Hi Uncle Mike,

  I'm counting the days til I'm a double-digit dude; the big 1-0!  Actually, it's not
til 22 November, but I'm so excited! Mommy's getting me a lambswool basket liner with
a little pocket for a heating pad. That's gonna be so great!

  I got groomed on Friday. Finally, the groomer got the idea about "military" hair
cut; man, is my hair short now! And my nails are nice, too. The day was very
traumatic, I gotta say; I was crated beside a really big, noisy dog and he scared the
crap outta me the whole time. The groomer couldn't get me outta my cage cause I was
shaking so much, so my human brother helped her fetch me out so I could go be with
Mom. Took me the whole day to recover, but after all is said and done, I gotta say, I
look damned handsome! :) I won't need my nails done again for a few weeks now but I
hope I don't have to go back to the city. I'm too old for that nonsense. Maybe the
vet will be back from wherever it is she got herself off to for the past 8 weeks. I
didn't get a bath at the groomer so Mommy's gonna plunk me in the tubby with the
whirlpool turned on, with a shot o my fave shampoo; let the bubbles scrub me clean :)

  I'm doing really well on the pediatric vitamins with extra B complex. My `tude is
really nice now and Daddy and Mommy are thrilled cause I was getting really snotty
there for awhile. My lookers are lookin' good, too cause I"m still taking the herb
stuff for cataracts. I tear around here like a puppy, playing and chasing kitties.
Life is good :)  And ... get this ... I'm not overweight. I had this little pouchy
thing on my stomach and Mommy told Daddy to stop feeding me bits of bagels and bread.
The vet looked at it and said it was just a "middle-age" spread, but I'm still within
my weight - 18 pounds! Mommy was glad but she still says I can't have bread and
bagels anymore and I hafta stick to fruits and veggies for snackies. At least I have
doggie cookies to look forward to on my b-day; Mommy makes me a batch every year, so
I'll be happy :)

  Speaking of happy, it's nap time for us now. I love to nap, especially now that I"m
getting older. Gotta rest up so I can keep tabs on Mommy and Daddy while they have
dinner tonight - cabbage rolls, I think. Or maybe roast pork. Either way, I usually
get a wee taste put on my own dinner.

  Hope you're being good, Uncle Mike, and taking care of yourself.

  Bye for now.

Your furry nephew,

Mr. Jake (the cutie boy Cairn)