Scruffy Saves Santa
Myra Freeman
Brrrrr. Winter came to town today. Heavy snow is falling and the wind is howling. Everything outside the window looks magical and dreamy, like a shaken snow globe.
I am snuggled in my warm basket with my favorite blue bunny.
“This A Snow Day!” Mummy has declared.
We all howl with delight.
It is 3pm and she and Daddy are still in their pajamas.
It is also Christmas Eve Day. One of our favoritest holidays of the year. The Ray Conniff Singers are merrily caroling “The 12 Days Of Christmas” and the Christmas tree lights are on. Mummy is baking cookies. The kitchen is bursting with flour, sugar, frosting and sprinkles.
She is also cooking us scrumptious Christmas Stew and a Worship Bird, also known as turkey, for her and Daddy. My sister Zippy Zuzu, my brother Mr. Woove, Cousin Frankie and I call it worship bird because we love how it smells and gather in the kitchen to worship it.
We get so close to the oven that Mummy shouts,
“out-out- out! All of you devil dogs out of my kitchen!
I can’t get any work done with all of you in here!”
She grabs the peanut butter oatmeal biscuits and lures us into the living room. We are happily distracted and don’t even notice the gate she puts across the entrance to the kitchen.
We each take our places: Zuzu and Mr. Woove on the big red couch and Cousin Frankie and I in our dog beds and happily begin to chomp away at our biscuits.
We are enjoying the lazy afternoon.
Christmas Stew
Ingredients Directions
2 quarts water In a large pot combine water, potatoes,
2 lbs stew beef celery, carrots, oregano and rosemary
6 large potatoes In a fry pan braise the beef in the olive oil
6 celery stalks add cooked beef to the pot of potatoes etc
6 carrots Simmer with Love
2 tbs Olive Oil
Oregano
Rosemary
Love
After a delicious dog dinner, we settle in to watch a movie called “It’s A Wonderful Life.” We all like the dog and the little girl named Zuzu that Mummy named my sister after!
“It’s almost midnight. Daddy says. We better get to bed before Santa comes.”
Mummy and Daddy kiss us all on the head one at a time reminding us that we are good dogs and that they love us more than French Toast .
We all drift back to sleep when suddenly the Canine Superhero signal starts to ring in my ears. Sitting up quickly, my nose twitching, my ears standing straight on end.
I hear a loud noise in the chimney and a deep voice saying
“Scruffy, help me!”
“Santa?” I reply, still not sure if I am dreaming.
“Yes, it’s me, Santa! I’m stuck in the chimney!”
Running over to the fireplace I can see Santa’s big black boots hanging down inside the fireplace! Good thing the fire is out.
What to do, what to do, I think running in circles, chasing my tail.
Zippy Zuzu, Mr. Woove and Cousin Frankie are awake and ready to help.
“I’ve got it” We will each grab a side of Santas’s pant legs and pull him down the chimney.”
“Sounds like a good plan.” Zippy Zuu says.
She is a very kind older sister.
It’s great to have a nice brother and sister.
“It’s Go Time”
We all grab a hold of Santa’s pant legs and tug.Thump! He comes tumbling down the chimney. We all fall down laughing, our faces covered in soot.
“Christmas is AWESOME” Cousin Frankie giggles.
“It sure is Mr.Woove says in his deep doggy voice.
Zippy Zuzu just smiles and nudges into me.
After we help Santa out of the fireplace, he opens his big red sack and puts many fun and delicious presents under our Christmas tree.
“Thanks for rescuing me, Scruffy, Zippy Zuzu, Mr. Woove and Cousin Frankie.” Santa says as he enjoys a glass of cold milk and chocolate chip cookies that Mummy made for him.
