Last night was... well restless.

It started at 12:30 when my daughter came across the hall and climbed in our bed.  It's one thing that it disturbs my sleep, but it really doesn't take that much effort to hoist her into bed.  Last night however she forgot to close her door and Ryder pup can not be trusted.  So my long night began with getting up to shut her door...  no biggie.

Shortly after that (sorry, no good time reference) I was pretty certain I heard Brett walking around the house.  He wasn't. Someone however was moving in our house.  I heard and felt it.  I never heard our alarm system beep.  It certainly never sounded off.... how did they get in ???   Are the ghosts back? 

I stared at the bedroom doorway for quite some time and never heard it again... and they never came for us.  (maybe its the dogs or the cat?)

Next up... again no grasp on how much time has passed, there was a noise in the kitchen.  This sent both my dogs flying from a dead sleep (phew..  nice to know they will react to such a thing!)  they ran barking into the night.  I don't know what that was, but I wasn't very worried.  Probably the cat.

Through all of this and what happens next I'm in and out of dream land... or am I?  All very weird and shadowy and I can not for the life of me recall the dream portion of the night, but that too was disturbing.

Next I hear a scraping sound.  Something is being dragged.  At this point its 3am. A dragging across my kitchen floor was what I was certain I heard.  Ryder!  I jumped up and timidly walked down the hallway... after all there was someone in the house earlier, right?  I peaked around each corner and saw nothing.  I moved into the kitchen.  Maggie was laying on the deck, which turned on the outside light.  I looked and did not see Ryder anywhere.  I checked the whole house and outside again two more times.  Nothing.  On my second check, Maybe (our cat) comes trotting curiously up the cellar stairs and meows at me.

hhmmm....?

Maybe, it was Maybe dragging something downstairs.  That happens sometimes when she's playing.

Finally, I tinkled and went back to bed. 

Short time later...  I hear a double thud from the other side of my bed.  I sat straight up!!  I knew what it was... I had heard this once before!  Ellen fell off our bed!  She got right to her feet with a whimper, and climbed back up, curling up to me.  Phew... we're alright. 

Then, her tiny voice in the dark says, "I'm really thirsty.  I need some chocolate milk." 

Oh hell no!  It's 3am!!  (ish)  I told her no, it was the middle of the night and go back to sleep.  She protested, but fell back to sleep rather quickly. 

6:30am came very very quickly this morning... I dragged my tired ass out of bed and got to work while Ellen and the dogs slept in. 


Later this morning Brett mentioned the Tuna can.  Where had it gotten off to?  He had made Tuna last evening and left the open can on top of the refrigerator for Maybe to clean... its a little ritual of their's. 

That was it!! 

That was the scraping noise!!

That was the sound I heard.

Maybe knocked it off, that woke up the dogs.  Then later I heard Ryder pup drag it out the doggie door and most likely licked it clean under the deck....

phew... that mystery solved.


But still... who was in the house last night?