Spring Break and Wildlife Refuge

So the past week Jake was away for Spring Break with his buddies. There I was, a mom alone, left to her own devices. Hmmmm…. So I thought maybe I would play music really loud…. I could walk through the house wearing only a towel…. Boy, the possibilities were endless. But what I really enjoyed was the quiet… the simple quiet of it all.

I was sitting on the couch late one night polishing some jewelry, and I heard this strange noise. It was kind of a scratching sound. I stopped, listened some more….and nothing. Hmmm, must be Scooter lying under the magazine rack scratching himself. And once the foul odor of dog gastro-intestinal distress reached my nose, I was fairly confident the scratching sound was Scooter. The week went on rather uneventful, occasional noises, frequent dog smells.

Jake arrived back home on Sunday evening. He was drawn downstairs to slay monsters and kill enemy soldiers ~ ahh the world of online gaming. As he was sitting down there with his AK57, he heard a noise coming from the fireplace insert. He sprinted up the stairs and said “Ummmm mom, I think there is something in the fireplace downstairs.” We went down together and banged on the top of the stove. The next thing I knew I was hearing this:

Muskrat Susie, Muskrat Sam
Do the jitterbug out in muskrat land
And they shimmy
And Sammy's so skinny

Nibbling on bacon, chewin' on cheese
Sammy says to Susie "Honey, would you please be my missus?"
And she say yes
With her kisses


And now he's ticklin' her fancy
Rubbin' her toes
Muzzle to muzzle, now anything goes
As they wriggle, and Sue starts to giggle


And the next thing I heard was that cooing and chirping sound…. Okay…so that is what I heard coming out of my fireplace - The Captain and Tennille . I think Susie and Sammy already did the raccoon love dance and I have their love children nesting in my fireplace.

Great…a momma and her babies in the fireplace. Raccoons can be fierce – seriously fierce. I looked up homeopathic ways to deal with varmints and I am leaning toward letting them grow up in a loving warm environment until they are 10 weeks old. At which time the momma and youngsters will leave the nest for bigger adventures. I think that is my solution of choice, given the sticker shock alternative of the “Critter Gitter.” Good Lord, $1,200 to $2,000 to get them out of there and do you think they really “relocate” them??? I think not. I can’t be responsible for Susie and Sammy’s love children’s demise. I just can’t do it.

So, welcome to the Poulson Wildlife Refuge. Tours are conducted daily 5 am- 12:01 am.