My Adventure for Today.

Not all adventures begin in the dimly lit confines of a tavern warmed by a fire and surrounded by mirth, wenches and fellow patrons. And too, not all tales begin in misty hills or ancient tombs where danger slumbers. Sometimes, such a thing begins with a simple scratching. A quiet herald that grabs at your attention little by little until an explosion of excitement catches you in a swirling chaos of panic and confusion.

Such was the case with me this morning. The past few days I have found myself investigating a reoccurring noise, one that I had come to believe was a mouse that had found it's way into our dryer's exterior vent hose. And as such I had been puzzled at how to get at the pest or if it would simply manage to make it's escape and leave in piece. On this fateful morning I was to be proven completely in error.

I had manged to get the older kids off too school and my youngest, after an extreme fit of toddler rage coupled with her own brand of indignation, to bed for a nap. My son had been up most of the night was resting on a couch by me, when much my sudden and completely unexpected horror a single bird took flight through my home to crash behind the couch occupied by my son. Now, granted I will concede I mentally stumbled with what action I should take and within moments fortified my mind with a simple strategy. I seized upon an empty cardboard box and set myself to try and scoop the bird up as it took wing and trap it until I could release it.

However, as typical, Murphy saw to my tactic. The bird eluded me and managed to find it's way, with much 'Jesus, Joseph, and Mary' shouts slipping from my lips, into the kids room. Where it eventually took up sanctuary behind a dresser.

Try as I might, I could not spook, coax or position myself to spring the bird from it's entrenched position into my waiting trap, but I had an ace still to play. One of the kids cats came in from outside and instantly I looked on it with wolfish glee. At first the cat wandered off to lay down and rest, but a second foray at introductions proved most effective. The cat seized upon the bird in a narrow confine around one corner and then quickly doubled to the opposing side to outflank his opponent. It took to the air then to try and escape on the high ground of our bunk beds. Misfortune smiled upon it however because our cats have mastered mounting the bunk beds lofty heights with ease and the bird was rapidly caught in a feline blitz.

Literally within moments I was able to retrieve the fallen foe of the feline and escort it back outside our home. Ironically enough my youngest daughter escaped the excitement of our encounter with her room while she slept.

Now, let us hope that that is enough excitement for today. For a Jedi craves not these things.