arukou | Shopping and Cat Adventure

Got up today at my normal time, vegged for a bit, headed off to Target once I figured the roads were cleared. Target had everything left that I needed, so that was nice. Picked up two plastic bin drawers with casters, as well as a smaller one for smaller implements, as well as light bulbs, cinnamon sticks, milk and a cat scratcher. Man, do I spoil my stupid cat.

And she does not deserve it! Because I got back, hauled all the drawers indoors, helped along by the friendly gentlemen painting the apartment next door (the apartment I secretly covet because it has more kitchen counter space) and then called for my cat. Who did not come. Or make a peep.

“Okay,” I thought to myself. “It’s the middle of the day. She sleeps during this times. She’s just sleeping.” So I went off to all her usual haunts. Chair? No. Cat tower? No. Sofa? No. Bed? No. Clothes hamper? No, no, no, no. I even checked the closets, even though I definitely didn’t open the closets today.

And then I backtracked and thought to myself, “Could she have snuck out when I left earlier today? Maybe…” So I went back out and checked the upstairs hallway and the basement. Nothing. I even checked in with the painters, since they’d had the doors cracked to vent the apartment, but they hadn’t seen her either.

And then it occurred to me that the nice painter held the outside door open for me. And Alanna likes nothing better than to sneak outdoors where she can roll on the cement. But It’s also freezing, so much so that I couldn’t feel my fingers after I scraped the ice off the car this morning, even with gloves. So in a panic, I ran outside and started wandering the neighborhood calling her name and traipsing through brush and ice. I was out until I couldn’t feel my ears and nose, and I had to go back in, where I checked the basement again.

Defeated, I went back into the apartment to get a sweatshirt to lay out and try and attract her back when I saw a blur of black at the corner of my eye. “Mouse or cat, mouse or cat…” I went to the bedroom, called, and finally, there was a stupid plaintive mewl from under the bed. She definitely hadn’t been there before; I have no idea where she was hiding. She might be able to squeeze under the sofa in a pinch, but it would be very uncomfortable for her. I can only assume that she discovered a pocket dimension in the apartment and is using it to punish me for the holiday travel.

After all the drama, I had lunch and then walked over to the bookstore to get the last of my textbooks, as well as a book I’d been wanting, and then I went home and made hot cocoa. Looked at the clock to discover it was only 2, even though I was thinking it must be at least 4. Now I’m going to work on my WIP and FINISH IT (I think) and then start my coursework for this coming semester.