(Temporarily) MIA

Something was wrong when Abi and I arrived back, today. Firstly, Flea didn't come to meet us at the door, then I saw her food was untouched, and, finally, there was only one set of feline footsteps going out from the cat flap and into the snow.

We checked with Laila -- who feeds Flea when I'm away - and she said that she normally sees Flea every time she goes to the house, but that she hadn't seen her last night.

I feared, that like her brother, Tux, before her, she had taken the long walk.

Well, we had a sad couple of hours, and I went into Abi's room once to find her crying, but then the MInx said that, on Facebook, Westmorland Vets had reported someone bringing in an "older, tabby cat", which appeared to be lost, over the weekend.

You hardly dare hope, do you, but I rang the vets, only to be told that the cat in question had been taken to the Kendal branch as the Kirkby Lonsdale one is unmanned overnight at the weekend. 

Enter my colleague, Steve, for our office is just above the vets. The Minx sent him a photo of Flea, and he proceeded down for, one supposes, a cat line up to see if he could spot our lost pet.

It looked like a fit!

Abi and I jumped in the car and drove to the vets' and, indeed, it was Flea! What a relief!!

Thus, the decoration of the tree - which I had feared might end up being a tearful affair - was instead quite joyful. Abi and I even indulged in a glass of mulled wine apiece.

And so, pictured, is Flea. Safely home.