Blame it on Squirrels

I have a bird feeder.  Specifically, it's a suet cage that I suspend from a shepherd's hook.  I placed it in front of a window so the cats could watch the birds.  Unfortunately, the squirrels like to climb up and eat the seeds, too.

The squirrels love to tease Tabitha.

When the squirrels jump off the shepherd's hook, sometimes the suet cage falls off. Of course, I have to go out and pick it up and hang it again.  Seriously, I can't deprive my cats of their entertainment.

Last night I noticed that the cage had been knocked off again, but I waited until this morning to get it.  When I'm running outside for something quick, like taking the garbage out or rehanging the suet cage, I don't usually bother with a coat.  And I leave the door open or just pull it to the jamb.  Fortunately today I grabbed my jacket because when I pulled the door to, it went too far.  When I heard the snick of the latch, my heart sank.  I literally felt a lump in my stomach.

You see, when the management group took over the building last summer, they changed the locks.  My door knob locks automatically, unless I twist the button on the inside to completely unlock it.  Except I hadn't twisted the button inside.  So when the door latched, it was locked.  With my keys inside. And my phone inside.  And me outside.

After berating myself for a couple of minutes, I went ahead and rehung the suet cage.  Then I considered my options for getting back inside.  I walked around the apartment and checked all the windows.  There were only two that were unlocked.  They were the two that showcased my Christmas tree--both at the front of the building.

I started with the side window because I could get to it more easily from the outside.  With Tabitha meowing and pawing the window from the inside, I was able to push the screen up out of the way.  The window took a bit more maneuvering since there was little to grab onto.  By shoving my fingers under the lip of the upper, fixed window, I was able to push the lower window up and open.

While blocking Tabitha from escaping, I assessed the situation.  The bottom edge of the window was even with my chest.  There was no way I could hoist my plus-sized self up and through the window.  I thought about dragging the outdoor storage box around from the front, but I happened to look at the front window and realized what I could do.

I replaced the side window and screen and went around the corner to the front.  Since I had placed most of the statuary in the storage box, I was able to get to the window fairly easily.  I raised the screen and the lower window as I had on the side.  Tabitha almost immediately tried to jump out.  Quick reflexes caught her as her leg muscles were bunching for the leap.  I credit those online games for keeping my hand-eye coordination strong!

To my left, inside, between the door and the window I had opened, was my small butler table where I kept my keys.  And, thank God, my keys were actually there!  Every once in a while I toss my keys in my purse, but this wasn't one of those times.  Finally, I had caught a break!  Now, I just had to reach them.  And keep Tabitha inside.

I tried to pull one of the plastic candy canes from the ground so I could snag my keys.  But the ground was too frozen and the candy canes wouldn't budge.  I thought of the straw broom, but that was too big.  And too dirty.  Getting more desperate, I turned sideways and reached to my left as far as I could with my right hand.  The keys were just out of reach, but I was able to grab the watering can I keep there.
By turning it upside down, I finally snagged the keys with the spout.  Thankfully, Tabitha's attention had been focused on my efforts, so she didn't try to get out again.

I replaced the window and screen and with a sigh of relief, let myself back into the apartment.

Interestingly enough, no cops showed up.  This was both a relief and a concern.  I did not want to have to explain my stupidity.  However, I hope that people knew I was the resident and that's why nobody called the cops.  And the fact that it was broad daylight.

Oh, I have subsequently locked both those windows.  What I'll do if I ever lock myself out again, I have no idea.