Dear Schmookies,

Daddy is frustrated about the tree, too. I wish I could take care of it with my chainsaw. Daddy has been in school this week; not like the school where he teaches, but a school where he is taught. In my school, we read stories to each other in one class and pretend to be other things in the other class. I think you would both like that class. We make noises and stretch and have fun.

Daddy is very tired, but it is hard to go to sleep in a place where there are so many interesting people and so much is going on. I understand now why you don't like to go to bed. I will be in bed and want to be with my friends drinking water and reading stories. To help me sleep, I have found a sound machine website that I turn on when I go to bed. It reminds me of home.

Keillor, you want to drive Daddy's car, huh? Daddy's car would be huge here. It would be the biggest car on the street besides the buses. All of the cars here are Keillor and Emaline sized. They zip around very fast. Many people ride buses though. Daddy rides the bus to school (well, part way to school anyway). It's a long, long walk. You'd love the buses. They have stairs on them and you can go up the stairs to the landing, up the stairs to the hall. When you want the bus to stop, you push a button and a bell rings. The driver stops at the next bus stop for you. It's fun.

Speaking of small, everything is small here. The beds are small, the oven is small, the fridge is small, the washing machine is small, and even the boxes and bags of food are small. When people go shopping for food, they only buy a little bit at a time; not like Mommy and me. The closest store to Wal-Mart is Sainsbury's. It has everything, including some stuff you would say was gross like haggis and head cheese.

Since he has been here, Daddy's tummy has not been right. Don't tell anyone, but I have been tooting all of the time. I know, that's bathroom talk. Excuse me.

My eyes are burning so it's time to go to bed. Ask Mommy to look up Inverness and Orkney Island to see if she'd like to go there. Also ask her if she would prefer countryside and ancient ruins or city stuff and shopping? I think I know the answer, but I wanted to check.

Please be good for Mommy. I love you all and miss you terribly.

Daddy.