Monday, March 19, 2007

Rivers News 3-18-2007

Hi Gang, Rivers here,

It sure has been busy here. With Mike teaching a class and then make a very sudden trip to Ketchikan, I had no time to get on the PC and bark out an e-mail to you. Mike told he drafted two more chapters for Book 3. I heard him dictate them into the PC and they sounded really good. He uses his version of BRS (Bark Recognition Software) to do that. Mike is not talking to us about what the story in Book 3 is about. But, from what I heard, it is going to be a good story about us.

We received several nice e-mails from SSG B in Iraq. He told us that it take about 14 days for mail to get to his unit. He asked us to pass on his troops’ appreciation for all that you do for them. So please keep sending those cards and notes down the trail to them.

SSG B sent us a picture. He wrote that this was a camel that wandered into his camp. He gave it some water. Enjoy the picture. Mike told me that they race camels in the area where SSG B is at. He also told me that there are one or two camels at the Anchorage zoo. He joked that they could run the Iditarod. Gee, Idita-camels?? No way!!

Do you remember I barked to you that Mike was invited to Annabel’s Books for a book signing? Well I did not go because they had a silent book auction to raise money for Lois Harter. Lois lost everything she owned in a fire recently. We understand that the auction was very successful. Thanks for helping.

Mike took me to Alpenglow Elementary School the other day. He took a sled full of equipment and I was one of the guests of honor. Some of the students got to pet me and that was very cool. They were a very well behaved and nice bunch of students. Mike told me that he would include a picture on our Blog with this newsletter. That is me with Mike who is sitting on the floor with the Kinders (as Cheryl in Iceland calls her kindergarten students).

After the Kinders left the gym, the rest of the student body came in and one teacher told me we were part of an assembly. I am not sure what that is, but I guess there was some kind of show besides Mike’s presentation. They had live music and honored one of their teachers who ran the Serum Run this year. It was a super time for all. Mike read “Screaming Eagle” from our first book. However, Cyndi J, the school’s librarian converted the story to a theater script. That allow for more students to participate in the story. There were students playing the dogs, a sign walker and a young lady playing the eagle. The young lady doing the Christmas part, Yipped just like Christmas (real name icy) did when she was a puppy. The Rivers Good Time players did a great job and made Mike laugh so hard that I heard him forget his lines! Mike told me that Cyndi’s script was excellent, very professional. He was enjoying himself too much and just started to laugh due to the students’ playacting the story. The students who had parts were just fabulous!

Mike and Mary also had a book signing at Elmendorf. I stayed home and loafed. While it was kind of cold, the sun was out and it nice to lay on one of the decks and soak up the rays. Mike told me that book signing was great. He met some very nice people there and did a lot of bragging about me, his “military dependent”!

Well it is getting late and I better let Mike hit the straw and dream of retirement. He has to get up early tomorrow and go to work while we enjoy spring break with Caitlyn.

See ya

Rivers