Shadow made me do it!

It really is all Shadow's fault. I was off to the grocery store just after 3 pm. Went over to the door, had the list in my left hand, and picked up my keys in my right. Turned, opened the door, realized I didn't have my cell phone. Turned around, picked it up out of the basket, turned back to the door just in time to see a long gray tail disappearing out of it. Now, none of the cats have ever really shown much interest in going out the door. This door leads to the garage, so there really isn't that far for them to go anyway. I was just annoyed.

I thought I would find her being tentative on the platform out there, but no, she had wandered on out into the garage and under the water heater (which stands about a foot off the ground). It's in the corner, no way I was getting down on all fours on the concrete to try and get her out. I thought opening the garage door would scare her back in, but no such luck; she was completely unphased. So, I go back in the house, sit down my phone and keys (both in my right hand), pick up the water gun, go back out he door, and squirt her a couple of times until she goes back in. Go in with her, put down the gun, turn the lock, and walk out the door. The instant I heard it shut, I realized I didn't have my keys or phone. ::smacks head against wall::

Saw my next door neighbor (who I have never met) getting her mail, so I went over, explained that I was locked out, and asked if I could use her phone. She only had a cordless, and I could hear it beeping indicating low battery, but it did have enough juice to get me through to DH to ask him to come home and let me in. Had this happened 30 minutes later, he would have already been at the gym playing ball, and I would have been stuck outside until 6:30-7.

Back to my house to wait in the garage for him. It really didn't take him as long as I thought it would (25 minutes, maybe). I got to flip through the catalogs that came in the mail. I was singing to myself sitting on the ledge, and Shadow had the audacity to come up to the other side of the door and meow at me! Well, you know, if I could open the freakin' door, we wouldn't be having this problem, now would we?! Sheesh.