Morning Folks 05 14 06 Oh My Gawd!

Although I had planned to write a Mother's Day blog, I decided that I would write about the latest episode in the National Geographic comes to Hudson. I should preface this by saying that yesterday Bill asked me to leave the garage door unlocked so if he and Kim needed to stay over here after her sister's wedding nearby, they would be able to get in. Bill jokingly said something about not leaving it open so no squirrels would get in again. As you might recall, I had a rather unsettling incident in January with a squirrel in my bedroom. (You can click on Archives at the right of this screen and choose somewhere around January 28th, if you have forgotten that saga.)This is what we call "foreshadowing".

As some of you know, I am leaving for Chattanooga on Wednesday and I am very excited but also a little distracted, nervous and stressed, you might say. I had started to get things ready for my trip and this afternoon went downstairs to the lower level family room to bring my suitcases upstairs in order to start packing. As I turned to go back upstairs, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye.

There in the middle of the room was a chipmunk. Cute you think? Not when it is in my family room, it isn't! I really don't use the family room, since I have given most of the furniture to the kids. But I do have to pass through it on my way to the laundry room or as I go in or out of the house as it is adjacent to the garage. However, there is no door at the foot of the stairs preventing varmints from ascending upstairs into my living area.


I remained calm and tried not to shriek but broke out in a sweat. I watched him very closely as he scurried across the floor and into the closet. I moved quickly and deliberately, moving a folded card table against the doorway. I ran upstairs and on my way noticed a little black chipmunk dropping on the landing by the front door and I started to freak. He had been upstairs! I probably scared it back downstairs. Or were there more than one????

Somehow I gathered the courage I needed and went on-line and googled "chipmunks in house". I knew what to do, now. I went for my jacket and my car keys. Trying to be as brave as possible, I walked down the stairs. Slid the card table away and stepped into the family room. Sliding the card table back in place behind me, I made my way cautiously to the garage door and out to the safety of my car.

Muttering my mantra "All Shall be Well", I ventured out into the rainy Sunday afternoon making my way to Home Depot where I purchased Hav-a-hart trap for small rodents. Still trying to remain calm, I read the directions on the box and made my way to Stop and Shop for apples and peanut butter...not that I was hungry, but I had read on-line that this is the bait to use for chipmunks. I was focused but just a little jumpy and as I accelerated, the moving parts on the trap, still in its box on my front seat, made a sharp clanking sound and it scared me so much I almost went off the road. "All shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well"...

So I got the trap home, read the directions more thoroughly. I set and sprang the trap over and over like an OCD patient until I finally decided I was ready. I baited it with a slice of golden delicious apple and Skippy and brought it downstairs.

And there it sits. I am about to go out to meet Doug for a Mother's Day dinner. I am not sure what I will find when I get back. I haven't checked the trap yet and it has been an hour. But I didn't hear anything.

I will keep you posted.
Love,
Suz