It has been a quiet house ever since my parents decided to take a month off in the southern corridors of the nation. It's been nice but at the same time.. a little to quiet. Sunday after church I was in the kitchen check my e-mail. I heard something bang and crash. Thought it was down stairs... maybe outside. I didn't really give it a second thought. Later that evening I went downstairs to my room to get something to get ready for bed. I had been sleeping in my parents room on the main floor because they have a very nice comfy bed. I entered my room... something was off... way off. On one side of my room a picture had fallen off the wall, a candle had been knocked over, my bible was on the floor, and the ivy and lights that are usually strung along the half shelf were drooped down onto my desk. On the other side of my room my lamp, (which is usually on the shelf also) was knocked down... still plugged in but completely off the shelf. My plant had been up rooted and a couple candles were strewn about on the floor and my bed. I picked up the phone and dialed the first number I thought of. Since I had just gotten off the phone with my mother I knew she would be still awake even though it was after 10:00.

"Hello?", she sounded a little confused.. probably wondering why I was calling her back again so soon.

" Ok I'm a little freaked out", I couldn't quite figure out the emotions I was feeling and that was the best way to sum in up. I went on to describe to her what I saw.

"Do you want to talk to your father?" if she doesn't know the answer that is usually her reply.

"Ummmm, Yeah", I could hear her talking to him, then he got on the phone.

"Hello Catie" He didn't sound overly worried but then again he hadn't heard yet what was going on. I explained to him what was going on and that I was a little unnerved.

"Are all the windows locked?" I proceeded to check.

"Yeah they are."

"What about the slider door in the next room"

"Yeah that's locked too."

"You haven't had the cat in the house have you?" A definite no, no.

"HA! No"

"Hmmmm."

*Hmmmm is right!* The fact that he seemed just as confused didn't help the situation.

" Well you know where the gun is."

"Yes."

"It's loaded."

"You know how to turn the safety off"

"Yes."

"You know how to shoot it."

"Yes." I was very thankful for the lessons he gave on how to use one.

"For your peace of mind why don't you get it and go check the rest off the house. Call me when your done."

"Ok I will", My adrenaline started to flow once I hung up. Well lets face it.. it started before I hung up. I began to check every room in the house... It took a little bit. I felt a little odd.

*Where's my SWAT team?* As I was checking everything I began to think of what it could be. I thought that perhaps one picture fell (the hooks were just stuck on the wall) , snagging the ivy and lights thus creating a chain reaction. I breathed a little easier.

The phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey", *boy I love that voice*

"I think I know what happened" I then told my dad my theory.

"Haha yeah your probably right" he then had that tone. The one he gets when he's trying not to laugh at you but is rather amused.

"Just remember God is in control and you are under his care",

"Yeah I was beginning to think... It really IS ok if I die." He laughed out loud...I hit my mark.

"yes that's true"

"well thanks, goodnight"

I didn't give my room another thought.. until the next morning...*Waite a minute... even if the picture fell creating a chain reaction... that doesn't explain why the picture on the OTHER end of the wall was crooked also...hmmmm* Again really didn't think much more about it... I figure it was something I had done.

I was getting ready to go out when I thought I should get a different shirt.. one I could get dirty... seeing as I was going to be dong hair color and I am not the neatest person in the world. I went down stairs and to my room to get that shirt. I got to the doorway and stopped abruptly. Alarms sounded off in my head and my heart started to beta faster. There he was, staring at me. It hit me... I had seen him before. A couple weeks ago staring at me through my window. I backed away from the door and dropped the load of stuff I had in my hand. I immediately got on the phone.

"Hello", she always answers the same way when she know it's me.

"I'M NOT CRAZY!"

"Hahaha well I never thought you were."

"BUT NO I AM REALLY NOT!"

"What?"

"THERE IS A SQUIRREL IN MY ROOM! I"M NOT CRAZY THERE REALLY WAS SOMETHING DOWN THERE!"

"HAHAH What? A squirrel?"

"YES!" I could hear her laughing and telling my dad in the background... he also laughed.

"Well how are you going to get it out?"

"I don't know."

“ Well maybe you should just leave a window or door open.” That would have been a great idea except for the fact I was supposed to leave 15 minutes earlier. I decided to get the live trap out of the barn and set it up in the basement with some bird seed as bate. I no sooner set it up than it swished past me into the game room. Just to give it a try I left the slider door open. I left it for a minute but REALLY had to go. Then he peaked his head out, I backed away. He came running out of the game room only to run back into my room. I placed the trap in my room and shut the door. Figured it wouldn’t take long and he would be in there. I left for my appointment. I came back seven hours later. After my appointment I played on the wii at a friends house and lost track of time. I went down stairs and opened my door. There was the trap… no squirrel. *hmmmmm* The seed however HAD been eaten. He also left me a little present. I walked out of the room and came back in a little later. I was told these particular squirrels could get really small and could fit under some doors. I went back in my room… there he was… on my bed.. In between some of my pillows and extra sheets…. starring at me again. I picked up the phone.

“HE’S IN MY BED!” all she could do was laugh. After I hung up I decided that was enough. I opened the window and popped the screen out. I was going to get this little bugger out if it kept me up all night. I chased him into the closet where he proceeded to got through some of my drawers I hadn’t shut all the way. Scared him around the closet for a couple of minutes until he finally ran out. I shut the door behind me. This chase went on for probably a half an hour. Through my DVDs and videos, around and through my books, behind my stereo, in my bed, through the sheets, up the wall to the window… Wrong window. That’s when I noticed it. The screen was torn in several spots and completely ruined. Now I was mad. I tried grabbing at him several times but they are quick. Him, being a red squirrel was also pretty small. Finally I got an old fitted sheet and tossed it on him. He got scared and ran but thank goodness for those fitted corners, it grabbed him like a net. I then gathered the whole thing up, him included, and tossed it out the window. He wasn’t going to go easy. He hung onto the sheet and almost made it back inside. I tossed the whole sheet out the window. He was NOT getting back in MY room. I don’t know if this is the last I will ever see or hear of him… but if he tries anything fishy again I AM going to let the cat in the house!  True Story.

Here are some incriminating pictures...

Trying to steal my candle.

Hiding in my plant.

Hoping the gorilla will save him.

IN MY BED!

My poor screen.

Anyway... that's all the excitment I plan on having while my parents are away.