A rainy Saturday afternoon in New Jersey

3 August 2013

Hello to my South African and worldwide friends,

Our streak of wonderful summer weather ended today with rain showers. Paprika and Oregano were busy doing errands and I wanted to be helpful, so I offered to walk down to the mailbox to get the mail. Since rain isn’t very good for my complexion, Paprika let me borrow her rain hat.

“It’s raining pretty hard out there,” I gave Paprika the latest weather report, as I stepped back inside and removed the damp hat. “I’m not so sure I should be spending any time outside today.”

Rain is not good for my complexion. Good thing Paprika lent me her rain hat – don’t you just love the colour?! And how it perfectly matches the flowers behind me?

“Oregano and I have to take Linus to the vet for his manicure/pedicure. If you don’t want to go out in the rain, Flat Kathy, you can stay home and read.  I have a book I think you might enjoy,” she said as she searched through her bookshelf.

“I love to read! It’s such a wonderful way to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon,” I said.

I looked at the book Paprika handed me and squealed with delight. The book is called Flat Stanley. Can you believe that?! There is another flat person in the world. I’ve had some amazing adventures myself, so I was eager to read about his. (You may remember that Reggie had read the book to Gilbert the Gnome and me many months ago, but I had forgotten all the details.)

“Good luck with Linus at the vet,” I said, as I curled up in a comfy chair and opened the book to the first page. “Sam? Shall I read it out aloud?”

“Rrrrmmmm–rrrrrrmmmm,” purred Sam, kneading his favourite cushion into submission before curling up expectantly. I took that as a yes.

Who knew that there were other flat adventurers just like me? – I am quite enthralled by the story of Flat Stanley. I want to write a book like this about my own adventures!

As it turned out, Linus was more cooperative than Paprika and Oregano thought he would be and they were back in a jiffy. I told Paprika how much I was enjoying the book she gave me.

Not long after they came home from the vet, I heard snoring.

I looked up from my book to see where the sound was coming from and noticed that Linus and Sam were sleeping again. I didn’t know cats could snore. Gilbert could snore up a storm, as I remember, but he had assured me that deep belly-snoring is normal of gnomes, particularly those of more well-endowed dimensions – but I had never imagined that lithe and light-footed little kitty-cats such as Linus and Sam could emit such sounds. Reading makes me sleepy and the sound of their snoring was hypnotizing. Maybe having a nap wasn’t such a bad idea.  I snuggled up in the chair with the kitties and let their gentle purrs and warm furry bodies lull me to sleep.

Linus and Sam looked so cozy that I decided to join them for a nap

(Oooh – and have you noticed the big sign on the wall behind us? Isn’t it inspirational?!)

After I woke up (Linus and Sam kept sleeping), my hosts asked if I wanted to watch a movie with them. I got my very own container of popcorn and settled onto the couch to enjoy the movie. It was called the ‘Silver Linings Playbook’.

Watching a movie with a bag of popcorn just for me

For a rainy Saturday, we sure had a lot of fun!

Yours in flatness and love,

Flat Kathy