Monday Meanderings - 3.13.2017

We get daily email updates from "Nextdoor" a neighborhood news feed. Mostly the messages are about lost and found pets, but occasionally the email concerns suspicious people in the neighborhood (which means I probably need to stop walking out and about in the 'hood) or vandalism. And sometimes, there's a real gem, like this one that showed up Saturday afternoon:

 Lost cat inside home -- advice please
- from Gracywoods · 16h ago

A friend has lost her cat inside her home. It has been a week. She can hear the cat crying and then silence. She has turned her house upside down with no luck. Any advice would be appreciated.

A number of the responses were suggestions to call the fire department, or an exterminator, or even 911. And there were many predictable looking-places suggested:

If you hear the cat in multiple places / directions it might have got into your AC vent.
 - in the attic or on the roof. 
- small spaces behind fire places or under floor boards
...behind the stove and wall!
 - could be in the walls
- any kind of construction or repairs done?
 - check drawers in the kitchen and bathroom, especially those that contain towels. 
- Check the linen closet and pantry, as well.

And quite a few suggested places to look based on experience:

- had a wall repaired; cat went to sleep inside the wall, [had to] brake open the wall again. 
- found my cat in a file cabinet after a week!
-  cat carried outside in the box spring by movers
-  attic through a drop ceiling panel that had been temporarily removed. 
- check recliner if you have one. Got under while open and went to sleep.

And some not-so-common experiences and suggestions:

-  finally found the cat inside the waterbed we had just put together and filled with water. We drained it, took it apart, and got her out.   (Alive, I hope)
- found mine in my refrigerator! Good thing I hadn't left the house!
- One of our small dogs could come in to hunt down the cat.

And the possible solution -
- friend says her ex is over there now with a thermal camera. Fingers crossed!

Banner week here! Used up the Thanksgiving paper napkins and put away the basket of Christmas cards sitting on the hearth. Up-to-date here in River City.

And speaking of River City. It's SXSW time again, and there's a video of a TXDOT traffic sign making the rounds. I can't get the video to work, but the sign says, in succession:

WELCOME TO AUSTIN

LOOP 1 DOESN'T LOOP

LOOP 360 DOESN'T LOOP

FM 2222 HAS 4 NAMES

YOU'RE WELCOME