How to Find an AWOL Hamster in 3, 938 Steps and Clean and Organize Your Entire House in the Process.

Yesterday morning I woke up and did what I do every Sunday morning. I got out of bed, put on my robe and slippers and went and sat down at the computer. Within 2 minutes The Girl informed me that the hamster was missing. I don't know how exactly he knows it is Sunday but almost every Sunday he is missing. Weird. Usually I find him behind the couch or under the stove in the drawer. He always brings a huge mouthful of food along and dumps it in the drawer and plays amongst the pots and pans. Lately he is making a stop at the cat dish and hoarding that into his wee mouth and dropping it in the over drawer too. He is always happy to see me and is easy to catch.

Until yesterday. I searched. And I searched. I searched everywhere! I pulled out every piece of furniture and looked in every nook and cranny. I searched for hours! I was convinced he has either escaped into the building or That Cat ate him whole.

By the time 5:30 rolled around I was still in my pyjamas and needed to go to the grocery store. I called off the search and we got our shoes on.

And there he was. Sitting happy as can be in the bottom of my shoe bin. I think he smiled at me because he looked very pleased with himself. (He did!) I noticed that he chewed my best pair of black velvet pumps but the kids were so overjoyed at seeing him I only got a little teeny bit mad. After all, it is a hamster. Talking it out or punishing only makes them rebel more.

At the end of the day I had a giant box and a large bag for charity. I had 2 large bags of garbage and a large load of recycling. I cleaned out the shoe closet, pulled out and washed all the pots and pans under the stove and washed the drawer. I reorganized my living room and made some space for The Girl's dollhouse. I almost thanked the little thing but I don't want it to go to his head.