother made sure to save those cans for Dad. He would put all kinds of nuts and bolts and a bunch of different things in them. He would also save those cans for mice! He would cut circles out of the tin with a tool called a tin snips. Then he would bend the circle in half and nail the metal over the mouse hole. Those pesky mice would chew a hole right in the corner of the dining  room and make a home for the winter."

"My children used to watch a cartoon called Tom and Jerry. Jerry would always terrorize Tom the cat. It was so much fun."

There was another pesky little animal that had made his way into Marleewood. Mouse, who was really a cat had watched the whole thing from across the street. He just laid in the sun and thought, "Is that guy ever going to learn to stay out of where he's not wanted? Oh look at that! Reda saw him and told her sister, Freda who chased him out the back door. He's up in a tree and won't come down Meow! Meow! That''s a good one! I'll have to tell my roommates this one after I finish my nap that is."

The Rag Hankie

 She had been at her mother's home for almost three weeks. She had cried and she had laughed. Some of the things her mother saved made her chuckle like roll after roll of toilet paper, but then others made her so very sad. Like when she found the shoes, socks and lunch pail of her five year old sister that she had never met all neatly stored in the back of a bottom cupboard. Her mother had fallen and was now in the nursing home where she worked. She had sorted her mother's things into a keep pile, a throw away pile and a sell pile. She hated to sell anything of her mother's, but she had no choice. Her brother was better and had been transferred to a condo near by the hospital where he was recuperating until the time where he could travel home by plane. She was still worried about him, but she knew he had good care. His daughter and wife were with him and they called on a regular basis. She thought of the last picture she had of her mother. It was on her 90th birthday celebration. Oh she loved the presents that day.

 She had made decision after decision with no sounding board other than talking to herself to see if she was making the right ones. She smiled a sad smile when she handed the keys to the man that had purchased her parents' home. As she walked out the door into the cold cold weather she saw the brown and barren looking rose garden of her mother's. Then she grinned remembering the day her dad had mowed off all of her rose bushes. "My goodness my mom could get noisy when she was upset," she thought. But all had turned out well when the next spring the roses had more than doubled in blooms. Dad was out of the doghouse once again.

As she got in her car to make the long trip to her own home the tears started as she knew they would. Her mother had lived in this mobile home for thirty years. So many memories. She reached into her sweater pocket and grabbed something to wipe away the tears. Then tears came streaming down her face. She had saved on purpose a "rag hankie" for a keepsake. Rag hankies were from the farm. For some reason her mother had saved some. These tears would probably be the last tears this little soft piece of material would dry, but she thought it was fitting. She smiled as she turned onto the interstate. She could just see her mama now tearing up those old sheets. Someday she would tell her children the story of before Kleenex, but she stored it in her mind for now. She had a family to get home to and a mother to check on. She was back to work in a couple of days. Work. "I wonder if any of my residents had rag hankies. I bet they did." She loved the folks that lived there. She would encourage her mother to attend a small group. Reminiscing was so much fun for both young and old. Maybe she would enjoy talking about the old days. She hoped so. 

She thought about those rag hankies and thought, "I have never torn up a sheet in my life. I've cut them for dust cloths at one time or another, but mom's sheets were absolutely beat to death on the clothes line nine months out of the year. She boiled water for her laundry. The white clothes came first and of course, in those days the sheets were always white. They were agitated in her old wringer washer that always leaked oil, then wrung out as dry as possible between two wringers. Then hung up outside where often the wind would beat the wrinkles almost out. They were never soft but were put in the "ironing basket" and ironed along with most other things.  In her mind's eye she could see the clothes pin bag on the line, her mother's mouth full of clothes pins and basket after basket of wet clothes waiting their turn to get hung on the line. In the winter time her dad hung clothes line rope in the dining room. On wash days we dodged the wet clothes. We always ate in the kitchen except when company came, so it wasn't a big deal, but with only a space heater in that room it took a long long time for those overalls to dry. "Rag hankies were the very first thing I ever got to iron on my little ironing board. I had a little iron that barely got warm. I soon graduated to ironing my dad's farm hankies then his going to church handkerchiefs. They had to be folded just right so they would fit in his suit jacket pocket.

"Oh, I remember learning how to hem material on those rag hankies. Yuk! I never had the patience or the mind set to do things perfectly like you mom. You always said, 'the underside has to look as good as the top side.' In my way of thinking who cares what the underneath looks like no one is ever going to see it. I made sure I told my mother it made no difference and she quickly changed my mind with "the look."  I think my mom learned that "look" from her father. My grandma was sweet and a tender loving woman. I wonder what wash days were like for her and her mother. I never heard any stories about that from Mom or Grandma. It was probably hard work; even harder than mom's wash days were. I can't even imagine.

This is the last picture of my mother. It was taken at Shalom in Overland Park, Kansas. The complex where I worked and watched over her. It was shortly after her 90th birthday. My brother and his wife, my daughter and I all got to help her celebrate. I'll never forget how much she enjoyed her gifts. When they had all been opened she turned to me and said "More?" That was the chuckle of the day. That was our mom and grandma forever in our hearts and memories.

Grandma Lu's World Is Starting To Make Sense Again

 After Grandma Lu and her husband had eaten their lunch they took the car over to Marleewood. Grandma Lu's trunk that she had had there for years was getting too heavy for her to move by herself. People had been sending her pictures and invitations and announcements for years. She was such a sentimental lady she just couldn't part with any of it. Every child's picture sparked a memory for her, every child's award from school made her proud as if they were her own grandchildren. No matter her husband's grumbling she was keeping her old trunk, however, she might get herself another one...

While they were moving things around they heard some commotion coming from the front of Marleewood.  Grandma Lu went to see who was there and it was Avery and Finnley cleaning up all of the twigs that had fallen on the yard. "Oh you two are such good girls. Are you hungry or thirsty? If you are I'll get you something. Just say the word." As she was going back to tell her husband about the girls she saw something out of the corner of her eye.

There was Regan out on the playground all wrapped up in a towel. What in the world was that little girl doing?

Well, land sakes, there was her grandma and Jeff planting flowers! "Fran, come look. Look outside. The children are back. They are decorating just like they did last year. Oh this makes me want to cry.  I have missed them so much. Quick go out to the kitchen and start some coffee and I will check the fridge and see if there is something cold for them to drink."

"Oh good, looks like B has been here. There's ice tea and lemonade and even some cookies in a tin on the counter. Oh this is such fun." As she was putting everything on trays she saw Kane and Abbi planting seeds. Oh my goodness. I think they are going to have a small garden out there. We just might have some fresh vegetables for snacks. Oh it's going to be beautiful again. My dear Marleewood  you survived another winter and a really bad time in the world. Those dear people out there are making my little world  make sense again."

Then she saw a car pull up and that really made her smile. Getting out of the car was Marlee and Whitlee and her friend, B. Then more cars were coming in the drive. "Oh this is just like old times, old girl. Just what you love. Friends young and old make this old building come alive."

When she turned around there was Charlie and Connelly with their nanny grinning up a storm and talking to Marlee. "We are back and I think everyone else is too. They are setting up picnic tables outside, Grandma Lu. I think people are ready to get out and about. Besides that we missed you at Marleewood. What have you been doing? Grandma Lu didn't have time to answer because Marleewood was buzzing! There were children everywhere and grownups all visiting and having such a great time. It seemed like the doors were opening every other minute. She was so happy!

Soon Grandma Lu was hearing about birthdays, and Easter Egg hunts, She heard about a Mud Run  and fishing. She was so surprised that Bella and her brothers had gone kayaking. Besides that everyone had grown a foot! And there even were some new babies. So much had happened during this last year. She heard about basketball games and soccer games. She was hearing bits and pieces about school. Even prom! She felt like she was in a revolving door! There was so much she had missed out on. Suddenly she had a terrible thought. There surely wouldn't be any cats in the bathroom or in the Quiet Room or in the cupboards. She had to make sure. She was so terrible allergic to cats. Then she heard a clap of thunder. It was raining. Oh no! That Mother Nature was going to ruin her fun day.

The thunder was so loud that Grandma Lu didn't hear a soft meow as Felix was coming in the door as someone ran out to roll up their windows on their car.

Grandma Lu Remembers Nell

 Grandma Lu was stumped on her ability to get Zeke and Whitlee to learn how to speak and understand each other's language. She could remember having Stashia and Marlee talk to each other all the time. She had no clue how she was going to do it, but she needed to get busy and do some other things around the house. As she was dusting and vacuuming the living room she kept kicking her boxes of pictures and old newspapers away from her favorite rocking chair. She frowned when she thought of her husband calling her little area her "nest".  She picked up his slippers and moved his little Kindle table around and thought, "He's the one with a "nest". As she  turned around she almost stumbled on one of the oldest boxes and a picture of Nell popped out. "Look at you, Miss Nell. You were the one that started this whole thing. You and your sewing machine."

You had quite the journey coming from St. Louis to Iowa. It was still a territory back in those days. You lost your sewing machine in the river and almost froze to death in Marlee Ada's family's barn. Grandma Lu sat down in her rocking chair and stared at the old picture. She said, "It seems to me that Marlee Ada and her family had a big old dog like Zeke. I just wonder if I have any pictures of them together. After carefully going through the old books, papers, and pictures. She found what she was looking for. "I have this feeling that Zeke had ancestors in Iowa as well as Missouri. I think I will fix me a snack and a cold drink and do some digging. The dust can wait a bit..."

I wonder if Zeke had pups that stayed in that area. I just can't remember what kind of dog we had at the farm when we were little. It seemed like we only had strays. Grandma Lu heard a doorbell sound. That meant that someone was sending her a text. She grinned she had sent her first text just a few months ago. She was having to keep up with the new age technology even if she didn't want to. She went to the kitchen and here it was a text from her new group about ancestors. "Well isn't this something. A distant cousin I never knew I has sent me pictures of the old homestead oh so many years ago.

I wonder if they had a dog like Zeke. I'll never know. Oh my look at this little picture. This looks just like my Grandma Lulu when she was just a little girl. And those lilacs. They had lilacs on our farm way back then. Think of that. I loved them so much because they bloomed for my birthday. I used to think it was just for me. It's so hard to think of my grandma being a little girl and growing up on the same farm that I did. I just had a thought; her birthday was in May too! Oh how fun. She probably thought the lilacs were just for her too.

I can remember a wash basin just like that sitting on a dry sink out on our porch. That's where all the men washed up before they ate. My mom was a stickler about that. She could remember watching all those men at threshing time and baling time wash up to their rolled up shirt sleeves with mom's lye soap. She had old raggedy towels for them to dry off with. She chuckled and decided that she had better get busy and fix some lunch for that husband of hers. She had some things she needed him to do for her. They needed to go to Marleewood and get out her trunk of pictures. It was getting so heavy she needed him to help. The children would be getting out of school soon. She thought there might be some Mother's Day cards or pictures in that old truck that might give her an idea on how to help her get Whitlee and Zeke together for a story.

Stashia Was One Of The Lucky Shar Pei Born In America

                                                             Zeke

 Zeke and Whitlee had always been friends. He remembered the day that she saw her first bubbles out on the front porch. Oh how she laughed. She gave me a big hug that day. I should have started talking to her then, but didn't think she was much interested in being my friend. I whispered to her that day, but she was more interested in the bubbles. She was so little.  I was a pretty big lunk to be in the house even when I was just a puppy. I took up a lot of room in the living room. I'm a little stubborn just like the rest of my family so when I don't want you to go anywhere I lay in front of your chair or the door. I like to keep you company.

Later on that day, she did put her little arm around me, I just didn't go with my instinct. I think I'll have a talk with Stashia and see what she thinks. I get this feeling she doesn't like me much though....

                                                                   Stashia

Stashia was very much aware of what was going on with Zeke. Stashia was not a bit pleased about it either. Zeke was trying to take her place with these little girls and it wasn't going to happen on her watch if she could help it. 

She could remember when Zeke was just a puppy. His fur was all fluffy and white. Hers was  short, and rough like sand paper and bristly. (In fact that's why I am called Shar Pei. It means sandy skin.) She had watched Zeke listen to the grandmas talking about ancestors. Zeke thought he was just so important because his kind was named  the Royal Dog of France. She sighed and thought, "My ancestors worked for peasants or very poor farmers in China. My ancestors only go back two thousand years, but we were really good hunters. We also served as guardians of our master's homes. We are so smart and strong and because of our wrinkles when we barked we would scare off thieves to protect our humans. At one time some bad people took our ancestors and did bad things to them. Soon there were very few of us. To make matters worse the Communist Party in China considered us a luxury and imposed such a heavy tax on our owners they couldn't afford to keep us. 

Then one day in 1971 one of my ancestors had his picture taken. It was put in a magazine called Dogs. It was published in New York. Some how or another that magazine traveled all the way to China. A very nice man whose name was Mr. Matgo Law read the article. It said that soon there wouldn't be any more Shar Pei dogs.  At that time there were only twelve us living that he was aware of. Well, he just couldn't stand the thought of that so he did what a lot of people do in newspapers. He wrote a letter to the editor of Dogs Magazine. Soon many many letters came rolling into the magazine's office. They all wanted to help adopt a Shar Pei and raise puppies. I am one of the lucky puppies to grow up in America. I was really lucky when Grandma B adopted me and I got to live on the Mini Farm.

"Oh just look at that Zeke. He sneaked inside to wake up Miss Marlee. I just know it!"

Sure enough Zeke came sneaking in to see if he could talk to Stashia, not to wake up Marlee. He figured he could sweet talk the old girl into giving him some advice on how to get Whitlee to talk to him like Marlee did to her. He had heard some stories that some of the animals had told him about how Stashia had helped her in her adventures. She also kept her from getting lost, getting potty trained, prospecting for gold and had even helped her solve a few mysteries. Well, he didn't want to do all that. He sure didn't want to be on a hot air balloon going apple picking. He was busy keeping the mini horses and donkeys safe, he just wanted little Whitlee to tell his stories to either Grandma B or Grandma Lu or both. Hopefully Stashia would help him make Whitlee Jo understand him 

Grandma Lu had gone back home after a wonderful day at the mini farm with her friend and her friend's two little granddaughters. She had taken some cute pictures with her phone. She put her phone on her lap and thought, "Now how am I going to have Whitlee and Zeke talk to each other? It was so easy with Marlee and Stashia. There has to be a way.Whitlee wants to be in a story so badly.