I'm not really sure where to start in describing the events of last night. I'm still a little fuzzy on details and not sure what was real or a dream, but here goes...
First of all, while I am used to quite a bit of feline and canine chaos, it's when the human element throws me a curve ball I come undone. Yesterday started out fairly calm. The tree trimmer, aka The Lorax, arrived and did his usual excellent job with the Live Oaks.
Anyway, despite my best efforts at extricating myself from an arboreal lesson, I was late for my lunch date with a friend. She was forgiving and we had a wonderful time. I thought that was the high point of my day. I was wrong.
Because it isn't my story to tell, I will just say there was a family medical crisis of sorts. Andy is out of town, which usually signifies something on a scale of inconvenient to catastrophic will happen. This was closer to catastrophic. And I was petrified. All I could do was offer support and pray. So far, things appear to be looking better. Don't mean to be cryptic, I just have a pretty strict rule about the privacy of others.
Anyway, this turn of events, plus Andy being away, plus a pretty severe temperature drop all contributed to the critters going bonkers. It was like when animals sense a tsunami is coming and they head for the hills. Well, in this case, ours were bouncing off the walls instead of running toward higher ground. The cats know, when I'm distracted, it's a perfect opportunity for them to explore things they wouldn't dare attempt if I was in control of my senses. Boo! and Dash are especially keen on this. They were the ones who took advantage of me being otherwise occupied to settle into our bedroom and refuse to leave.
I had bigger things on my mind, so I just let them think they were getting away with something. I knew where they were (Boo! was hiding inside of the bedspread and Dash was under the bed) - they just didn't know I knew.
When things finally calmed down a bit, and it appeared a trip to the ER was not imminent, I turned my attention to my fur kids and went into zoo keeper mode. I decided I should bring the rabbit hutch inside. The temperature was dropping down into the 30's and I was not going to risk having Roxy freeze to death.
This is where having Andy in my life, helping me make better choices, keeps me from doing stupid stuff. He would have pointed out the absurdity in this. But he wasn't here, so I went ahead and followed my
While I was hauling the two-story cage through the door, all of the cats took the opportunity to run outside. It was 10 p.m. and about 38 degrees. I managed to get three of them back in, but Fancy, Dash and Finn decided to ignore my pleas for them to come inside. I even tried psyching them out by turning off the lights and hoping they would think they were stuck out there all night. That worked for Finn, who decided to come in through the cat door, but while he did, Chance snuck out. I still had three cats awol - just three different ones.
Oh, and the rabbit hutch being inside provided tons of fun for the remaining three. It also provided Dash and Boo! with a way to get to the ledge of the clerestory windows.
I eventually got everyone inside, poop-free, and relatively calm. So I went to bed. However, Jack and Rooney refused to leave their respective couches, and the cats refused to leave the confines of the bedroom. I said (well I won't print what I said; you'll have to use your imagination) and attempted to just go to sleep. Fat freakin' chance. This was Boo!'s cue to thoroughly work me over.
Little Boo! loves me - a lot. I love her, too, and we make up our own mutual admiration society. But sometimes her way of showing it borders on - well - obsessive. She rubs her little face on mine and licks my nose; the whole time purring up a storm. Ordinarily, I love this. But I really wanted to go to sleep.
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| There she is, sound asleep - blissfully unaware how badly I wish I had a pair of cymbals... |
Because this was a new event for her, like a kid who is turned loose on a playground for the first time, she couldn't decide where or what to do next. She went under the covers, which would have been okay had it not been for the fact she started chewing on my toes (I know why Jack hates that.) Of course, Dash had to get in on the action. The moving lump (Boo!) under the covers just had to be attacked. That was a whole thing.
Boo!, in her unbridled enthusiasm to explore all things bedroom, went from one thing to another at lightning speed. She knocked stuff off the end table, went under the dresser and found a piece of broken ceramic (???!!!) then went up the bookshelves, under the bed, back up to "kiss" me, under the covers again then God knows where. I was so delirious, I thought I might be dreaming the whole thing.
At one point, I think Jack strolled in, then went back out, when he realized it was much quieter in the living room. I vaguely remember going out to the kitchen and noticing Boo! and Dash had followed me. I ran back into the bedroom and shut the door; not caring what mischief they all got into. I thought all of the cats were out there but discovered when I awoke, Chance had stayed but wisely did not mess with me.
Things seem better on all fronts this morning - although I am still trying to solve the mystery of water all over the counter. I don't care how old (or tall) your child is, they still seem so small and vulnerable when they're in trouble. God knows my Mom-ness was on high alert last night. And I really miss my husband. He is so calm when things start to unravel. I know he knows I know he's only going along with a whole house full of animals because they fill a huge void for me. He's like that. Well, it could also be he's gathering evidence to have me committed....
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