Happiness at home

  We have been having more and more trouble keeping Happiness at home.  Or the Happiness Twins in the house, rather. Surprisingly, Felicia who I thought was the less adventurous and who is definitely easier to get in the Den of Happiness at night, is the hardest one to contain.  She is sneaky and quick.  She tries harder.  So, yesterday, a beautiful sunny Saturday, she got out.  Joseph opined that it’s about time to give up on keeping them confined to quarters and let Felicity out. She hesitated at first.  Disbelieving or cautious, I am not sure. Then followed an entertaining period while she experimented with this new concept. She asked to be let in.  She went out again,  She came in.  Please let me out.  Really?  It’s ok?  Can I come in, too?  Joseph just kept being the polite door man. Not Felicia - she stayed away.  In fact, we didn’t see much of her.  When I came back from Costco, Felicity was in the window.  Felicia and Velox were in the gutter exchanging insults.  Vel ran over to the still empty house across the street or the Hispanic neighbors next to it, I am not sure.  Felicia sort of ran after her and also spent way too much time in the street.  Then she ran down the street the other way. It really bothered me to see her in the street so much, but no way could I catch her.  When I came home from Women’s Conference this evening. Felicity was home.  Felicia was still out.  the brat. I began to hope she dies a quick merciful death and not sustain painful, lingering, expensive injuries.  After family prayer and scriptures, I did the cat boxes.  (I now usually only do it once a day, at evening as it usually doesn’t seem to get much action at night)  When Felicia is home, she almost always runs into their room and gets up on the cat post to be petted when the cat box cleaner goes in there.  Petting is required.  But at this point, we almost never ever have Felicity    Then I brush my teeth.  Good hygiene and also good for cat catching.  Pretend to not even be thinking about them.  Go in the bathroom, wash your face and brush your teeth.  They think I am playing in the water, I think. Usually, they come running in and get up by the sink.  At some point, I close the door.  We continue to entertain ourselves.  They get their heads all wet biting the water and then shake themselves and I get wet.  not very wet.  When I am done and have petted them a bit, I pick up Felicity and carry her to the Den.  DON’T try to carry them both!  Neither of them like that.  Always carry Felicity.  Felicia will follow.  Believe me, Felicity won’t.  If she gets away now it will be Cat Chase Keep Away for the next half hour. Tonight it was just Felicity and I in the bathroom. Just as I carried her to the bedroom and was shutting the door, little Miss Stay Outside All Day, had Joseph let her in and ran to their room.  Stays out to play all day and just comes home for dinner and bed.  (That’s the other thing.  I fill their food bowls at night when I do the cat box)  So, is this Felicia’s new plan?  Stay out all day being little Miss Independent and just show up for dinner and bedtime?  I am not sure I approve. Not that she cares.