Things To Do, Places To Go

Another early morning wake-up; not Ralph this time, but the Children of the Night, the coyotes.  The packs run the ridge across the road on their way down to Perry Creek, their favorite hunting ground, and there are pups to train at this time of year.  Their yipping and yodeling sets off the local dogs and it's a cacophony of sound.

I don't delude myself that I've actually won the war, but there were no squirrels in the milking room yesterday; two days in a row!  That was a good thing because I'd cleaned out all the used udder wipes (labeled as diaper wipes) from the bucket and had to put my weapon of choice, the broom handle, in there to rescue fallen mice.  I'd thought it would be okay until I finished milking, but don't you know I had no more taken Inga out and there was a little guy frantically hopping up and down at the bottom.  I put the stick in so he was able to escape.  The things I do for these critters.

Thing is out for revenge.  Piqued at not being able to get at the chicken scratch, he and his buddies had a hissy fit and completely cleared off one of the shelves.  They threw garden supplies, jars, and Christmas baskets to the floor, then chewed and tore anything made of paper.  They'd already made a right mess of the room, but now it's a disaster zone.  When the weather gets cooler (one can always hope), it's going to be a week's worth of work to get it cleaned.  Ralph and Celeste are indoor kitties; what I need are large, hungry barn cats with attitude.

I have so been looking forward to today.  It's my daughter Deb's birthday and Craig, her husband, is throwing a party for family and friends down at Poor Red's.  Pete, living closer, has come up more frequently, but I never count on seeing the other Kids between Mother's Day and Thanksgiving due to the heat and lack of A/C, so in addition to celebrating Deb's special day, it will just be so nice to enjoy an interim visit with them all.  Well, almost all.  Larry called from Hawaii the other day and we caught up on our news, his, of course, being more exciting than mine.  Squirrel wars can't hold a candle to swimming in the ocean with giant sea turtles.

It's going to be a good day.