On homecoming, for Boyfriend:

"That night ... in our room with the long empty hall outside and our shoes outside the door, a thick carpet on the floor of the room, outside the windows the rain falling and in the room light and pleasant and cheerful, then the light out and it exciting with smooth sheets and the bed comfortable, feeling that we had come home, feeling no longer alone, waking in the night to feel the other one there, not gone away; all other things were unreal. We slept when we were tired and if we woke the other one woke too so one was not alone. Often a man wishes to be alone and a girl wishes to be alone too and if they love each other they are jealous of that in each other, but I can truly say we never felt that. We could feel alone when we were together, alone against the others. It has only happened to me like that once. I have been alone while I was with many girls and that is the way that you can be the most lonely. But we were never lonely and never afraid when we were together."

(Passage: Ernest Hemingway, Farewell to Arms. Photo: by Mouse, Boulders Beach, South Africa [of penguins, who mate for life and walk about in pairs].)

Hello, mouselets! For my final installment of heads, tails, a showing of outside-in style and giggles for mouses under tables and everywhere else. Many thanks to Mouse for having me during her travels, and many thanks to her readers for soft and whiskery squeaks.

First, enameled, outside-in tables for sitting on and napping near--if not under--in cool and quiet cottages. (Or, for those of us who would be Concerned About Bugs even after applying enamel, this stumplet, from West Elm.)

For living room camp-sites, beaches, bottoms, and books, instructions for lovely camping cots and spots for sitting.

And finally, for warming small paws and roasting tiny marshmallows under tables and atop, a very tiny campfire for nice mice big and small, via the always-lovely Heart of Light.

A bit of giggling for nice mice everywhere today. Because today is a good day for good giggling, and a good day for saying things in French. And because la souris est sous la table.