Farm Home renovations got a bit delayed this past weekend, thanks to an uninvited guest of the feline variety.  I arrived at the farm Thursday morning to what appeared (and smelled) to be presents that a cat left behind on the temporary bed we had set up to sleep on. Now this is the SECOND time this has happened. The previous inhabitants had told us that they were unable to catch their barnyard cats, but never made mention that there might be a pet hiding somewhere inside. This time Animal Control was called. Within moments a Sheriff's Deputy showed up and helped me search the house. Nothing. He was as puzzled as I. The house is void of furniture save the above mentioned bed and a sofa, so not a whole lot of places for the fury devil to hide. We set a live trap, but after one night came up empty. Night two, the crafty cat had ate the bait, but not triggered the trap. Day three....got it...at 1 AM. We figured out that it had been hiding in a tiny plumbing crawlspace in the upstairs bath. We put the caged cat in the well house

for the remainder of the night since it is heated and went back to bed relieved to have solved the problem. The next morning, Fritz went to the well house to get the cat to the animal shelter and found....an EMPTY cage. The cat was indeed still in the stone well house, so Animal Control was called again. A different Deputy was there in minutes. He got out all his cat catching equipment and we all thought he had it, when it suddenly broke loose and took of across the field. I thought for a moment that it really did deserve it's freedom after all it's clever work, but then remembered the smell of my ruined new mattresses and was happy that the deputy set out two traps. The next morning the traps were full....with the 2 barnyard cats. My formidable feline is still out there. Laughing at me no doubt. A third deputy showed up to pick up the other 2 cats, but it took him 40 minutes to show. Must have been some real crime happening in Page County.

Despite all the antics, we did manage to get a little bit done on the house. Fritz continued with the painting

and tried out his new toy.

I test stripped one of the dormer closet doors just to see if I could do it and if the doors were nice enough to restore. The process is fairly simple. Take a door loaded with who knows how many layers of paint,

 brush on some stripper, wait 15 minuted for the paint to soften

and scrap it all off.

I didn't think the results were all that great, but the rails and stiles of the door appeared to be quarter sawn oak, so I decided to give it a second try. So pleased I did!

A little fine sanding and some oil, and I think I have a keeper. 14 more doors to go. Or maybe just a few.

And please hope with me that the escaped kitty does a fantastic job of keeping the yarn free of all the other possible unwanted critters. (especially the long skinny slithery kind)