Dear Penelope

Dear Penelope,

Today I am going to write about something else.  Daddy complained that all of my posts were about “soccer” (it’s football, Dad!) so I decided to put off my Liverpool and Nando Torres news for another day.

 

Yesterday, I went to the home of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in Hyde Park, NY.  It is a two-hour drive, much like the distance from San Antonio to Canbanua.  Hyde Park is right beside a very big river; for most of the drive up, we took in the magnificent views.

 

Anyway, back to FDR.  When you get to FDR’s house, do you know what the first thing you see is?  Why, Fala, course!  Well, not the real Fala, but he is very cute, don’t you think?

 

According to the Interwebs, Fala’s full name is actually Murray the Outlaw of Falahill (because sometimes rich people give stupid names to their dogs).  But everyone knew him as Fala.  The American soldiers used his name as a code word to be able to identify German soldiers who may have infiltrated the ranks.  Anyway, Fala used to follow FDR everywhere, just like the way you followed your Mommy.  He even met the President of Mexico, and he also contributed to the war effort by donating $1 everyday for one year.

 

When FDR died, Fala always waited for him to come back.  One day, President Eisenhower came to visit Eleanor Roosevelt accompanied by security vehicles with a lot of sirens.  As soon as Fala heard the noise, he immediately stood up and pricked his ears, expecting his master to finally come home.  Fala died in 1952 and he was buried in the rose garden beside his beloved president.  If you look at my picture, the small fountain-like structure beside FDR’s grave marks Fala's own resting place.

 

I normally resist the temptation to buy mugs in a museum shop, but I could not resist buying a GINORMOUS mug with Fala’s picture on it.  Maybe because I miss you and Nicole and Paski very much.  Maybe because you were trying to tell me that something happened, because your achis forgot to tell me (hmp!).  I am sorry that I haven’t been home for a while, but it doesn’t really matter as long as Mommy is there, right?

 

Say hi to Scooby and Olive and Toyang and Barkley and Tigger and Pablo for me J.