Flattery Will Get You ...

... to Casa Fry!

We have a house guest this weekend you may know: Flat Stanley, or in this case, Flat Toryn.

In case you don't know him, Flat Stanley is a character in a children's book who is flattened in his sleep when a bulletin board falls on him. Stanley decides there are advantages to being flat and has many adventures by mailing himself to all sorts of places. The Flat Stanley Project involves young readers in creating their own Flat Stanley paper doll, and either mailing him or packing him in a suitcase to travel with friends and relatives. Then you take photos and keep a journal of activities from Flat Stanley's perspective. In some cases, students create flat likenesses of themselves; hence, Flat Toryn, whom I believe lives in California. I work with Toryn's aunt. My son did Flat Stanley when he was in school, and it was a lot of fun, so I jumped on the chance to bring Flat Toryn home.

Flat Toryn came wearing tennis shoes, which we all know don't cut it around ponies. So I made her cowboy boots and a hat.

Scored a last minute farrier appointment Friday night, so I got photos of her sitting on the pile of used shoes in Jon's trailer. He cleaned one up that I will send back with a couple slivers of hoof.

 

Flat Toryn helped with chores. 

We went for a ride. Flat Toryn was rendered in such a way that I wasn't able to fashion a helmet, so she did not actually accompany us down the road. The real Toryn doesn't need to know that and Flat Toryn won't tell. I included some generic Walkabout photos in the packet to send back. I found an inexpensive nylon horn bag that I had never used, so I put all the items, plus a hand-painted metal ornament in it. If I were the little girl receiving this, I'd be squealing with delight. Hope she likes it.

The plan was to take Flat Toryn to Iron Ridge for play day today, but Heather canceled because of 40 mph winds. Her place is so open, we'd get sandblasted in the arena. Last time I rode in those conditions, I missed a day of work because my allergies went bonkers. Also, Jaz has developed a cough that I need to have checked out. He's had it for at least a week, and whenever we trotted yesterday, he coughed. I don't want to aggravate it by adding dust and sand.

How was your weekend?