Blub… glub… cough…

Hello all, and let me just announce that I am now officially a soggy bottom girl- that is to say, I mean- jeeeeeeeez it’s wet outside. After running around for what seemed like hours but may have been more like really long minutes (after all, I don’t have fins,) I think we’ve finally located all of the leaks, spouts, drips and floods. You’ll be happy to hear- we didn’t lose much! So, now that you know the books are safe we’ll move on to what is clearly the most pressing question:

The cats!!!! Where do the cats go when it rains?!?!

Well most of them stay in doors ya silly geese. They curl up together on the couch in the Military room. Those of you who have been in the last few months may have noticed the trio of cats that can usually be found together in the cold and wet weather: a calico, a tiger, and a black cat. They are as follows: Mrs. Howell, Tiger (of course) and Frankie. Howlie and Tiger being two of our oldest cats. They curl up in the wet weather I imagine for warmth and companionship, and yes, they get along quite well. You may even consider bringing your camera the next time you visit.

Other areas of refuge include the bell tower, which most of you may not have noticed. As you come in once you pass the buying tables and are about to travel up the stairs to the main barn, pause at the bottom of the steps and look straight up- you should see a tower with a bell attached to the top. There is a small enclosure located at the topmost point right under the bell, and it is very warm, very safe and very dry. Many of our cats will crawl in there to hide even on nicer days. You may also notice it’s surrounded with ivy, which truly helps to add to the solitude of such a wondrously out-of-the-way place.

Other than that our cats can be found all over the store, whether they’re sleeping out in the open on the chairs you wish you could sit in, or walking right above you on the ceiling rafters, just waiting for you to stay still long enough to hop on your shoulder. That being said, most of them prefer to stay dry…

EXCEPT for our Evinrude. Who, contrary to popular belief- is not called Evinrude because of his purr (which isn’t really very loud at all,) but because he cannot stay away from water. Whether it be pond water full of fish and frogs or just plain pouring rain like today, Evinrude will immerse himself fully, come back inside to gorge himself on anything edible, only to bound back outside and meow pitifully at anyone who passes by. Do not be fooled! There is in fact a cat door, and he is, in fact- a goon. But our goon, nonetheless.

So- I guess it’s going to be raining for the next couple of days, but if you feel like visiting ourselves and our books and our cats, we’ll be here. Not rain nor snow nor… nor… um.

We’ll be here!

So just grab a raft and sail on over, to the bookstore at the bottom of the sea.