This is a fun picture book featuring our three dogs. Happy Holidays to all

1. ‗Twas the week before
Christmas
A Doggie Tail of a Christmas
That Almost Wasn‘t
By: Mary and Ginny Edwards
(with apologies to Clement Moore)

2. ‗Twas the week before
Christmas, when all
through the Edwards‘
world, the dogs were
stirring plus even a
squirrel…

3. …Because no presents were wrapped, no stockings
were hung. And the thought that St. Nicholas soon
wouldn‘t come made the dogs oh so glum.

4. ―What do you think is
wrong with our people?
It‘s simply not right here.
Isn‘t this the Christmas
time of the year,‖ Skye
yipped. ―They seem so
busy, they didn‘t even yell
at me the last time I
jumped on the table.
Maybe they‘ve forgotten.‖

5. ―You think so!‖ whined Butters, visions of rich
dinner scraps and Christmas cookie crumbs dancing
in his head.

6. ―No, not that!‖ barked Frankie. ―I love all those
Christmas treats that rain down from the counter!‖

7. Skye
sprang
from the
couch, an
idea
forming in
her mind.
Away to the
phone, she
flew like a
flash, called
up a Radio
Cab and
threw on a
sash with
Frankie
grabbing
some cash.

8. Watery sunlight on the breast of
the fog-shrouded street gave a
luster of midnight to the three
canines below.

9. In no time the cab
arrived, with a little old
driver so lively and
quick, they knew in a
moment he‘d get them
there in a jiff.

10. More rapid than SUVs, his coursers he zipped.
Dodging and zig-zagging amidst laid-back Portland
drivers, he whistled and shouted and called them
names: Now idiot, now slow-poke, now cellphone
ignoramus, dash away, dash away, dash away all!

11. To the top of Skyline the trio flew. And as dogs when
nature calls do, they stopped now and then to meet
with obstacles sniff, pee and poo.

12. And then in a twinkling, the cabbie heard in the back
the prancing and pawing of each doggie foot for they
saw up ahead, the most beautiful sight – a forest of
trees, ripe to be draped with bright Christmas lights.

13. And out of the cab they
came with a bound, every
hound dressed all in fur
from the ears to their
tushies.

14. Butters, a bundle of dog biscuits flung on his back,
he looked like a St. Bernard, but just from the
back.

15. Frankie, her eyes how they twinkled, so many things
to sniff! Her cheeks were like roses, her tongue like
a cherry.

16. Skye, her droll little muzzle was drawn up like a
bow. And the fur on her face was a white as the
snow. The husk of a ball should have been in her
teeth, but, alas, no one to toss it into the heath.

17. They were like right jolly furry elves and they
panted with excitement, in spite of themselves.
They spoke not a word, but went straight to their
search. Then all three at once turned with a jerk.

18. Just ahead. There it is, the perfect tree.

19. And laying a paw on it and giving a nod, Butters
sprang into action. His pack gave a whistle, taking
the tree that would save Christmas—yeah, this‘ll.

20. They were heard to exclaim ere they drove back to
Portland, Merry Christmas to all and to all a dog
night!

21. Merry Christmas from our (crazy)
dog house to yours!
Love,
Brian, Mary, Jessica, Alex, Ginny,
Frankie, Skye and Butters (and
Scot and Amore)