Do You Hear What I Hear?

I'm not sure who in the world let Licorice out in the first place. It wasn't me. I never let her out until after everyone living on my road has headed off to work. I do know who let her in--my daughter-in-law.  Being the helpful gal she is, opening the door to the black world outside and allowing a black cat into the dimly lit living-room was what she does--help however she can.

Our relaxing morning of coffee, Christmas music, tree lights, and conversation abruptly changed as her questioning shriek filled the air, "Does Licorice have a mouse in her mouth?" Yes, Licorice had a mouse in her mouth, and was very proud of it.  Santa Kitty had brought me an early Christmas present. Actually, it wasn't just for me. It was for my company as well.

 Over the next couple minutes Kitty moved her rodent from under the Christmas tree to behind the couch and back again--occasionally dropping the lifeless mouse and batting it around a little--meowing the entire time.

We, all five of us, tried to ignore her. We did a pretty good job of it too until my grandson suddenly cringed. "Do you guys hear what I hear--a crunching sound?"

We all listened. "Gross!" It definitely was a crunching sound we heard. Licorice's breakfast was under way. I immediately increased the volume of the music. Mannheim Steamroller never sounded so good.

Amazingly, Licorice consumed the entire mouse without leaving a trace of the evidence.

The next day, when a granddaughter-in-law asked if she could let Licorice in, we all jokingly responded, "check for a mouse first." She laughed as she looked out the door. "Oh no! The mouse is huge!" It was the biggest mouse any of us had ever seen. After each of us praised Licorice for her hunting prowess and generosity, she posed for several photographs, then disappeared from the porch only to reappeared seconds later, sans mouse, ready to come in.

Christmas is a wonderful time to build memories. These pre-Christmas mouse encounters will definitely do that.  Next year when Do You Hear What I Hear is played, I will automatically say, "I hear crunch, crunch." I will sing, "Jingle bells. Crunch, crunch, crunch. Jingle bells. Crunch, crunch, crunch." And when my Mannheim Steamroller Christmas CD is playing I will turn up the volume--the louder, the better.

Santa Kitty's present was definitely the most  unusual gift I have ever gotten.

The best gift came wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.

Getting ready for a new year,

Jan and Licorice the Hunter