Me: Come on, sweetie, it’s a work day
Puppy: I’m trying to work. It would be easier if you would stop pulling my leash
Me: It is not a chipmunk chasing day
Puppy: It could be if you’d let me do my job

Dear Kid,

When Pi was little, we had a family of chipmunks living under the front walk. She and I loved to sit on the stairs and look out to see them pop up to greet the day.

Now, we have a chipmunk (or possibly more than one) living somewhere in the front of the house. It particularly likes to play in the garden area, which makes Dad and Booker a little crazy albeit for different reasons.

For Booker, the problem is the chipmunk doesn’t stick around to make friends. For Dad, the problem is that when Booker chases the chipmunk, he accidentally rearranges things in the garden.

It’s probably one chipmunk since they are solitary creatures, but since it’s spring (and by “spring” I mean the mating season) one never knows.

Chipmunks are actually members of the squirrel family. I don’t think they are generally invited over to Sunday dinner, but they are members of the family nonetheless.

There are 25 species of chipmunk (26 if you count the ones like Alvin that star in movies in Hollywood).

Chipmunks have excellent hearing and can detect Booker thinking about looking for them.

Their primary occupation is Gathering Food for Now and for Winter, and they are Most Efficient at their job. A chipmunk can gather enough food in two days to last an entire winter, although they follow the Jewish Mother Food Principle of More is More.

Like many college students, chipmunks do not sleep through the entire winter. They wake up every few days, raise their body temperature, and nosh on leftovers. They aren’t particularly choosy about what they eat. They are happy to munch on nuts, fruit, grains, insects, worms, eggs, and even baby birds and baby mice. Yum.

Puppy: Seriously, he’s in there! I can get to him
Me: Seriously, we’re going inside to get the day started
Puppy: What’s better than starting the day by making a new friend?
Me: Friends are important. So is getting to work on time. Inside, my friend

Love, Mom