"I'll put the kibble out," Jackie offered, "while Durinda shows Mr. Pete the fridge." Pete had brought his toolbox with him, and we watched in the kitchen as he gently pulled Carl the talking refrigerator away from the wall so he could see what was going on with Carl's backside. Pete was just taking his screwdriver out when we heard a loud thumping noise. We looked up to see a carrier pigeon beating its little body against the big picture window that looked out over the hill. Durinda let the pigeon in and unfurled the tiny scroll from the silver tube that was attached to the carrier pigeon's leg. We all looked over her shoulder to read the message: Everything still okay in there? Durinda wrote back for all of us: As well as can be expected! Then she attached the message and released the carrier pigeon back out the window. "Does that happen all the time?" Pete asked. "Carrier pigeons flying at your window bearing notes?" "Often enough." Annie shrugged.
