While the Cat is Away. . . .

Not nearly enough play is going on. In fact, it seems that every time Rob goes out of town something bad happens. Nothing particularly dire, mind you. Strange cars parked outside. Teenagers ringing the doorbell at 10:30 and running. Glass balls falling off chandeliers and hitting the piano with a bang on the way to thudding on the ground at 3:00 in the morning. And most recently. . .Well, let me start at the beginning.

Yesterday, while Rob was out of town, of course, I was home alone in the afternoon (the girls were at school) and I was enjoying a little peace and quite when I hear this huge bang. I freeze, certain someone is in my house. I grab my house phone and my cell phone and warily go to investigate. The plan is to either call for help or throw the thing at any would be assailant, which ever I deem more likely to succeed should I actually encounter an intruder. With my trusty four pound attack dog I search the house to no avail. By this time I convince myself it was a neighbor doing something very loud.

Fast forward an hour later. I rush out to my car--it's time to pick Signe up from school. I hit the garage door opener. . .It opens three inches and stops. I try again. Same thing. Again, just in case, but of course the same. I fiddle with the sensor--no good. I unhook the opener and try to lift the door--too heavy. I panic and try the button one more time. You guessed it. I run next door to ask my strong police neighbor to help me out. He is not home, but his father in law is and readily agrees to come to my rescue. We return and he assesses the situation. "Oh, your spring is broken." (The source of the loud bang, one would assume.) Great! So he suggests I push the button and he "helps" the door open by pushing as it lifts. It works! I rush to school late and when I arrive Signe's best friend is also still waiting because her mother got stuck behind a hay truck!

Anyway, lucky for me I have the third car bay to park my car in until Rob returns to fix my door. Luckily, I was not forced to pummel an intruder with a cordless phone. I only had to wheel five loads of dirt around my house in my yard wagon to free up access to my third bay. Never a dull moment!