A Runaway, Strange Noises, and A Cell Phone Story

C called yesterday to tell me all about the trouble she has been having with the 2-year-old boy. It seems as if he is back to his old 'runaway' tricks. He had let himself out of the house no less than three times yesterday--at one point she found him less than a block from main street! There he was, shoeless, sockless, droopy pants, and a short-sleeved T-shirt, running down the street. The way he gets out of the house is: he drags a chair to the backdoor, uses something (a toy or other object) to force the hook-latch open, puts the chair back where it belongs, and then sneaks out of the house. She was at her wits end. Today they went out and bought different locks, etc, for the doors and so far they are working. She gives it about a week, two at the most, before he figures out how to open them--and then it is back to searching for a way to keep him in the house! Her biggest fear, of course, is him leaving in the early morning hours while she is sleeping--something he has been known to do. I DO feel sorry for her.

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The other day I was sitting here in the computer room, reading my mail, when I began to hear some strange noises. The noises weren't very loud, but kind of annoying and a little unsettling. I knew there weren't any TVs or radios on and I was the only one in the house. Of course, I went to make sure I hadn't turned on a TV and forgotten about it and I checked to make sure it wasn't unusually windy outside, but I got no explanation for the noises. So, I sat back down to continue reading my mail and heard the noises again. I sat very still and strained my ears to see if I could find the direction of the noises when I realized they were coming from very close to me. I looked down and there was the cat--and sure enough it was her making the sounds. She was doing something between a snore and stuffy nose sound--a first for her. I guess that's what happens when you get old, you start making old-people noises! I suppose the next thing she will learn to do is pass gas--just what I need.

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Doug posted a funny story about his cell phone going off during church services and that brought to mind my cell phone story. Because it ISN'T a funny story, I had to tell it here instead of in his comment section.

About six years ago, I turned my cell phone off during a church service. Later that day we had to leave town--our youngest had a medical appointment. We were only going to be gone that night and would be home late the following evening, so we didn't mention our trip to anyone other than some close friends. When we got home, our caller-id phones and answering machine were blinking faster than we ever had seen. Obviously, someone was trying to reach us. This was when I realized I hadn't turned my cell phone back on--which I promptly did and found the numerous messages left for us. It turned out that K's sister was trying to call us to say that his mother had passed away. The entire family was pissed at us: 'Why have a cell phone if no one can get hold of you?' Because of that, I never turn my cell phone off--AND I set the call-forwarding feature on our landline phone when we go out of town, just so I WON'T miss any more calls. DON'T need to go through THAT ever again!