I discovered something else that I like about living with Master. It snowed last night, and this morning I don’t have to shovel any show. From the look of the snow on the rooftops, it must have snowed a lot, but some time early this morning workers cleared the streets – they even cleared the walkway to our door.

I snuck outside and walked down the Promenade. The mighty oak trees stretched towards the sky like some gnarled skeletons striped of all their leaves. It was a little scary.

I walked down to the inn and bought a cup of hot tea. I paid the extra copper piece to have some honey in it. I sure do like having some of my own money to spend. The tea warmed me and I felt wonderful as I walked back home.

Jim is Master’s ferret, and my new playmate and responsibility.

He is about as long as my arm, and his favorite place to sleep is across my shoulders.

Taking care of him is pretty easy. I let him out side a few times a day. He usually comes back with a mouse or rat, which he takes to his corner to eat. There is a water bowl that I have to fill each day, and when it is raining I have to dry him off when he comes in.

Jim loves to play. He will come up to me and scratch the floor with his front paws. If I get down on my hands a knees and scratch, Jim will charge me. He runs around and tries to get behind me. I spin around so he can’t. After a while he’ll run back in front of me and it will be my turn to try to get behind him. It’s great fun and we can do it for an hour or so. All of a sudden Jim will bark at me and then run a way to his pile of pillows.

After we play, Jim will sleep for ten or eleven hours. While he sleeps buried in his pile of pillows, I get to get back to my chores.

Sometimes at night Jim will climb up on my bed and sit on my chest and scratch. I just laugh at him and roll over.

I like Jim and I think we will become good friends.