Feline Groovy in Red

The sun did not shine.

It was too wet to play.

So we sat in the house

All that cold, cold wet day.

... Then we saw him step in on the mat!

We looked! And we saw him!

The Cat in the Hat! And he said to us,
“Why do you sit there like that?”
“I know it is wet and the sun is not sunny.
But we can have lots of good fun that is funny!”

Opening lines to Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat

It is a rainy day here in southern Indiana.

No cat in a hat,

but we've had cats and red hats,

how about that?

(My apologies to Dr. Seuss, rest his soul).

Yesterday was quite warm around here, so the doors of the Archabbey Church were left open. So, naturally, Socks, the unofficial monastery cat who has been the subject of previous posts, decided to join us for Vespers. She strolled in as we all approached the altar for the Magnificat. No doubt, she presumed we were all coming to shower her with attention. As we began to sing, she stationed herself by a pillar, alternately watching us and engaging in her, um, evening grooming. As we continued, she processed over to the shrine to Our Lady of Einsiedeln. Then, before we were finished, she sauntered out the way she had come in. It was nice of her to stop by.

Today at noon prayer, a group of Red Hat ladies, complete in purple attire and wearing red hats, was seated in the visitors' section. Such groups of Red Hatters in the region visit us every so often, part of their periodical excursions in search of fun, friendship, freedom, fulfillment, and fitness. You see, according to the Red Hat Society's mission statement (see http://www.redhatsociety.com/), the organization is:

... a global society of women that supports and encourages women in their pursuit of fun, friendship, freedom, fulfillment, and fitness.

Fun – we celebrate life at every age
Friendship – we solidify and expand the bonds of sisterhood
Freedom – we discover and explore new interests
Fulfillment – we realize our personal potential
Fitness – we embrace healthy, life-lengthening lifestyles

The Red Hat Society has become the international society dedicated to reshaping the way women are viewed in today's culture.

I must be very careful here. My mother is a Red Hat lady. So, of course, I think the Red Hat ladies are the best thing since the invention of collapsible umbrellas.

One time I asked her, "When Red Hat ladies meet, what do you do?"

"Anything we like," she responded--so emphatically, I might add, that I was afraid to ask any more questions.

Since it's raining and colder today and the Archabbey Church doors are closed, I suppose Socks will not be joining us for Vespers. And the Red Hat ladies are off somewhere now doing God knows what.

But they're welcome any time, as long as they don't get out of line.

Well, I'm sure, at least, that the cat will behave...