Just call her the streak!

Well that was certainly interesting!

A short time ago, Shadow (she's the black cat) managed to get her head through the handle of one of those plastic Wal-Mart bags. Not thinking to back up and pull her head out of the loop, she proceeded to race around the first floor of the Aerie, bumping into Chester, Julie, the furniture, a few walls and assorted other obstacles. So frantic was her mad dash and so...well, pinball-like her trajectory that I was in stitches. Terry was too. But not Julie and Chester.

Having a black cat darting all about the room upset them enough. Having a black cat darting about the room while being chased (apparently by a crinkly white ghost...well, that was another story. Soon there were three cats madly dashing about and banking into things and one another.

They all made the left turn and went down the steps to the basement. As quickly as they disappeared, Julie came flying up the steps and looked for a hiding place. All was quiet below.

When I managed to catch my breath (and stop laughing) it was time to search for Chester and Shadow who were still somewhere in the now silent basement. Chester was easy to find. He had made a dash for the bathroom and was up on the deep window sill which was a rather good defensible position. (Although, if the black-and-white specter that had prompted his dash had attempted to join him on his perch, I've no doubt he would have clawed his way through the glass or dove for the door to escape.) Finding Shadow was another matter.

Despite still having the plastic bag around her neck, everything was deathly silent in the basement. We poured fresh food in their bowl, we looked in every nook and cranny we could think of and into which she might have darted, and still no sign. Terry and I peered over boxes and under furniture. Nothing. We went back up stairs and checked to make sure she hadn't darted into the sewing room. Nope. We went back down stairs and started to search again.

Finally, in the far reaches of the basement, amidst some of the boxes of Rick's belongings and computer software, behind several boxes that were not quite shoved under a desk and beneath the desk itself, Terry spotted two wide open yellow eyes.

While both Chester and Julie walked around as if on egg shells with their tails cocked at an angle and bristling like a bottle brush as only the best Halloween cats can, Shadow was dragged from under the desk and the plastic bag removed from around her neck.

It took nearly an hour for Julie and Chester to return to normal. Shadow is just beginning to come down from her fright and it's nearly two hours.

The TV writers can stay on strike for all I care. I've got plenty of entertainment options.