Hi Folks!
 
We's back in the games!  Lot's of stuff has done happened today to get us
back into the Olympic Spririt.  The park that gotted bombed reopened.  The
Olympic gymnasts done did their showin' off in the Champions Exhibition.  We
gots these really cool jingly collars from our Aunt Kelleen; and Paw Paw
done got over bein' so sad about the bombing.  You gots to understand
somethin' about our Paw Paw.  When bad things happen and folks get hurted,
it really tears him up real bad like.  As ancient as he is, he still wishes
that the world could be a better place where folks don't have to hurts each
other.  When he hears about somebody getting hurted he gets real mad.  Then
he gets real sad and thinks and prays a lot.  He often builds himself a
little fire in the back yard and just sits by it for hours with a faraway
look in his eyes.  When he gets done with his thinking and prayin' he does
what he thinks is right about the situation he was prayin' about.  Sometimes
folks might not like the decision he comed to but we knows that it is always
the right one for him.
 
Well, we done watched the reopening of Centennial Olympic Park on the TV
thing with our Paw Paw this morning.  Then he wented out into the yard and
builded him a fire.  He finally came in when Mee Maw tolded him that his TV
dinner was ready.  He didn't say much but we could detect the faint hints of
a smile in the corners of his mouth.
 
Then we all settled down to watch the gymnasts do their fun stuffs.  It
wasn't long before we was bouncin' all over the place and showin' off how
much better we was than anybody on the TV thing.  We really liked the way
our jingle bell collars sounded as we danced and bounced all over the place.
We was a real mess!  It didn't take long for Mee Maw and Paw Paw to start
laughing about our antics.  Then Paw Paw gotted a real serious look on his
face.  He looks kinda scary when he gets that way.  He's a big ol' guy with
a bushy beard and likes to wear Harley shirts.  If it wasn't for the laugh
lines around his eyes and the way his mouth keeps tryin' to twitch into a
smile, he could scare the spines off of a horny toad!
 
Anyways, he askeded us if we'd like to get back into the Olympics.  We said,
"Heck yes, Paw Paw.  We sure is glad that you is feelin' better now." He
tolded us that he just needed some time to sort things out and come to peace
within hisself.  We sure is glad that he is the way he is.  He always takes
the time to pray and think about stuff that hurts him real bad.  It's a good
thing.  He could do a world of hurt to bad folks if he ever gotted really
mad.
 
Anyways, we's back in the Games.  The finals of the Carrotball competition
will be held this coming Saturday at the Olympic Stadium in Atlanta.  It'll
be right between the the Men's poll vault finals and the Women's long jump
competition.  We is training real hard.  We know's that Sheila's Mob ( the
British team) is going to be tough to beat.  We also hears that a Canadian
team might be in the competition.  It might be hard to see us on the TV
thing cause we is built so low to the ground.  Just listen real hard and you
will hear the ferrets that goes, "Jingle, jangle, jingle." That'll be us.
Cheer whenever you hears us.  We got's to win that medal for Troy Lynn's
sick baby.
 
Many much loves, dooks, hugs, kisses, and anything else you might be in need
of tonight,
 
Tater and Odie -America's Carrotball Team
[Posted in FML issue 1647]