But there's always got to be a trick. Back in my DA days, one of the professors would put his bloody arm to use, hanging it from his office door or sneaking up on us with it. Some times it was in the form of a younger brother jumping out from behind a bush while we made our rounds through the neighborhood. Well, like so many other events here in Italy we do things a little different.
After my breeze of a commute home (mainly since Tues and Weds are Italian holidays so many took advantage of also taking today off) I opened the door to find Signore Nico waiting for me on his step and just a tad behind him...his Halloween dolcetto for me- Mr. Lizard!
Poor Mr. Lizard had lost his tail (well, maybe it was gone before) and was just holding still. I figured he was dead but then like a bad horror film one of his legs moved while he took a breath because when you think you're safe things are about to get worse. (Thinking about that, I should check my bed for that missing tail...or just sleep in the other room tonight.)
Nico had lost all interest in him by the point. I guess the box making a strange noise from his grandparents held his interest more than the toy he'd been playing with? I placed a box over the lizard while I quickly picked up my house since I was expecting the repair guys...yeah, I finally decided that 3 days was more than enough time to go without hot water although it sure helped when it came to getting out of bed for the gym this morning.
I finally gathered the courage and got the lizard in the box to put him back outside. I really don't think he's going to make it (Nico: 2, Lizards: 0) but I'll check on him in the morning.
Right as I was pouring a celebratory glass of wine, the door bell rang. Guess who! Yep. My favorite repair guy to once again rescue the day. Well, just like I had figured out (yay for the internet) there is something wrong with the broiler and they have to come back tomorrow. He of course also asked about the alarm since it's gone off twice now...that one evening and again at 7am last week. After his dad left (well, I think it's his dad) he worked on that. I let Nico out of his holding cell and his reaction to Fabio was hilarious. He wasn't sure at all and kept talking to me like "mom, there is a stranger in the house." Of course he could have been asking where his scaly nasty friend went but he kept looking towards our guest so I think it was the former option.
It was explained to me (by Fabio, not Nico) that I had set the wrong alarm. I doubt it but apparently that's what the system said and you know, at 0615 anything is possible. What I don't get though is how Nico held still all day the time it went off in the evening? These sensors are crazy sensitive so I'm not buying it but Fabio was convinced and even teased me that I need to label the inside one as "with cat" and the outside one "without cat." I'm half tempted to label them that way (in Italian) so the next time he's here he sees them. They actually are headed back tomorrow to try to figure out this mystery. Guess I get to hit the gym after all in the morning before dropping Nico off at the vet for his neutering and microchip. Yep. Another take your cat to work with you day although he's never going to be on the same base that I work on so I guess it's just a "take your cat for a ride day?" Speaking of which, I need to go cut off his food and go spend some time with the little guy.
