Pet stickers are on the windows and carriers are left open in the hallway. I actually had the unfortunate pleasure of testing my emergency plan last month and it worked. Sunday morning false alarm, but it scared the heck out of everyone as we've had a spate of small fires in the building in the past few months.

The big fire alarm went off and someone was yelling fire in the hallway. I grabbed both cats, put them in their carriers, dressed myself and exited the building - successfully navigating the stairway with two heavy carriers. I know my strength came from adrenaline as there's no way I could do that on a normal day. Of course I forgot my purse and my cell phone and am glad it was a false alarm - just someone's old toaster, burning the Sunday toast and setting off a smoke alarm!