And before that...

I came home from work the other day and as per usual started brushing the cat when I noticed something green and spindly on the rug. Once visually resolved, I realized it was a baby itty bitty praying mantis, about an inch and a half long. A sleeping one? A very still one? Doing some kind of... twisty yoga? Breakdancing? No, dead. Definitely dead.

"Kitty!" I screamed. "You're a murdiddlyurdler! Praying Manti are endangered and you're going to JAIL!" She looked nonplussed so I upped the ante and told her how in jail, the other criminals don't take kindly to perps who crime on little babies and children and they were gonna be really mean to her cause it was a baby mantis and she still looked nonplussed. So then I realized that she meant she wanted my help, she wanted to go on the lam and she needed my support, and how could I turn my back on my soft fluffly kitty cat with the big eyes? So i held her and cried and said "It's ok puss puss, we're in this together and I won't let them get you" and she struggled out of my arms and went to the bed which is where we usually do treats after the brushabrusha and I realized she was telling me to call Mars and ask her if we could use her parents' basement cause it's real out of the way.

So I called Mars and she said Praying Manti aren't endagered anymore.

So me and iodine had praying mantis sandwiches for dinner and played chess. Love that cat.