The Great Escape

When I advertise for a roommate, I mention several things. One, of course, is how small but charming the house is...now you know where my blog title comes from.

Another is you must love cats.

And I can't stress that strongly enough. When people write me back extolling their virtues or stating their needs, I often write them back and ask but do you like cats?

I got the nicest email from my current roommate, he said he was quiet, clean and respectful ( and who doesn't like to hear that) and then he said, but most importantly I love cats.

I immediately set up a time to meet him.

And he turns out to be all of the above. And then some.

He has more picture of Gus and Lucy on his phone than I do. He takes selfies with them. He waits up for Gus to come home and lets Lucy in and out, in and out.

And he leaves his room open so they can wander in and take a little cat nap if desired. On his clothes naturally.

He moved in about a week before the window problem was solved.

While I was on vacation, the two little rascals, as their last sitter calls them, decided they needed to be in control of their own destiny.

So they ripped holes in the vinyl wall panels on the side of the window air conditioners and proceeded to go in and out the window whenever the hell they felt like it.

The first morning my friend Rina was outside watering she saw Gus walk by with a mouthfull of something....what the what she thought.

She ran in the house to find Lucy peacefully lying on a bed of sunshine so went back to the garden.

Only to find Lucy sitting on the fence behind her.

I knew what happened when I got her text. It happened before when I was on the Cape and Elle was in charge.

We replaced the old panels before I left for Fire Island and I thought the fort was secure.

I was wrong. Again.

This time I called in the neighborhood troops and after a trip or two to Home Depot, my neighbor Carlos made sets of very thin cedar panels that cover the vinyl and so far have kept the little darlings in.

At least until they figure how to use a screwdriver.

Hell hath no fury...