So, Annabelle, I asked, do you and Thatch want to do anything special for Easter? I want to open our presents! Thatch responded enthusiastically, and he began to dance about the apartment. Nope. No presents at Easter. I’m sorry.   You only get presents on Christmas and your birthday . . . and special occasions. Are … Continue reading 13. ANNABELLE’S MUSICAL →

This morning I slept in, despite the efforts of Annabelle and Thatch to get me out of bed. I could blame the weather changes, but last night I made the mistake of telling them that I was feeling puny and that I might be getting sick. So, their initial attempts around 6:00 to rouse me … Continue reading 12. YOUR CHOICE OR MINE? →

When I returned from my walk to the bank, Annabelle and Thatch met me outside the apartment. What are you two doing out here? Didn’t Val let you in? I asked them. Yes, Annabelle said. He did. So why are you here in the hall? Aliens! Thatch whispered. They’ve landed, whispered Annabelle. Aliens? I said … Continue reading 11. UFO INVASION →

Why must we go out this morning, Annabelle? It’s our patrol time. You know that. It’s too hot, I said. The hall is like a steam room. My public demands. Come on. So we took our morning patrol. At 8:45, most of Annabelle’s public is too busy trying to get to work to let her … Continue reading 10. NINE LIVES AND A SIXTH SENSE →

I came home from the market. The door was ajar, stuck on the carpet under the humidifier. I was sure I had closed it. I straightened the carpet and closed the door, but neither Thatch nor Annabelle showed up to welcome me with their usual questions:
             1. What’s in the … Continue reading 9. THE BIG FLOOD →

When I came in from the basement, Annabelle was on the computer. I looked around. Thatch was in the window. The fierce little hunter was stalking the pigeons. Be careful, Thatch, I called. Don’t let them catch you stalking them! I’m hiding, he whispered. They can see that little orange tail sticking up in the … Continue reading 8. THE PARTY: May 9, 2018 →

Watch me, Daddy! It was Annabelle. She was standing with her two front legs in her latest Amazon carton as she pushed herself across the slick floor’s surface with her back legs. That looks like fun, I said. At that moment, Thatch came storming up to me. When he gets really angry, his little voice … Continue reading 7. WHERE’S THATCH? →

Thatch has discovered the hole in the back of my clothes closet. When Annabelle discovered it during her first explorations of the apartment, I told her that it was only the result of cheap construction from the 1960s, when one apartment building was joined to the apartment building next door to make one building. I … Continue reading 6. JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH →

Annabelle, if I’ve told you once, I have told you a hundred times: stay out of the plastic bags! I said that to Thatch when he kept jumping into my bag of tax receipts, I’ve told you that every time you jump into the bag for recycled paper . . . A big plastic or … Continue reading 5. IT’S IN THE BAG →

Why are you in such a lousy mood? Annabelle asked me. That damned elevator isn’t working again. I swear it’s dead more than it runs these days. I thought they were going to repair it, she said. I thought so, too. I’ve been thinking that since September. Come on, Thatch said. We have more goblin-proofing … Continue reading 4. THE FIERCE GOBLIN HUNTERS →