Sorry, Friends!

Hello All,

I have been extremely negligent on posting recently. Being back at school has been a bit more difficult this year, with more intensive courses and more Packer fans bothering me. My Caretaker has been doing well, and is going to be in a University production tomorrow! She's incredibly excited and can't wait to show everyone the final product.

I have been ill after a few harder falls at the start of the term. I dislocated my arm and had a severe head injury, but I have come to a full recovery and hope to be back in business soon.

Lively,

Clarence

Mississippi River Museum

Hello All,

This past Friday my Caretaker and I went to the Mississippi River Museum in Dubuque with Delaney. She is such a wonderful girl. Earlier this summer we went to the Body Worlds exhibit in Des Moines, which was really interesting. This time it was her choice of museum. The museum was great, with lots of river information and cool figures, but the coolest part was the aquarium. I met a few giant Catfish. I was glad to be on the other side of the glass, because they both looked pretty hungry!

Because Dubuque is at the intersection of Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin, the three of us decided to spontaneously leave the state. There is a loop that allows you to hit the three states in 10 minutes! It was really fun to do, mostly because of the ease and how quickly it happened. No sooner had we realized we crossed a state line we crossed another!

Ambling,

Clarence

Sand in the City

Hello All,

Yesterday my Caretaker and I headed to downtown Iowa City to check out Sand in the City, and the music of the incredible FunkDaddies. Both were wonderful! I got to listen to some funky tracks right behind the sound booth. Rachel was mixing the sound, and she did such a marvelous job. She even let me borrow her headphones for a bit!

Sand in the City has multiple competing sand structures, but also, of course, giant sand piles for the kiddies to play in. I made friends with quite a few youngsters, and they thought it was very fun to bury me in the sand. Luckily my Caretaker saved me from suffocation a few times!

Sandily,

Clarence

Ready, Rolf?

Hello All,

It has been a while since I've talked to you, but it sure doesn't seem like it! Summer has been flying by, and it is already August. My caretaker is in a show with the wonderful Combined Efforts Theatre Company in Iowa City, a company that puts on shows for actors with and without "special needs." It has been a great experience.

It has made me appreciate that my height is one of my only disadvantages, and appreciate how great I have it in my own mind. It has also helped me get excited about things that I haven't gotten excited about before in theatre. When someone remembers their line, when the audience can hear them, when they get the joke perfectly. Seeing how incredibly happy they get when they see all their family and friends supporting them and their ability to perform as they want to is a completely incredible feeling, and reminds me of why I love the theatre so much.

For those who are unable to see the show, the steer in the above picture belongs to my caretaker's character, Stacy. His name is Rolf and he is the Special Reserve Grand Champion steer at the county fair.

Fair-ly,

Clarence

I Spy

Hello All,

This summer just keeps flying by. My caretaker and I have finally had some down time to dink around and do almost nothing, and I already made a friend from it! This little frog was sitting in the creek behind the house while we were sitting back there.

Last weekend we visited Omaha, Nebraska for a cousin's wedding, it was marvelous. Lots of fun relatives and dancing. Our family also visited Kansas University in Lawrence, Kansas. It confused me immensely because I am so used to hearing Lawrence University. Whenever a tour guide mentioned how great Lawrence was I wholeheartedly agreed with them.

Sneakily,

Clarence and the Frog

The Final Harry Potter

Hello All,

As you all should know, the final saga of the epic Harry Potter series came out this past Friday. Myself, my caretaker and a dear friend of hers went to the midnight premiere. She went as the evil Bellatrix Lestrange, he as Kingsley Shakelbolt and I went as one of the Weasley's Gnomes from earlier in the series. Although they were never featured in the movies, they caused Harry and Ron great anguish.

This summer has been full of little adventures, like the premiere. Last night I spent some time baking ninja cookies and decorating them with a bit more frosting than necessary, but no one seemed to mind that much. My caretaker and I are getting ready to head back to school next month. Although it seems so far away, we are sure it will sneak up on us very quickly.

Magically,

Clarence

Happy 4th!

Hello All,

I had a wonderful time yesterday watching the fireworks display in Coralville, Iowa with my Caretaker, and her friends and family in their usual spot. I know a picture is worth a thousand words, so I'll let you see some of the fireworks for yourself.

Blazingly,

Clarence