Much of my life is spent with coffee. Knowing this, there usually is a toll cat set up in front of the kitchen. Toll must be paid prior to a refill of the cup. Sometimes, the gatekeeper has underestimated the level of my coffee cup and sets up her toll position prior to my finishing my coffee. When this happens, I am sent warning notices that the toll will have to be paid.

Now, after this initial warning flash, a disgruntled siren is emitted, warning me of the impending toll and then the gatekeeper moves the toll belly into full stage collection mode.

Since I still had coffee in my cup, Yoshi, the gatekeeper, decided to hell with it and came over to the couch to demand the toll so she could go sit on the couch in my room to catch sunbeams. I am now clear to retrieve my coffee since I have prepaid the toll.

*Please note, I have not hoovered yet to eliminate the dry leaves and debris the dogs have tramped from yesterday and this morning. The rug by the kitchen door looks like a forest path when they come in sometimes. Luckily for me, the great horned owl that sometimes roosts in our juniper tree has not horfed up mouse bits and fur so my cairn has not come in dressed like the Kurgan this morning.