Moods are volatile around here this morning. Like the last keg at a frat party, the aloof are clingy and the friendly cold.
It's no substance that has turned our animal kingdom upside down, only suitcases.
Lots of suitcases. Upstairs and downstairs, all three of us are packing. One person leaving annoys them, two is horrendous, but three is unconscionable. The four beasts who rule this roost are making their feelings clear. Nobody asked them about us going to California for a week.
Who knows? They might be even more ticked if they understood the concept of "a week"? What they do understand is that a lot of stuff is going out of the house and they are not.
The Lab whines and paces, her nails a rhythmless dirge on the wood floors.The polydactyl cat runs incessantly. The lap cat is in hiding and the attitudinal bitch is sticking close. Self-inflicted hairballs are just around the corner.
All but the Lab (who is size challenged) regularly place themselves inside the suitcases, assuring that even if they can't stowaway their hair will.
Tommorrow they will learn that Anne's parents, visiting here from France, will be house sitting in our absence. They will have the opportunity to charm and trick an international audience.
As the most frequent traveller in the house, I know that as bad as they are behaving right now, they will be worse when we get home. We will be scorned and ignored for days, sometimes weeks, serving an indefinite sentence for the crime of desertion.
But perhaps this time they'll do it with a continental flair and charming accents.

Copyright 2004 Judi Griggs