they come as I plan to leave

The invasion has begun. Battle lines drawn. The first wave of soldiers...well, let's say there's carnage everywhere. It's too gruesome to share pictures with you. Many were flattened, most were poisoned with Clorox 2. Food was destroyed down the garbage disposal. Soldiers trying to escape the grizzly death by grinder were not spared, but flushed down the opening with water. The weakness in my defense (where they entered) was poisoned and sealed.

It's ant season...not the big ones that you find on logs and picnic tables in the woods. These ant are very small. Very determined. They create freeways of traffic in a short time. They invade cupboards and cat food. My mom calls them "piss ants" because they piss her off. Cute, huh? What's next? Moths in my wool? I shutter at the thought.

The clorox smell attracts both cats. Have I mentioned that my cats are "chem cats"? They love the smell of clorox. The one cat who is a bit high strung (I haven't been able to take a picture of her for a story yet) has several chemical issues: clorox (she rolls around on the floor where I just wiped up the dead ants, purring, eyes glazed over in ecstasy), tape (it gets chewed on or licked--it's the sticky side she goes for), and fresh rosemary (she regularly chews on fresh sprigs of rosemary). I swear I didn't create these issues. I am good at picking out defective cats. My cat-picking history speaks for itself. I won't give you all the details, but I'm sure my DH or daughter would love to share.

We will be flying off to Chicago Friday. I had planned to not have a friend come over to check up on the cats (they can be left alone for a few days)--then the invasion. I am rethinking the check up part. Our daughter graduates from Northwestern Law School on Mother's Day. What better gift can I possibly get? I don't know a lot of folks that are as driven and focused as she is: eight years out of high school = two bachelor degrees (European history and psychology), and now a JD in law.

Knitting for the plane has been packed. Nothing too big in size. I've included a nice variety of projects since four hours can seem like an eternity if the mind and body are not occupied. No long sharp instruments made out of metal (although I am in love with my Addi turbos, never thought I would knit with metal, but the circulars are so well connected, not kinked, and are sleek). Several projects have been put in a back pack (the easiest way to carry and store for me on a plane, as I have never seemed to outgrow that need to have a back pack and my baskets would get squashed). Double checked the packing of patterns and enough yarn.