I went fishing while Steve, our resident hoomin, was out doing whatever it is that he does. This is a great game. What you do is drop something in the big white water bowl and try to snatch is out without getting your paw wet. I have these great toys that are perfect for this. (The hoomin calls these toys "mice," but mama says they're not really mice. They're little strips of fur with a head on the end. Steve brings them home sometimes when he goes to get food.)

If you want to fish, you need to have several of these mice, because once you drop them in the white bowl they get wet and it's best if you use a dry one. Also, try not to leave any mice in the bowl. Steve has been known to play with the silver handle without checking first, which makes all the water go away and you'll lose your mouse. I tried to teach Steve to always check before making the water go away, but finally gave up. So when Steve came home I had 5 mice laid out neatly on the floor drying.

Steve finally came home and we greeted him at the door. Mama and I let him know the food dish was empty, so he did his job and filled up the dish. Mama always lets me eat first while she does the lovey-dovey thing with the hoomin. I ate a bite or two (maybe three or four) but had to hurry because I saw Steve putting on Mama's necklace and taking my lease down from where it hangs by the door. Once we were dressed for a trip outside Steve opened up the door and he and I went out. Mama took that opportunity to go eat, but she joined us after she finished.

Steve got out these long green things and went around the side of the building, telling me to stay off the grass. Well, Mama tells me that we should only do what he tells us to half the time, so I went out in the grass and started tasting the grass. I think next time he puts those things on the grass and tells me to stay on the patio I will, because all of a sudden it started raining. It really surprised me, as there wasn't a cloud in the sky, so I just kind of froze. Now, like I said, I like water sports - but I was getting WET!

When I realized what was happening I took off running for the patio, and saw that Steve and Mama were just standing there laughing at me. Mama was nice and helped me dry off, but Steve just stood there smirking at me and saying that next time maybe I'd listen.

After a while Steve went back around the building, and the rain stopped. When he came back I learned a new game. Steve took something off the end of the green thing and moved it over to the flower bed. Then he went back around the building and water started coming out of the green thing.

It was great! Leaves started floating around and bugs even started running around. I had a great time chasing the bugs and leaves. Didn't even mind that my feet were getting wet and dirty.

After a while Steve went back around the building. When I started to follow him, he told me to stay put. I decided to listen to him this time - the last time I didn't and got wet. One of these days I'll follow him and see where he goes and what he does (even though I'm not supposed to - that's where the big thing Steve calls a truck is.) I stayed and chased the leaves and bugs. Then the water stopped and Steve came back around.

Steve looked at me and told me I wasn't going to come back inside with my feet all wet and dirty. By this time I was ready to go finish eating, so I did the hoomin leg-rubbing thing that Mama taught me. Steve picked me up just like Mama has taught him to, and once I distracted him a little by purring I cleaned my feet on his shirt. Once he put me down I showed him that my feet were all clean, so he let me come in and finish eating.