Gus and Trudy Enjoy a Lazy Day

Gus and Trudy love the summer as much as anyone else. Their real joy in the summer is to lay out in the sun and just rest. If it is too hot they will find a cool spot in the shade to rest. if it is too humid, they may find an empty burrow and rest in the coolness there. But, if it is a regular warm summer day they do love to just bask in the sun in the little garden on Bloomfield Avenue.

Emergency on Bloomfield Avenue!

Gus and Trudy heard lots of commotion going on in Elaine's house very very early Sunday morning. They saw flashing lights and heard people running into Elaine's house.

Trudy flew up to the window with Gus on her back and they looked in. SJ was not feeling well but the police and the paramedics were helping her. They were telling her that she needed to go to the hospital. SJ was scared but she knew her mm and dad would be with her and that the hospital would make her feel better.

Elaine was able to ride in the front seat of the ambulance while the paramedics took care of SJ in the back. Gus and Trudy flew n the ambulance window and Elaine let them ride in her pocket. They were worried about SJ and wanted to make sure she was OK.

When they all got to the hospital they rolled SJ in on a stretcher. Nurses came and took SJ' s temperature, bood pressure and then hooked her up to lots of machines. the machines looked and sounded scary to Gus and Trudy but they noticed that SJ was doing fine. SJ had to get a needle put in her arm. She did not like that but she knew it would only sting for a minute and then the nurses could take blood, give her medicine and give her fluids to make her feel better

Gus and Trudy snuggled into Elaine's pocket while they waited for some tests to be run on SJ. After manyhours the doctors came in and said that SJ had a virus but that she wuld be better in a little while.

Gus and Trudy were very happy. When SJ was going home they flew ahead and changed SJ's sheets and cleaned up her room. they left a note on her pillow telling her that they loved her and hoped she would get better quick.

Gus and Trudy knew it had been an exciting and scary night. But now the knew that if anything happened to them and they needed to call an ambulance they woudn't be scared. They also knew that it might hurt a ittle bit at the hospital but they wouldn't be scared there either.

They were very tired and so they went into their little house in the orderly garden on Bloomfield Avenue and promptly fell asleep.

Gus and Trudy Go Kayaking

Elaine woke up Gus and Trudy very early.

"Come on you two," she said," We are going kayaking today with everyone!"

Gus moaned. After his lily pad fiasco, he wasn't too keen about going into any time of boat. Trudy thought that this would be the best thing for Gus.

"You know Gus you have to just get back on the horse," hooted Trudy.

"It was a lily pad not a horse," Gus grumbled.

"You know what I mean", Trudy hooted.

Even with all of his grumbling Gus got himself ready. He and Trudy watched Elaine put the kayak in her car and then they headed for Toms River to meet all the family.

When they got to Toms River they drove to Cedar Creek. They unloaded the kayak and then they set off. Elaine insisted that Gus wear a life vest. Trudy didn't wear one because she was flying alongside of the kayak.

They spent the day drifting down the creek. It was very calm and Gus was very impressed with how beautiful it was. At the end of the day they landed on a sandy beach and had some supper. Then Elaine loaded the kayak back into the car. Gus climbed into the towel nest that Elaine had made for him. Trudy climbed into the nest too. She was very tired from flying all day.

It was starting to get dark and Elaine covered them both. She put on soft music and started the drive home. By the time she pulled into Bloomfield Avenue Gus and trudy were fast asleep. Very carefully Elaine picked them up and placed them in their little house in the orderly garden.

Gus and Trudy Pick Sweet Peas

Gus and Trudy were so excited. Even though Rosie the Groundhog had made a pig of herself in Elaine's garden, they were sure they had seen a ripe pea pod ready to be picked. It was their plan to run into the garden in between thunderstorms and pick that pea pod. They were worried that Rosie might get to it first.

It stormed most of the day. Lots of thunder and teeming rain.

But Gus and Trudy kept an eye on the window and as soon as they saw a break in the line of storms, They ran outside and picked that pea pod!


They ran right up the stairs to the deck and Trudy tap tap tapped on the sliding door and Elaine let them in. The three of them had a feast - one pea each!

Elaine said that the pea was delicious but she had just baked a chocolate cake and would Gus and Trudy mind tasting it for her to let her know if it was good?

Of course, Gus and Trudy being the friendly sort said that they would certainly taste the cake. Elaine suggested a big glass of cold milk to help them wash it down and they gladly accepted.

When they were finished, Gus and Trudy gave Elaine a hug and went back to their little house in the orderly garden on Bloomfield Avenue.

Gus Spends a Rainy Day Alone

It was still raining on Bloomfiled Avenue.

Gus thought that it would be a good idea to go fishing. After all, everyone knows that fish come to the surface more when it is raining. He invited Trudy to go along but she thought that since it was raining it would too dangerous to go out on the lily pad fishing.

"Gus, why don't you either wait for a sunny day or wait until we can find a sturdier boat."

"Trudy you worry too much," Gus said.

"Gus, you don't worry enough," Trudy hooted.

Trudy could not talk Gus out of going and Gus couldn't talk Trudy into going.

Gus went out on the lily pad by himself. he was OK for the first hour and then it began to rain really hard, thunder was cracking, and lightening was flashing. Gus was beginning to regret going fishing.

Gus couldn't control the lily pad and it was rushing him towards the sewer.

No! Not the sewer at the end of Bloomfield Avenue! Gus knew darn well what was waiting for him in that sewer at the end of Bloomfield Avenue. The sewer troll- ugly , drooly, really mean and hungry sewer troll!

Just as Gus was saying his prayers, out of the sky came a dark shape and SWOOP! Gus was plucked off the lily pad just as it went into the sewer.

Gus looked up at his rescuer - Trudy! Trudy hooted, "Gus , you need to worry a little more."

Gus laughed with relief. Trudy and Gus went home and sat in front of the warm fire drinking tea. Gus soon dozed off. It had been a very exciting day.

Gus and trudy on a Rainy Day

BOOM! CRASH!!! RRRRUMBLLEE!!!

Then big flashes of light streaking across the sky.

A summer thunderstorm on Bloomfield Avenue.

It had been threatening to rain for the past two days. Gus and Trudy couldn't really plan to take any trips because they were very unsure about the weather. Trudy didn't want to take the chance of flying into a thunderstorm. Gus could understand that. He didn't like the lightening and the thunder made his house shake sometimes.

Gus and Trudy did enjoy a rainy day every now and then. If it was a light rain then they would run from mushroom to mushroom and splash in the puddles. If it was a big heavy downpour they would sit by the window and watch the rain water the garden. If it was a thunder and lightening storm they wold light a candle and tell stories until it had passed.

A day like today however was difficult. Sometimes it looked like the sun was trying to break out from behind the clouds. Sometimes the sky looked dark and angry and the wind started blowing like it would storm at any moment.

Gus and Trudy decided that today would be a "rest rest rest" day. The kind of day where they just lazed around the house. They could read or write. Bake cookies or sew. Whatever struck their fancy they could do. They had fun all day and at dinner time the thunder finally started. The rain began to fall.

"Perfect timing", said Gus," I love to hear the pitter patter of raindrops on he roof as I drift off to sleep."

Abby Rides her Bike

Gus and Trudy were very excited. It was late in the evening and they heard many voices from the front of the yard on Bloomfied Avenue.

Trudy put Gus on her back and flew up into the trees in the front yard. They could see Abby getting on her new bicycle, with her helmet on, getting ready to ride her new bike (no training wheels) for the first time. Everyone was out front to watch. Dina ran behind Abby and let go and.... Abby kept pedalling and she was riding by herself!

Gus smiled a big smile when he heard all the clapping and cheers. He turned to Trudy,"Do you think Dorrie knows about this?"

Trudy hooted a reply, "yes, look she is hiding behind the big tree in th front yard."

"I hope she doesn't leave any footprints there and she doesn't get caught outside", Gus whispered.

Gus and Trduy watched Abby ridde her bike a few more times and then play hide and seek with the kids. Then they watched Abby grab Elaine's hand and bring her over to the big tree where Dorrie had been hiding.

Gus and Trudy looked at each other. Abby had discovered the footprints. They heard Elaine saying that she thought they were gnome footprints. They looked up and saw Dorrie giggling in Abby's window.

"I knew Abby would notice something," Gus said,"she notices everything."

Trudy gave a little hoot and she flew back to their house. Gus and Trudy were tired from all the excitement and they just wanted to have a snack and go to bed. Outside they could still hear Abby and Tommy playing outside. They sounded so happy and that made Gus and Trudy happy. They drifted off to sleep listening to the giggles.