Well, this is the week of coming back home so ‘landing’ seemed the right theme for my 52 Cards Project. It takes a week to settle back to the ground after a long trip. There’s jet lag and then of course there’s all the stuff of getting back—calendars, groceries, laundry, appointments, phone calls—and Christmas coming in fast. (Notice my symbolic use of red and green. So subtle, I know).

The theme could have been ‘retribution’ though.

If you have cats you know what I’m talking about.

We arrived home on Thursday morning, said our kitty hellos to Oliver the tuxedo and Leo the tabby—and then Oliver made sure to pee on some old shoes.

Fortunately, he apparently decided that was punishment enough, and we decided those old shoes were headed for the garbage anyway, so that was that for him. He’s a bit older now. Mature.

Leo on the other hand—our sweet cat who loves nothing more than pets and cuddles? Well…

We let them both out for a while. Rainstorms were due to hit that evening (and for most of the rest of the weekend), so this was their opportunity to enjoy the good weather, and by late afternoon, satisfied, Oliver sauntered in.

But no Leo.

The wind and rain began. No Leo.

And long into the night as it got colder and wetter—no Leo.

Leo did not come home that first night—or the next morning. We were really worried. I don’t know how he made it through the cold and rain! But then, around noon during a lull in the weather—he sauntered up to the front door perfectly dry.

If cats could talk: “Did you worry about me? Oh, I feel SO sorry for you…”

I kept him inside the rest of that day and over night—but oh my gosh! He wasn’t done.

Leo yowled at us all afternoon—literally paced around the house, found us wherever we drifted from room to room as the day wore on, and he yowled. Not only that, he did not stop for more than a couple of hours—making sure to yowl in the bedroom all night where we—didn’t sleep!

Between bodies clocked to daylight hours at midnight and a cat basically yelling at us, did we have a choice?

If cats could talk: “Am I annoying you? Do you feel bad? WELL I MISSED YOU AND FELT TERRIBLE THE WHOLE THREE WEEKS YOU WERE GONE! SO THERE!’

The next day Leo was back to his sweet, cuddly self who sleeps indoors every night where it’s warm.

I guess he decided we were even.