All God's angels come to us disguised. ~James Russell Lowell

This week we met two angels whose disguises slipped.
Phil had another training session to attend, this time in Waltham,MA.  He wanted me to go with him, so he found a hotel that would let the dog go too.  We asked Cindy and Jeff , the couple we had met here in the campground, if they would look in on the cats.  I was going to leave enough food and water for them, and all Cindy and Jeff were supposed to do was look in on them once a day.
On the day we were to leave after getting packed and carrying suitcases and such out to the truck, I noticed that I hadn’t seen Smudge for awhile.  I started shaking his treat can, which we call “cat crack”, because they act so crazy over it, but he didn’t come out.  I then started looking in all of his usual hiding spots, but no Smudge.
Phil by now was getting anxious to leave because we had an eight hour drive ahead of us, and since he’d had had to spend over half the day at the office first, we were getting a late start.
I called Cindy and told her the situation and asked her to let me know as soon as she saw him in the trailer.
We drove to to Boston and arrived around 10 P.M. and checked into our room at the beautiful Westin Hotel.

I can honestly say I have never stayed in a more luxurious place in my life.  Everything was so lovely.
The next morning Cindy called and said that there was no sign of Smudge still.  I was convinced by now that he had gotten out while we were packing up the Silverado.
For the next couple of days , Jeff and Cindy were on the “Great White Cat Hunt”
They looked in all the cabinets, the closet, under the dresser, behind the printer, in the basement. They shook the can of “Cat crack” and called and called for him.  They went out at night with the flashlight, hoping to spot his eyes shining in the dark.  With every phone call and updated report my heart sank more and more.  He had gotten out twice before but always made his way back home, and Phil and I both suspected by now that there being no sign of him, something tragic had happened to him.
I called the local Humane Society, hoping someone had found him and dropped him off, even though he had a collar with his name and our phone number on it.  I thought maybe the tag had come off somehow.
 After three days of feeling heartsick, I called my step daughter, Alicia and poured my heart out to her about Smudge.  Shortly after getting off the phone with her I posted a message on Facebook, asking for prayers that he would return safe and sound.  Not even two hours later the phone rang and my heart leapt in my chest when I saw it was Cindy.  I knew she would only be calling at 3:30 in the afternoon if she had news of Smudge.  Sure enough, she said that she had gone into the fifth wheel to check on Whiskers, and, lo and behold, Smudge’s head popped up behind Whiskers.  What joy I felt!  These animals are our family, our fur babies, and we would be heartbroken if they were lost.
We suppose that he saw us packing, and, not wanting to go on another road trip, hid himself somewhere in the trailer.
Cindy said he looked fine and was actually pretty nonchalant.
She also said that the linen cabinet was ajar, and it wasn’t that way previously.
Our two angels.

When we got home Thursday night I pulled out the towels in the linen closet and there was evidence that there is where he had spent two and a half days!
Eventually he must have managed to push against the door hard enough for it to open.
I suppose that when I got something from the cabinet to pack, he jumped in and I shut the door, not knowing he was in there.
So our trip to Boston was  overshadowed by the worry that we had somehow lost Smudge,
Phil had training for two days and he had the truck, so I mainly spent time in the hotel reading,  We did go out to some nice places for dinner.
I wanted to try “real’ New England clam chowder, so we looked for a place that had it on the menu.
We decided to go to Ken’s Steak House (yes, that Ken’s  Steak House, the one that now sells salad dressings in the grocery store).  The clam chowder was good, but I’ve honestly had better at the Keg.
The real star of the dinner was the stuffed shrimp I ordered.

Stuffed with small shrimp, bay scallops and crab, it was delicious.
We didn’t have a lot of time to do any sightseeing, but Wednesday afternoon we rode over to Lexington to see the Scottish Rite Museum of Our National Heritage.
From the website:
The Museum of Our National Heritage in Lexington houses regularly changing exhibits about American history and culture.  The displays highlight the people who have worked, struggled and achieved patriotism, adventure, invention, and community.  The collection at the Museum of Our National Heritage features the history of American Freemasonry and fraternalism.

Unfortunately the museum was closed for the day, so we were only able to look around the lobby and the grounds.
George Washington

The Supreme Council building

We then drove to downtown Lexington and I took a photo of the Minute Man statue and an old church.
 

I would love to go back when we would have time to do some sightseeing.
Thursday morning we met Mark Shelly for breakfast in Spencer, MA.  Mark is  one of our neighbors in Retama, and another HDT (Heavy Duty Truck) guy.  He is also one of the smartest people I have ever met.  We were delighted to be able to see him and share a meal with him.

We were glad to get back to our fur boys.  I gave Smudge a big ole squeeze, (which he hated, by the way), but I was so happy and relived that he was safe and sound.
I did get to see a few birds this week before our trip and before the weather here turned so cold and rainy.
Eastern Bluebird

I believe this is a song sparrow singing its little heart out.
I
I loved these two crows sitting in this tree.


Books this week.
Careless in Red by Elizabeth George
With No One As Witness By Elizabeth George This one had 1158 pages…whew
Zoo Keepers Wife By Diane Ackerman
For the Love of Birds By Kay Charter
Another week gone…I leave you with this thought:
How rare and wonderful is that flash of a moment when we  realize we have discovered a friend.