Last week, Bucky "snaked" his way out through the barely opened door.
Darn cat!

Well, Bucky stayed out for three days, while we worried about him and
called for him. Several times Senyah mentioned that she thought she
saw him or thought she heard him. Each time it turned out to be either
the Grey Mystery Cat or a raccoon.

Well Friday night, I checked again. Sure enough, there was a raccoon
out there. Blacky, Acqui and Fluffy were watching and complaining, as
were a pretty little black and white. As usual, I also looked up, as
one of Little Boy's favorite "hiding places", when he gets out, is the
walkway to the second-floor apartments above us, so he can look in the
window.

There was Bucky. Upstairs, looking down, saying "Here I am, and I'm
ready to come in." I went upstairs - in the dark, Bucky walked to me,
let me pick him up, and we made the return trip daown the stairs in
the dark again.

Once inside, Bucky started purring, and went straight to the food
bowl. The other cats all surrounded him and sniffed at him while he
ate. After he was finished, I picked him up and cuddled him, telling
him how much we missed him and worried about him. He purred and
cuddled in.

Later, Little Boy cuddled up to him and groomed him. Even Dulce Mae
deigned to groom him, but probably only because she knows we were
worried about him, rather than a desire to be social (although she
does seem to have mellowed about him some). Little Feet groomed him,
then went back to his spot and took a nap (grin).

As I was settling in for the night, Bucky came to me and meowed as if
tro ask, "Did you really miss me?" I hugged him and told him yes, we
really did miss him, and he decided that was a good reason to share my
pillow.

***

Little Boy likes the smell of peppermints on my breath. When I eat
them, he practically sticks his nose in my mouth.

Yesterday, I picked up a box of chocolate-dipped Altoids (note: they
are WONDERFUL!!!!). Little boy heard me crunching on them, caught a
faint whiff of peppermint, and hurried over. As he sniffed my breath,
it was obvious that he thought something was wrong - the peppermints
must be spoiled! He used a pas to push my face away, instead of trying
to rub against my chin.

AHA! Now I know that those chocolate mint Girl Scout cookies will also
be safe from the peppermint marauder!

***

Dulce Mae has been testing gravity lately. She sits on the dresser
next to the bed. I usually have a (closed!) bottle of Diet Coke on the
corner.

I also usually have the boys lying on the bed nearby. Bucky, in
particular, was nearest my head, which is nearest the dresser. Dulce
Mae made special note of this as well.

I'm reading, and I hear, "Thud! Meoooow!"

Dulce Mae had pushed my bottle of Diet Coke off the dresser, onto
Bucky's head. Bucky sat up, started cleaning, glared (briefly) at
Dulce Mae, then settled back in.

I told Dulce Mae that was rude, and went back to reading.

In a few minutes, I hear, "Bang! Thud! Rattle, rattle! Meeeow!"

Dulce Mae had pushed the clock radio over onto Bucky. Bucky chose the
better part of valor while I pit things back on the dresser. Dulce Mae
got on the bed from the dresser, laid down in Bucky's spot, and purred
to me.

I told her she had better hope nobody else gets the same idea...

***

We have quite a few ferals around here. At least half a dozen that I
know of, pet and feed. They like to hang around our front door, so I
get the feline vote of confidence (grin).

Friday night, when I was out calling for Bucky, I noticed a funny
thing.

Here in Texas, it's been pretty hot. At night, it cools down. Some.
The concrete is still warm, as is the parking lot asphalt. But the
tops of cars seem to be silghtly cooler.

As I looked around, I noticed all the cars on my side of the building
had a cat on top.

The little fluffy orange boy seemed to be gloating because he had the
spot on top the tallest pickup truck. Spot seemed to be gloating
because he was on top MY car. In fact, he sild down the rear window to
be petted.

***

Earlier today, I made tuna salad. The cats helped.

Each cat got a saucer with tuna water and tuna. Dulce Mae got a little
more than the others, because there usually isn't any treat thast she
really likes. But she LOVES tuna.

I finished the tuna, put the saucers inthe dishwasher, and restarted
the dishwasher.

When Senyah got home, she asked why I was running the dishwasher
again. I explained that the cats helped me make tuna salad. She never
bothers to ask for an explanation any longer (grin).

We are getting her trained, after all these years (evil grin).

***

Hugs and Purrs,
Mark