Sunday was not a good day for me.  Bob.  It is all the fault of those pesky squirrels.       

Every morning I get to take a brief run (we have ten acres after all) and I check in with all my friends in the woods.  I have my personal herd of deer to count, squirrels to chase, frogs to roll on, and branches and fallen trees to jump over.  It usually takes me ten minutes to make my rounds.  Yesterday after I was gone a half hour, my Mom and the rest of my family started to worry.  They know how high I can jump up a tree and were afraid that I had fallen and hurt myself.

After an hour, our neighbors started to help search.
After two hours Mr. Pat was on the gator and knocking on doors.  My Mom and my Omi (Pat's Mom -- my German Grandmother) were beside themself.
Finally after two and one half hours I came racing into our yard.  I had heard my Omi and our neighbor calling my name but I was so turned around I couldn't find the right trail.  But then I saw something familiar and I started racing home.

Covered in scratches from brambles in the woods, with the inside of my ears, my lips and my face bright red (that happens when I get nervous), I was SAFE!  And Boy, was I thirsty. 

Please don't ask me where I went, cause I don't know.  I was chasing this darned squirrel, and all of a sudden I looked around and I didn't know where I was.  I was so terrified and so confused.  Way off in the distance, I could hear my family calling me, but with the wind blowing, it just made me feel more turned around.    Let me tell you, I will NEVER do this again.    It's a lot of fun living on a mountain in the woods, until something like this happens.     I guess I was stupid, and my Mom told me that if I ever decided to do this again, I should "leave a trail of breadcrumbs".  What has Mom been reading?

I know it is going to sound silly, but if I had some Ruby Slippers, I would be clicking them together and shouting ---
                                                                   THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME!


BOB
Safe on the Couch