I'm Up!

"But why are you up and blogging at such an early hour on a Saturday, Karla May?"

Well, that's a very good question. The Geej is at Dah's house (yesterday was a school holiday, so she had a sleepover), it quiet and cloudy, and I love to sleep. And yet, I'm awake.

You see, the stupider of our two cats, Doug, has been jonesing for the outdoors. So much so that we experimented with taking him out on a harness/leash type thing, but neither of us liked that situation much. But for the past month, he's become kind of insufferable--meowing and yowling at the top of his lungs almost constantly, pacing back and forth and making it very clear to everyone within earshot that he really, really, REALLY wants to gothefuckoutside. Which would be fine EXCEPT:

1. He hasn't had his check-up/shots in over a year, so he has no up-to-date tags.
2. He has no collar on which to hang his up-to-date tags (were he to have some).
3. We live on a fairly busy corner near an extremely busy road, and he has zero self-preservation instincts.
4. There are at least 2 cats who patrol this part of the neighborhood--it is their turf. And both of these cats are outdoor veterans who could (and would) whip poor Doug's dumb ass six ways from Sunday.
5. Heartbreak and vet bills. Don't have 'em. Don't want 'em. (See items 3 and 4, above.)

And yet.

Last night we dared to go to sleep with some of the windows along the back of the house open, and Doug busted out one of the screens and made a break for it. (His more well-behaved and content sister, Diane, stayed behind thankfully.) How did I know he'd escaped? Well, when I got up to pee and take my meds (being 42 is fun!!) at about 6:30, I got back into bed and it was oddly quiet. No annoying and agonized meyowling going on. So I asked BH, "Did you throw Whinebag out into the garage?" (Which is what we sometimes do just to get some peace.) And when he said no, I knew something was up. So I investigated and (cue the dramatic reveal music), there was the evidence of the busted open screen.

I got dressed, grabbed the treat can, and went around the houses immediately around us, calling his name and hoping I'd hear him squeaking. No luck. Then BH got on his scooter and was going to do the slow roll through the neighborhood to see if he saw him, and lo and behold--A SIGHTING!! Doug was crouched in some bushes in front of a house on the cul-de-sac behind our house. But then, he ran and is now (we think) in the back yard of that house, being harassed by bluejays and mockingbirds. Wonder what will happen when those folks let their dog out in the back yard in a little bit...

So, he's alive. But who knows when (if) he'll reappear at our doorstep. And then what? We won't be able to have our windows open during any of the upcoming lovely spring days because of Hairy Houdini?

Pray for us, people. These are trying times over here at Casa de Pine Curtain.