VE (T) Day 1

Today it was the girls turn for a great adventure into the big wide world - otherwise known as a two minute car journey to the local vets for their annual boosters.

Amber hates the cat carrier with a passion and shakes like a leaf every time she is taken to the vets, so we now have a tried and tested method to get her into her basket without her being able to run away. This involves closing every possible door in the house to narrow down the escape routes to run away from The Housekeeper, hiding the cat carrier in the bath, picking Amber up, carrying her into the bathroom and shutting the door, leaving The Housekeeper, cat carrier and cat in a confined 10 foot square room!!!!! That's the theory......

9am - The Housekeeper empties the bins, puts the recycling out and does odd jobs to disguise the fact that she is shutting doors behind her where there are no cats in the room to reduce the amount of available hiding and running space.

9:15am - The Housekeeper puts her trainers on in the lounge. Amber is sat within picking up distance, washing. The Housekeeper takes the opportunity to try to pick her up - and misses.

Big Mistake. Huge! (The Housekeeper's favourite Pretty Woman quote!!)

9:20am - After 5 minutes of trying to persuade Amber to come out from under the settee, The Housekeeper changes tack and puts Crystal in her box, who at this point is rolling around on her back without a care in the world.

9:29am - The Housekeeper, after closing the lounge door with just her and Amber in the room, moves both settees, coffee table and other sundry objects and eventually, mid circuit, manages to rugby tackle Amber to the ground and get her into her cat carrier.

9:32am - The girls arrive at the vets, yelling their heads off - walk through the door and promptly turn off "fretful unhappy cat" mode and turn on "gorgeous, attention seeking look at me" Abyssinian mode. Amber refuses to come out of her carrier and needs "help"!

9:40am - Short chat with the vet, nurses and reception who are all very much looking forward to seeing the boys this coming Friday for their ops. Think there will be a lot of Abyssinian cat cuddles in the recovery room afterwards somehow.

9:50am - All home.
Boys - Much Abyssinian chirping to greet the girls.
Crystal - Washing in the lounge as she "smells of the vets"
Amber - Has retreated to the kitchen outhouse and is sitting on top of the large tall freezer, out of reach. She may be there some time.

The Housekeeper breathes a sigh of relief and puts the kettle on, £91 poorer and with very sore knee caps from THAT rugby tackle. Think there may be stiffness and bruising tomorrow.