Hello friends,

My name is Esmeralda Chipmunk and I live in a nice house in Queensland, Australia, with my Mummy and Daddy. I was born when Mummy had a dream one night after she had been drinking red wine. She told Daddy about me, and then a few months later when we were in a little shop in the forest he spotted me sitting there, waiting to be adopted. They brought me home and I now have ever such a nice life and I'm really really spoilt!

I have my own little house with lots of pretty furniture and a good supply of food. I go to work with Mummy every day, and have a basket on her desk that I sit in.

I have five brothers and sisters that tried to move in when they found what a good life I have here, but Daddy said one chipmunk in the house is enough. The others are a lot older than me and can look after themselves, so they now live in the storeroom under the house. Cousin Fred lives there too - he came to visit and liked it so much that he has never left.

Mummy took me on holiday to England last year to meet her friends. It was very exciting as we went on a big aeroplane. Everyone was very friendly and welcoming to me and I even had my own little house to stay in - I borrowed it from one of Mummy's nieces. We went to lots of places and I met so many different people. Granny bought me some things to bring home; my favourite is a little picnic basket and a rug to sit on - I take it with me now when we go out. Another friend told us about a shop that sells things just my size, so we went there and bought me a teaset and some drinks and a hat and a Scrabble set. I had so many things when I came home that Mummy had to buy me a new bag to put them all in. Daddy said I was very spoilt, but I think he was quite pleased that I had a good time.

When I got back to work everyone wanted to hear about my holiday. I showed them all the photos, and I had some exciting news to tell them too! We had got invited to come back to England after Christmas for a big wedding! I could hardly wait, but I had so much fun at Christmas too that the time flew past. I had lots of furniture as Christmas presents - a new bathroom set, and a new sitting-room suite, as well as food and toys from Mummy and Daddy.

Feb 2006

Then in the very cold English winter we flew back and I found that Mummy had bought me a new outfit for the Big Day. Its ever so pretty, a pink hat, and a parasol to match. I have a warm woolly hat too as England is so icy in winter. When we got off the plane Daddy was wearing shorts and got some funny looks but he put wam clothes on after that. We are still there at the moment, staying with Mummy's family again, and they had such a wonderful surprise for me this time - a new pink car! Its great, I can zoom around all over the place in it. I met some new friends too - Chipper and Cheesley, my pals from last time, introduced me to Bluey and Cuckoo, and then Horatio Penguin arrived. He is setting up his own house, so I am giving him lots of tips, and we have been buying things together from the Internet.