Dear Diego,

I’ve had an adventure. Do you remember when I wrote about how sometimes it rains so much in Charleston that the city floods? Well, since I last wrote to you, it happened again! A stream of storms came in off the ocean. It rained for two days straight. Two feet (about 60 cm) of rain fell on South Carolina! The college where I work closed for four days. My band was supposed to pay a concert, but so many roads were flooded that we had to cancel it. Sometimes the band has to cancel outdoor concerts because of rain, but this was the first indoor concert we’ve canceled because of rain! Several people I know have to repair their houses because so much water got inside. Please remember us in your prayers. I’m very thankful that only a few people in the whole state got hurt.

Now I want to write about something fun. My mother and stepfather went on a long trip, so I got to take care of their pet dog Callie. Callie is a kind of dog called a miniature schnauzer. She weighs 19 pounds (about 8½ kg). She likes to go for walks and play with flying toys. She also likes to chase squirrels and birds, even though they always get away. Any time I put on shoes, she gets excited and barks because she hopes I’m about to take her for a walk. She is very friendly. When we walk around the neighborhood, she wants to meet every person and dog and cat we see. She also likes to sit next to me so I can pet her. Since I live alone, it can be hard to take care of a pet. Every day, I have to give her food and water. I also have to clean up the poop. But it’s nice to have a companion. My house seems lonely since she went back to her home.

I think it’s important to learn how to communicate with dogs. They use their tails, ears, mouths, and eyes to show how they feel. They bark, growl, and squeak. If they grow up around humans, they learn how we communicate with our faces, hands, and voices. Dogs can be scary when you first meet them, and they can be afraid of people they don’t know. But if you learn to communicate with them and you are patient, you can tell them that you aren’t a threat, and maybe even make friends.

Callie taking a nap

Callie helping me grade

Callie on a walk