Everybody wake up!!!

[Salamander Rising]

Guess who just got back today?
That wild-eyed boy that had been away
Hasn't changed, hasn't much to say
But man, I still think that cat is crazy!

Alice is HOME!



He is filthy, skinny, there's some kind of sticky goop on his back that won't wash off and he's seriously ticked about being shoved into a tub because Ozzy got his old house but my boy is BACK!

I was sitting in the bathroom doing my nails when I heard a thumping commotion from the hole where the mice go in and out and I looked up and thought "Great. That stupid cotton rat is back." when out tumbled Alice with a squirming field mouse in his mouth.

I grabbed what I could of him but he dropped his dinner, started backing up into the wall and I started ripping out dry wall and 100 year old oak lathe with my bare hands...but he slipped away.

I went out to the shop, crushed and told hubby, who immediately started devising a Rube Goldberg "trap" to snag Alice if he ever returned to that spot, after I nearly pulled him in two.

Whilst cutting a hole in the old tub we were going to use as a bait box, the plastic cracked and I had to go back upstairs for another tub.

As I came out of the back room with the new tub, I thought to myself "Naaaah...he couldn't be that stupid, could he?"

I slipped into the bathroom, peeked behind the door where the hole is and there he was, sniffing around for his dropped mouse.

I got a better hold that time and wrestled his evil self out and ran to the shop, with him in my hand like the freaking Olympic torch.

I'm not ashamed to say I sat in the shop, alternately crying and making dire threats upon his life and I was shaking so badly I couldn't stand up.

But then, he crawled up my chest like he always does, and hugged me around the neck.

I went all stupid-eyed.

Then he got a bath.

The sticky mystery goop is still on him but his belly is pink and I'm hoping he'll shed *whatever* it is off.

God bless each and every one of you who have held my hand, dried my tears, soothed my fears and prayed for us both.

BP people are the best people in the world.

I owe you all BIG.

Shari

[I'm going to sleep for a week, now...*AFTER* I build "Alice-Catraz" tomorrow]