AWOL

While settling in a week or so ago

On Sunday I was off and I spent it sorting through my yarn, doing the laundry and calling for Miss Oswin.

Early in the morning I had let her out for the first time. The previous two times she had moved to a new place, I had followed her every step of her way around the property, before scooping her up and bringing her inside again. This time I didn't. 

I guess she went outside at around 11 in the morning and I started calling for her from about 2 in the afternoon. Nothing. Not a peep, a miaow or anything! I figured she was busy chasing swallows and such, and gave her another hour. 

The silly puss!

And another and another and yet another. By the time I went to bed at 9.30, she still wasn't home. She could be lost: not able to find her way to the new house again. She could be dead, hit by a car. She could be drowning in the marshes that surround us. I fell into an anxious sleep. 

At around 2.30 I woke of the noise of fighting cats. The neighbours have several outside cats and they all know each other and don't fight. Which meant: a strange cat, ie Miss O! I didn't fall asleep again, but about an hour later, another fight broke out. 

When my alarm sounded at 4.15, the first thing I did was open the front door and there she was: hiding under the car, feeling sorry for herself! She had tufts of hair sticking out everywhere, those awful round sticky weed things all over her fur and there was a slight whiff of something. 

Still feeling a bit on the down side...

After giving her some extra food, I left for work and when I came back, she was still feeling a bit sorry for herself. It will be a while before she goes out again!!