Courtney Marie And Some Sneaky Peaky Spying

For those of you who aren't familiar with Junie B. Jones and her escapades, find a book now and start reading. If a kindergardener, er, first grader can be someone's hero, Junie B. is mine!

As you know, last Sunday Olive the cat went out for an afternoon jaunt around the neighborhood and never came back home. Sunday evening found me searching the aisles of Walmart for kitten formula. For the past eight days I have fed, bathed (sort of), and coaxed these babies to pee and poop. Did you know that kittens can't go to the bathroom on their own? It's why mama kitties lick them constantly. I know...ew. So I've been waking up to feed them and, uh, "stimulate" them and make sure the heating pad is turned on again in the middle of the night. I thought perhaps that Olive had a severe case of postpartum depression or ran away with the tomcat across the street or even was flattened on a street somewhere. I was prepared to foster these little furbabies for another week before they are weened onto solid foods.

But lo and behold, an angel appeared before my eyes this afternoon! On my way up the sidewalk to my porch I happened to look over to my next door neighbors' house and there was Olive, baby mama, basking in the sunlight. Atop a bookcase. In the neighbors' living room. Abandoned living room. I almost wept for joy but the task of actually procuring my cat sidetracked me. I haven't seen my neighbors in a few months now. A couple of weeks ago a lady knocked on my door, handed me a business card, and asked me to call her if I ever see them again. Curious, no? So, back to the empty house...I went up the front steps, knocked on the door and then apprehensively turned the knob...no luck. Around the side yard and up their back steps I went. No answer there and that door was locked too. I kept going around until I came to the window where I saw her. She was still there, twisted whiskers and all. The screen was slightly ajar and so I took a deep breath and proceeded to break in. The window was unlocked (thankfully) and I was able to open it just enough for Olive to shimmy her way out. And she's so thin now that I didn't have to open it much. Then I worked my way back around to the front. Hope none of the neighbors thought I was trying to break and enter. Or steal someone else's pet.

So she's back home. She made a beeline for her food bowl and then hopped right into the kittens' basket. I don't think she has any milk but I wonder if she can get it back? At least she can take on the cleaning and bathroom duties even if I still have to feed her furbabies. She's already tried to slip outside again but I will have none of it...not until those babies can do their own business!