REUNITED!

Well, after 11 months apart, Gracie is part of the family again. (I hope no Dunes people read this blog, since we're not paying their exhorbitant pet rent for the next three weeks. )

As always with her, she returned on her own terms, and on her own time schedule. I am not a dog person at all, but the pickup of Gracie made me wish she was a dog for just a few minutes. When you say "Come here, puppy!" dogs will usually do that.

Traumatized cats will not. She had holed herself up in between the basement floor joists and the underside of the bathtub of the house where she was staying. I brought the secret weapon - a can of tuna. She was so freaked out that even the kitty crack didn't get her out of the basement.

So, instead of bringing her home Wednesday night, I had to drive back to Derby from Newton, and wait to get a phone call that she had come out of her hidey hole so I could go back and pick her up. Yes, I was a little pissed, but, the good news is - I actually got to go to book club since it was the same night.

Of course, I hadn't brought any clothes or anything for an overnight stay, so I had to run by Target and get a clean shirt, toothbrush, etc.

Even though there's a lot of bad news swirling around the ol' Eagle these days, book club was as boisterous as ever. Jaime and Bonnie even do-see-do'ed for a few minutes. Amy hosted, and she had a great turnout, so I got to see so many people and get caught up. Sounds like the book was a bust, so I'm glad I didn't read it. I've got to get back on the e-mailing list though, so I can keep up with what the club is reading.

Of course, the one book club I actually get to come to, Kat didn't make it. So, I didn't get to see her.

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We're leaving this afternoon for a weekend campout/float trip. TheChittumFiles will be shuttered for a couple of days. Lack of wi-fi in Noel, Mo., and lack of a waterproof laptop will keep me from constant updates. I won't be taking the camera in the canoe (last time Dad and I canoed, we totally wiped out, so I don't trust electronics in the canoes!), but I'll have plenty of photos from the campsite, I'm sure.

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Camping trip also means that we'll be able to take a little break from the Extreme Home Makeover. When we come back, Monday we paint. Everything is primed and ready. They'll definitely be some new photos when all that color is added.