Yesterday was my 12th birthday and I get to write Mom’s column near my birthday every year. Oh, I forgot, I’m Sesha. Yes, I was born March 9 and Mom and Dad drove a long way to get me and bring me home on May 9 - Mom’s birthday. Dad’s birthday was only a few days before so I was their very special present to each other.

You’ve probably heard the story about the trip home because, for some reason, Mom just loves to tell it. Seems, mind you this is according to her, that I had a couple of accidents in their van on the way home and they didn’t mind because they just wanted me to come home with them so awfully. I was just an innocent pup and didn’t have any idea what I might be getting into.

The main highlight since I wrote last year is that my sibling came for a visit. Her name is Tracey and she’s older than me – well, I don’t know about dog years and all that stuff. Anyhow, Tracey had been very ill. So ill, in fact, that people in churches had put her on their prayer list. Their prayers helped too because she got much better although she still walks with cane. Now that cane was kind of scary to me as you can imagine.

Mom was afraid that I might trip Tracey but I was afraid she would hit me with that cane. I’m sure that it would’ve been an accident but even so it could still hurt my dear little body. We got along very well though and she talked to me real nice most of the time. She had trouble understanding that I always get a little bit of food that everybody is eating but I got her straightened out about that in due time.

If you know Mom then you understand that she sometimes has a – well, I guess you might say a peculiar sense of humor. One day when we were riding in the little red Dalmobile, with the Dalmatian seat covers, she told me how precious I was to her. She said they had paid $50 thousand dollars for me and although that was a lot of money they just knew the minute they saw me that they had to bring me home with them no matter what I cost. Later on though, I heard her laughing when she was reporting to several of her friends about telling me that. They all laughed and laughed just like they thought it was really funny. Sometimes I don’t know what’s going on with humans as you can imagine.

I hate to even mention this next thing but I’d better tell you about the really awful thing that happened since I wrote last. I had to have surgery. Yes, Mom was worried about some kind of knot growing on my hip and my nose. So Dr. Hank and Dr. Greg took me in this room and gave me some medicine and well – I don’t know what happened after that. The next thing I knew was I was lying on a pallet but I just couldn’t muster the energy to get up. Mom sat by me and petted me for a long time but finally she went to the waiting room. Doctors Hank and Greg and the ladies were so nice to me and petted me a lot but let me tell you that when I was able to drag my poor body up I made for that door. Nothing and nobody was going to stop me from leaving. Mom grabbed me and led me to the car but she didn’t have to. I had a one-track mind right then let me tell you.

Life here is pretty good. Of course, I still miss my Dad awful bad and I still miss my Maggie dog but I have lots of memories of the great times we had together. Sometimes I just sit on the back porch and think about those times. I guess it’s true that I’m getting a bit older, I do have trouble jumping on the bed sometimes, but Dr. Hank gave me something that’ll probably help that. Yes, I plan to stay healthy so I can write again next year cause I love it when you wave at me as I’m riding in the Dalmobile. It really makes me feel like a – well, like a big dog as you can imagine.

Mom says she loves hearing from readers but is seldom at the Daily News. Please feel free to email her at patjsmith@verizon.net or write to Pat Smith, 122 W. Sheridan, Greensburg, IN 47240 or phone 812-663-3418.