An Ode to Puppy and Hobbes

Anna brought two snails home from school from the class science kit and the 4th grade unit on organisms in December. She has been taking care of the snails, giving them food, and replacing the water in the jar with warm water faithfully. However, she came home today to find that they had died.  Her little tender heart just could not bear it and she began to cry.  

I asked her if she wanted me to get Puppy and she nodded. So thankful for this faithful little friend that has dried many a tear through the years. Below are some pictures of Anna with Puppy today. 

I also included one of Taylor with Hobbes, his favorite buddy, 

and a story that is an old favorite too as an ode to Puppy and Hobbes. 

My elephant can do almost anything.

He can stand on a wobbly stool, and he can balance on a balloon.

Watch out! It will pop! “Don’t worry,” my elephant says. 

“As long as I hold my breath, I’m fine.” 

The other day he even stood on top of the coffeepot. “Look what I can do!”

But when Mom saw him, he had to get off, of course.

Sometimes he climbs up the wall and hangs from the ceiling. “Hello down there!” he says.

But when he tried to wave, he fell down. He wasn’t hurt, but I wrapped him in bandages, just in case.

He doesn’t like bandages very much. “They slow me down!” he says.

Now he is learning how to walk a tightrope- very, very carefully.

When we play together, he always wants to get dressed up.

But we don’t have any clothes his size so I paint him instead.

Today I painted him in stripes. When he wiggles he looks like fire! Everybody is scared stiff- except me of course.

My elephant loves hats. He wears a different one each day.

Some people have hats of every color. My elephant changes colors for every hat.

At night, he always wants to sleep with me, but he is much too big.

“All right, all right, I’ll get out.” He sleeps at the foot of my bed.

My elephant is never afraid of the dark. He has special night eyes.

Even when it’s pitch black, he can see everything! He can eve see through things.

When our cat walks across the room, he knows exactly what she had for supper.

When I go to school, my elephant is very sad.

He just stands in the corner and groans.

You can hardly recognize him.

But when I come home again, he runs to meet me,

because there’s one thing my elephant can’t do…

he can’t do without me! 
by Anke de Vries