Arrrgh!!!

Sounds like Ed has a really hard life--sort of like the lives of most cats. Glad that he returned to the fold. When I read about him, I had just re-seated myself at my computer from having let out our two cats. I've been up about 1 1/2 hours, but they just now got around to it (it's 4:45 AM). My "worry button" is set for a bit longer than yours. Mine's set at 24 hours. They love to hide in the woods (or just under bushes) where they are all but invisible.

My "worry button", like Cop Car's, is set at 24 hours. Well, that's not exactly true; it's set for 24 hours for Tory and Shadow, but 8 hours for Indy. Indy is mostly an indoor cat and rarely spends the night out.

Tory has been gone as long as 48 hours and shows up without a scratch or any clue as to why he was gone so long (I think he leads a double-life with another family and he just fakes it that he doesn't like other people).

And of course, we humans were put on this earth to play "doorman"!

My goodness, Cop Car! Do you sleep much, or do you just have days and nights turned around?? I can see that we will need to start our day early when you visit! lol

Bogie, isn't that just the truth?? It used to be that Defer let us know when Ed was sitting at the front door waiting to be let in. The rhythms of the household have changed a bit now that we have to watch for him on our own. He's particularly bad about being a yo-yo in the winter, when he gets cold faster. Ed's still trying to figure out how to train Dear Husband concerning the garage door. DH leaves when it is still dark in the morning, and if Ed is in the garage, he gets closed in until one of us happens to go out the back door. Tough life, huh?? *G*

And, about "worry buttons".... I think mine is being tampered with. My mother starts worrying about the cat if he isn't back by 3:00 in the afternoon. I don't think I would worry until about 9:00 on my own, if she wasn't fretting about the darned cat every 10 minutes. As it is, I seem to take over the worry job when she goes to bed, despite the fact that I know this is one smart, wiley cat.

One of our cats yowls to let us know she wants out of a cabinet, in from the garage, into the bedroom, out of doors, indoors. The other just sits there with great expectations.
As a child, my normal getting up time was 0400. When Bogie & Dudette were young, I would arise at that time to do my studying (physics or ground school for my pilot's license) before they or HH needed attention. I've never quite out grown it. On the other hand, I'm not a very good sleeper under the best of circumstances. I try to keep regular hours, to help in that regard; but, HH and I are prone to arising during the middle of the night. Unless we have something scheduled that morning, we are not averse to returning to bed for an hour or so, though.

I'm one of those people who can't survive on less than eight GOOD hours of sleep, and if there's nothing to stop me, nine would be even better. I told that to my doctor, and she ran a panel of tests on me, finally deciding that I just need more sleep than the average person.

It bugs me, because I keep thinking of all that I could get done if I was up at 5:00 in the morning. Those rare mornings when I AM up at 5:00, I whip the world into shape in about two and a half hours! But....that means I'm fading fast by eight at night.

Dear Husband gets up at 4:30 most days....and at 4:00 on Tuesday morning, when the garbage has to be put out. I feel guilty that he is up so early, when I can burrow in. I try to smooth the guilt away with the thought that he really doesn't want to be tripping over me as he gets ready for work. He'd rather pick up a cup of coffee (and a donut!) on his way, than make a pot of coffee at home.

I've been trying for some time to get our schedules more in line, but my body keeps telling me that 6:00 is the earliest it's going to consider doing the vertical thing. Since I work at home, and don't have the pressure to get ready for rush hour, I suppose that I make it to work about the same time as everyone else. *G*

OH.....I use that early morning time the same way when I am under the gun to finish something in the office. I've also been known to work until 2:00 at night just because there are no interruptions then. The telephone doesn't ring, I don't need a snack, I can just WORK! So, I understand how profitable that solitary time can be. Still.....my body longs for bed!

Ed is totally quiet throughout the day. He directs traffic by getting near your feet and leading you to what he wants. He looks expectantly at the front door, waiting for Mother to open it. He'll swat at you with dangerous front paws if you don't do things fast enought to suit him.

Then, at night, he changes personality, and will very quietly purr for me, and sometimes talks. The funniest sound he makes is the noise to tell us that he wants to be let out of the basement. It starts with a quiet shaking of the door, and then some voice is added....and the frustration level grows really fast! Soon you have the feeling that he is going to THROW himself at the door if you don't open it!