CH:8 I CAN’T ALWAYS HAVE IT.

I didn’t really learn this lesson from Mum, but sometimes she had to grumble at us puppies because we wanted everything “right now”, especially her milk. We would whine and moan and even murmur please, but she just did not have more milk all the time and we did not need it, we just wanted it.

I really learned this when I was more grown up and with my island family.

We had some friends who came and visited named Jocko-boy and Jill, and I loved it when they came. Jock was a black Poodle, a little bigger than me , and Jill was a little bigger than Jock and was all black too. I think she was part Terrier as she had a bushy hair-do sort of like mine if it grows too long.

When they came to visit Jock loved to run and play my games like hide and seek, catch a ball, and so on. Jill preferred to sit on the deck and sunbathe. Usually when they came to visit they had lovely scarves on and looked ever so fancy. Sometimes I wear pretty scarves too because I always get one at the “dog spa” when I get my hair cut.

One day last summer when they visited I bet even you could not guess what they had on. They had T-shirts! They were ever so nice. Jill’s had flowers and Jock’s had boy things all over it like boats and cars. I sat at the edge of my deck and looked out at them from under my bushy eyebrows. T-shirts! What a wonderful idea. As I sat, I wanted one, so I came up with a plan. I could try and pull Jock’s off of him as he was nearly my size. I waited until he was sitting very still and lunged at him from behind grabbing the bottom of his shirt. I pulled and pulled and Jock growled at me. Mrs Thistle didn’t growl, she spoke very sharply to me:

“No, no Charlie Rose. You will hurt Jock. That is not yours and you can not have it. I don’t want you to wear a shirt and cover your lovely black hair. Go and sit quietly for a moment, you have frightened poor Jock.”

I sat frowning and mumbling to myself, humph! No fancy shirt for Charlie Rose. Humph. I had to think up a plan.

Later in the afternoon, when I got over being grumpy, Jock and I went to play tag in the front garden out of Mrs Thistle’s sight. As we played I thought I would give pulling off the shirt one more try. As I did, I did not like what I saw. Little patches of Jock’s curly hair were missing and he seemed to have some white medicine on the spots. I am a bit smart, I guessed he must have a little problem and had to wear the shirt. Jill probably had one on so Jock would not feel bad. I figured out what Mrs Thistle meant when she had said I did not need a shirt. I really only wanted to be the same and have a shirt.

This happens on ordinary days at home. I think I want something, I beg and whine for it, especially “bad for me things” like chocolate, but I just don’t always get what I want or what I think I should have. I sure always seem to get what I need, even some silly things.

Do you ever see things that you think you must have? Do you whine or cry to see if you can get the thing? Some children feel they must have everything they wish, do everything they wish, but sometimes it is not possible to make all wishes come true. Please always think about your wishes and whines.

Love, Charlie Rose

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

In CH:9 I have a real adventure when I escape from my

yard, and go for a wander with a neighbourhood dog

named Dweeb. I found out quickly that it is better for

me to stay in my yard, and have Dweeb as my friend

through the fence.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo