Full-blown mayhem is under way in the kitchen, where Tony the carpenter is tearing out a doorframe and its associated section of wall in preparation for the removal of the shower stall that currently occupies the space that will soon become a pantry. Cat 1, Watson, was last seen on the futon in the basement; he is now almost certainly under it. Cat 2, Isobel, is probably behind the dryer and won't be seen again until Tony has packed up and gone for the day.

I wish there was room back there for me, too. If there's one noise I hate in this world, it's power tools, closely followed by the shriek of hardware being pulled out of wood.